National Office Staff

Patti Phillips, Chief Executive Officer
Patti Phillips became the Executive Director of NACWAA in April 2010 and was named Chief Executive Officer in October 2010.

Prior to assuming this position, Phillips was the executive director of the Women’s Intersport Network based in Kansas City (WIN for KC), a nonprofit dedicated to leadership development in girls and women through participation in athletics. During her 10-year tenure at WIN for KC, Phillips dramatically increased participation and funding, while achieving national recognition from leaders in women’s sports, including Robin Roberts, Julie Foudy and Billie Jean King.  In addition, Phillips was a color analyst for ESPN, FOX Sports Midwest, Sooner Sports and Metro Sports television broadcasts of collegiate women’s basketball and volleyball games.

Earlier in her career, Phillips worked for the NCAA as the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program Coordinator, where her primary duties included planning, organizing and implementing three national conferences per year. She was involved in leadership training, programming and curriculum writing for the Life Skills program. Prior to that, she was the head women’s basketball coach at Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS.  She inherited a losing program at Ottawa and turned it into a regional power. Under her direction, the Ottawa Lady Braves received their first national ranking in school history.

Phillips is known for her charismatic leadership, fundraising ability and tireless commitment to women’s advocacy and leadership development. Phillips received her degree with honors from Baker University and earned her master’s in athletic administration and sport psychology from the University of Kansas.

Follow Patti on Twitter: @PattiPhillips10
 

Laura Lewis, Director of Marketing
Laura Lewis has 11 years of marketing communications experience including work in the collegiate athletics, nonprofit and agency sectors. Her areas of responsibility at NACWAA include branding, social and digital media, fundraising, corporate sponsorship and new revenue streams, as well as oversight of the NACWAA Career Center and nacwaa.org.

Before joining NACWAA in March 2011, Lewis served as an Account Manager at Global Prairie, where she was responsible for managing client projects and campaigns in the consumer packaged goods, nonprofit, financial services and bioscience sectors. While at Global Prairie, Lewis worked closely with NACWAA, assisting the organization through the launch of its new website and social media campaigns.

Prior to her tenure at Global Prairie, Lewis was State Director of Communications and Marketing at the March of Dimes. She was responsible for securing media sponsorships and overseeing marketing campaigns and publicity efforts for fundraising and awareness events throughout Kansas and the Kansas City market. Lewis also served as Assistant Director of Media Relations at the University of Kansas, spending four years working with the nationally-ranked men’s basketball, women’s volleyball and softball programs.

As a collegian, Lewis interned with Ketchum in New York City and Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and graduated cum laude from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree in public relations. Upon graduation, she served for one year as Sports Information Assistant at the University of Houston. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she resides in Eudora, Kan., with her husband, Danny Lewis, and son, Carter.

Follow Laura on Twitter: @lauraleskolewis
Contact Laura: llewis@nacwaa.org or 816-389-8209
 

Ashley Broockerd, Director of National Events
Ashley Broockerd joined the NACWAA team as the Director of National Events in August 2010. Broockerd previously served as Assistant Director at the Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC) since August 2007. While at WIN for KC, she was responsible for the planning and execution of all WIN events, including The Women’s Sports Awards Celebration, an annual sell-out and one of the largest luncheons in Kansas City; the WIN for KC Women’s Triathlon, the largest all-women’s race in the Midwest; Camp WIN, a week-long girls sport day camp and also an annual sell-out; and various programs surrounding the Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball Championship.

In addition, Broockerd was responsible for coordinating the marketing efforts and communication to members, supporters, volunteers, and event participants, as well as the origination, implementation and day-to-day management of WIN’s social media campaign.

Originally from Lee’s Summit, MO, Broockerd has a bachelor of science in accounting and sports management from the University of Kansas, where she was a four-year member of the women’s rowing team. 

Follow Ashley on Twitter: @amb828
Contact Ashley: abroockerd@nacwaa.org or 816-389-8211
 

Shannon Myers, Director of Membership & Educational Programming
Shannon Myers joined the NACWAA team on August 22, 2011. A seasoned communications professional with high-level athletic experience, Myers is responsible for membership recruitment and retention, as well as all regional and national educational programming.

Prior to joining NACWAA, Myers served as assistant general manager and team member of magicJack, a Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) club based in Boca Raton, Fla. Myers also held the position of public relations chair within the player’s union (WPSPU). Previously, Myers served as team manager and player for the New Jersey-based national champion WPS team Sky Blue FC during the league’s inaugural season in 2009 and again in 2010.

Myers began her career at global public relations agency Ruder Finn, Inc. in New York, where she worked within the firm’s global issues practice. 

Myers received her master’s degree in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and rhetorical studies from Syracuse, where she was named Player of the Year in 2004 as a four-year starting member of the women’s soccer team. 

A native of Lancaster, Pa., Myers is a passionate and talented writer who enjoys playing the guitar and spending time with friends. 

Follow Shannon on Twitter: @SMyers00
Contact Shannon: smyers@nacwaa.org or 816-389-8212

Annie Butts, Membership & Advocacy Intern
Annie Butts joined the NACWAA team in June 2012. Prior to NACWAA, Butts attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Ma., where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She was a four-year member and senior captain of the Mount Holyoke varsity field hockey team, three-year recipient of NEWMAC student-athlete honors, and member of the Mount Holyoke Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In the future, Butts hopes to pursue a career in college athletics.

Follow Annie on Twitter: @AEButts14
Contact Annie: abutts@nacwaa.org or 816-389-8213

Katasha Kumar, Marketing & Events Intern
Katasha Kumar also joined the NACWAA team in June 2012. Kumar previously interned with the University of Kansas Football Department where her duties focused on recruiting and administrative operations. Prior to her internship she also worked for the football department as a student secretary, reported for the local television station and co-hosted a weekly sports show. Kumar was also very involved in the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, holding various leadership positions. A Chicago native, Kumar has a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from KU. In the future, she plans to work in college athletics or professional sports in media relations, recruitment or operations. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and loves to watch sports, cook, read and travel.

Follow Katasha on Twitter: @k_tasha
Contact Katasha: kkumar@nacwaa.org or 816-389-8214