For the past two years, the National Association of Collegiate Womenâs Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and the NCAA Committee on Womenâs Athletics worked toward the development of an Institute to enhance opportunities for women to move into positions as Athletics Directors or Conference Commissioners as the Division I level.  This summer, NACWAA unveiled The Institute for Athletics Executives, which was held in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina on July 28-31. 

(The Institute) is the start of something big and I feel fortunate to have been a small part in the foundation,ä said Joan Cronan. 

The inaugural class of participants included:  Peg Bradley-Doppes, Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina-Wilmington; Joni Comstock, Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina-Asheville; Joan Cronan, Director of Womenâs Athletics, University of Tennessee; Kathy DeBoer, Senior Associate Athletics Director, University of Kentucky; Carolyn Schlie Femovich, Executive Director, Patriot League; Carolayne Henry, Associate Commissioner, Mountain West Conference; Virnette House-Browning, Senior Associate Athletics Director, Bradley University; Lisa Love, Associate Athletics Director, University of Southern California; Bernadette McGlade, Associate Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference; Marilyn McNeil, Director of Athletics, Monmouth University; Betsy Mosher, former Senior Associate Athletics Director, Arizona State University; Dianne Murphy, Director of Athletics, University of Denver; Chris Plonsky, Senior Associate Athletics Director, University of Texas; and Miechelle Willis, Associate Athletics Director, Ohio State University. 

Peg Bradley-Doppes said, ãThe Institute exceeded my expectations.  I learned as much from the participants as I did from the faculty.  What a positive experience, both personally as well as professionally!

Participants attended sessions on leadership skills, contract negotiations, dealing with agents, development of television packages, capital campaign participation for funding and facility development, working with university CEOs and a search firmâs process for identifying Athletics Director candidates.  The faculty for The Institute included: Michael Aresco, Senior Vice-President, CBS Sports; Dick Baddour, Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina; Merrily Dean Baker, Director of Athletics Emeritus, Michigan State University; Robert Beaudine, President/CEO, Eastman & Beaudine, Inc.; Ced Dempsey, President, NCAA; William Kirwan, Chancellor, University System of Maryland; Roberta Vasko Kraus, Vice President, Center for Sports Psychology; Judy Sweet, Vice President for Championships/SWA, NCAA; and Wright Waters, Commissioner, Sun Belt Conference.

"NACWAA is honored to host this program and looks forward to the growth and development of The Institute.  We hope that we can one day expand the program for all women administrators who desire to become Athletics Directors or Conference Commissioners at any level," said Jennifer Alley, Executive Director of NACWAA.