In their own words – USTA Florida

Moving back to Philadelphia, where I currently live, I joined the Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association, the local LGBTQ+ tennis CTA, in 2008 and went on the board of directors in 2009, as Vice President for one year, and then President for two years. I started the Philadelphia Open, a GLTA event held since 2012, which brings  about 100 players from all over the nation to Philadelphia each July, and I’m still the Tournament Director for that event.

I’ve also been on the board of directors of The Gay Games as Officer of Site Selection since 2012, responsible for overseeing the selection of Paris in 2018, Hong Kong for 2022, and the ongoing site selection process for 2026. The Gay Games are the largest global sporting event open to all. I feel extremely proud of the work I’ve done for the LGBTQ+ community to empower through sport.

Pride is something very important in the LGBTQ+ community. Pride Month started in NYC, home of the US Open, during the Stonewall Riots in 1969. There were also demonstrations in Philadelphia by Carpenter’s Hall, the birthplace of the nation. The courageous actions and events of generations before have allowed me to live my life open and proud. No one should have to hide who they are in order to be happy and successful in life.

These actions have allowed me to run a successful LGBTQ+ tennis tournament in Philadelphia, which give players a safe haven to play without judgement. And, thankfully, the USTA Middle States and USTA National have been 100 percent supportive since the very beginning.

And now my volunteer work is focusing back on my true passion—tennis. I’m extremely happy that the USTA developed the “Diversity Immersion for Volunteer Engagement” (DIVE) program, of which I was a part in 2019-20. DIVE is designed to recruit and engage volunteers and future volunteer leadership from more diverse backgrounds at all levels of the USTA. I’d like to bring my experiences in LGBTQ+ sport to help the USTA increase diversity throughout all aspects of the organization. As a member of the National Pro Circuit Committee, I would also like to utilize my tennis tournament knowledge to help the USTA continually improve tournaments for players and organizers throughout the country.

My experience with the USTA has been extremely rewarding. It’s appropriate that during Pride Month, I can state that I’m very proud of my work in tennis, sports and the LGBTQ+ community—and I’m very proud that the USTA continues to accept and lift up the LGTBQ+ community.