A Chat in the Garden with Monique AJ Smith

This episode is a replay from Season 10, August 2023. Brandy Gresham was Assistant Director of Athletic Counseling and is now Assistant Director of Performance Psychology and Wellness Services at University of Michigan Athletics.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 13. Seasons 1 - 12 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Shauniece Steele serves as the Athletic Director at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati,
where she leads one of Ohio’s premier high schools. A passionate advocate for education-based
athletics, she is committed to creating an environment where student-athletes develop as leaders,
competitors, and individuals through meaningful relationships, high expectations, and
transformational experiences.

A proud Walnut Hills High School graduate (Class of 2010), Shauniece embraced every
opportunity as a student, lettering in volleyball, indoor track, and outdoor track while helping
capture multiple state and national championships. She was also actively involved in the

This episode is a replay from Season 5, November 2018. Deandra Duggans was formerly with the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Aces. She recently accepted a position with the National Women's Soccer League as Vice President, Chief Business Officer.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200pl...

Known as a gamechanger, and an inceptionist, Vanessa is perhaps one of the best engagement
marketers in the arena today. She cut her professional teeth working her way up ladders to serve as
Director of Corporate Communications, Events and Marketing for the U.S. arm of the largest watch
company in the world, the premier engagement jeweler in the US, and the largest Jewish Community Center on the Eastern Seaboard.

Companies charged her with strategic counsel and she defines her sphere as a combination of
engagement marketing with public and community relations accounted for. A...

Dr. Lavalais enters her fourth year at Alabama State University. She currently serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director, Chief of Staff, and Senior Woman Administrator, where she has been a driving force since 2022. Initially joining as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Experience, she quickly rose to oversee internal and strategic operations, student outcomes, and key departmental initiatives.

Her leadership reflects over a decade of success in advancing student-athlete academic excellence, with programs under her direction consistently leading the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in academic performance, with student-athletes earning a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher in eight...

Shani Bowens is an emerging leader in collegiate athletics with a passion for basketball operations, student-athlete development, and program administration. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Bowens earned her Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, with minors in Marketing and Sport Sales, from Northern Illinois University (NIU) in August 2024.

During her time at NIU, she served as Head Manager for the women's basketball program from 2021 to 2024 before being promoted to Graduate Assistant and Director of Basketball Operations for the 2024–25 season. In these roles, she gained extensive experience overseeing team travel, recruiting operations, compliance, game-day logistics, and the day-to-day management of a...

This is a replay from Season 2. Dr. Tiese Roxbury, former NCAA Executive and current Executive Director of Student Success & Retention for Bennett College, joined A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Jenae Rogers is a Partnership Marketing Activation Coordinator for the Memphis Grizzlies, specializing in the execution of integrated brand partnerships across digital, in-arena, and community platforms. She leads the coordination and delivery of partnership activations, ensuring each campaign aligns with strategic objectives and delivers measurable value.

In her role, she manages campaign implementation, oversees partner deliverables, and collaborates cross-functionally to bring creative concepts to life while maintaining strong partner relationships.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management from Temple University, Class of 2023, and a Master of Science in Sport and Leisure Studies from...

LaKendra Phillips – Footwear Designer I Ole Miss Alum I Former Collegiate Women’s Basketball Player I Sister in Sole

LaKendra Phillips is a rising talent in the world of footwear design, known for her unwavering dedication, creative spirit, and tireless drive to break boundaries in a competitive industry. With a deep passion for women's basketball footwear and a commitment to innovation, LaKendra has made her mark by fusing storytelling, performance, and style into every design she creates.

A proud alumna of several prestigious programs, LaKendra has completed multiple courses. From hands-on experience at the Shoe Surgeon Academy to e...

This episode is a replay from Season 4 (Oct 2017). Dr. Monique Carroll was Associate AD for External Operations at Chicago State University at the time of this interview. She is currently Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Chicago State.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be...

This episode is a replay from Season 8 (April 2022). Toni-Ann Derby was Assistant Director, Championships, Sport Operations and Governance for the West Coast Conference when this interview aired. She is currently Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Chief of Staff at Austin Peay State University.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Se...

Ashley Danielle is the Founder and Executive Director of ABC Sports Foundation, which provides nonprofit creation, program management, branding, PR, and event logistics services to high school, collegiate and current and former professional athletes, supporting them in making an impact in their communities.  She is also the newest member of the HPSS Department as an Associate Professor and a graduate of Tennessee State University.

As a Nashville native, her career spans professional dance, including roles as a Nashville Predators dancer and Titans Cheerleader. With over a decade in the sports industry, Ashley has worked with organizations like ESPN Ra...

This episode is a replay. Dr. Jolisa Williams, former Asst. AD of Media Relations and current Interim VP of Athletics & Recreation for Bowie State University, joins A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Vanessa Hale is a Certified Athletic Trainer who has been certified since July 2020 and is in her fifth year as a clinician.

Originally from Los Angeles California, Vanessa’s interest in athletic training began in high school. She attended Culver City High School all four years and graduated in June 2012. Vanessa started her tenure as a student aide her sophomore year working with football and track & field. After graduating, she attended the University of Oregon at the start of her college career.

Vanessa transferred to Howard University in August 2014, after two years at the University of Oreg...

This episode is a replay from Season 2. At the time of the interview, Angie Torain was Deputy AD at Immaculate Word. She went on to become the Athletics Director at University of Chicago. She is currently the Senior Business Development Executive for Teamworks.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Se...

This episode is a replay from Season 3. Dr. Melody Webb, Director of Athletics for Norfolk State University, joins Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 3 (April 2017). Neema Connor, Former UMES Athletics Administrator and Current MEAC Associate Commissioner, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Mercedes Erhahon Vice President of Sales of the RESWealthy Team and a nationally recognized Real Estate Advisor known for guiding high-performing professionals—including athletes, entertainers, and business leaders—through strategic real estate decisions that support long-term stability, ownership, and legacy.

She is recognized as one of the top 1% of Black real estate agents in the country and serves as Director of the REALTIST Magazine for the California Association of Real Estate Brokers (CAREB), where she leads conversations with athletes, entertainers, and leaders who are using real estate to build wealth, develop communities, and create lasting impact.

She...

This episode is a replay from Season 2. Dr. Adrianne Swinney, former Athletic Administrator for UConn, now Assistant Professor at Jackson State University, joins Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Kiara Wyche is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, creative visionary, and the CEO and Founder of
Kiara Kreates—a brand built on passion, resilience, and meaningful connection. Her journey is a
testament to perseverance, having overcome personal hardships, including homelessness and
life transitions, while rising into leadership and entrepreneurship with unwavering faith and
determination.

Fueled by a deep passion for creativity and service, Kiara has transformed her natural artistic
talent into a thriving business that specializes in customized keepsakes, sports memorabilia,
and memorial pieces. Her work goes beyond products—she creates experiences that honor

Sheri Riley is a sought-after global speaker, Founder and President of Exponential Living and
serves on the Advisory Board for the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA). She is
the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate and the Presidential Lifetime Achievement award. She is
a founding member of John Maxwell’s global Maxwell Leadership Certified Team and member
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

With over three decades of experience, Sheri's clients include The Coca-Cola Company, JP
Morgan Chase, NBA, Seattle Storm, Texas A&M Women’s Basketball, and the Chicago Bears.
She is an...

Danielle N. Johnson, known as “Coach Danielle,” is a leadership strategist, author, speaker, and
former women’s basketball coach and athletic administrator with over three decades of experience in education and athletics. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, and currently based in Dallas, Texas, she has served in high-level coaching, athletic administration, and educational leadership roles.

As the founder of Coach Danielle Wins LLC, she delivers impactful coaching, training, and speaking experiences that help individuals and organizations build momentum and lead with purpose. In December 2024, she added “author” to her accomplishments with the release of Power Forward, a book that embodies he...

This episode is a replay from season 3. Alexxis Hutchinson, Owner of Simply Sporty Chic, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Dr. Mercedes Himmons begins her third with the Southern Sports Medicine staff in the 2025-26 academic year. She will serve as the primary contact for gymnastics, volleyball and women's track & field. 

Prior to arriving at Southern, Dr. Mercedes was an assistant athletic trainer at California University of PA (Cal U). She provided healthcare to the women’s basketball and women’s soccer teams.  Dr. Mercedes was the athletic trainer for the 2022-23 Women’s Basketball PSAC Champion team.  Himmons earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal U in 2010 and 2011, respectively. While at Cal U, she worked wi...

Rolynda Contee is a pillar of the Baltimore sports community, a Hall of Fame athlete, and a trailblazing administrator. Her commitment to the youth of Baltimore began in 2002, when she started her tenure as a Physical Education teacher for Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS). For over two decades, she has been a consistent force in the lives of thousands of students, fostering a culture of health and discipline.

A firm believer in professional growth, Contee earned the prestigious Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) national credential in 2023. She further solidified her expertise by completing her Master’s degree in Sports Ad...

Tabitha Monroe joined Claflin University in February 2026 as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics, bringing extensive experience in athletic administration, compliance, and operational leadership. She plays a key role in advancing Claflin’s athletics programs while supporting institutional compliance and the holistic development of student-athletes.

Monroe most recently served as Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at Shaw University, where she was a member of the department’s senior leadership team. In this role, she provided strategic oversight of NCAA compliance, supported departmental governance, and led initiatives focused on student-athlete welfare across all sports.

This episode is a replay from Season 1. At the time of this interview, Danielle was Associate Commissioner of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She is currently Commissioner of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Born and raised in Jackson, MS, Sonja Stamps' passion for sports ignited at the tender age of five, influenced by her close bond with her father and a few years later, for her admiration for pioneering sports broadcaster Jayne Kennedy. As a self-proclaimed "daddy's girl," Sonja was inspired by Jayne's groundbreaking achievements as one of the first female sports broadcasters and the first African American woman in that role.

This inspiration led Sonja to pursue her Masters in Sports Administration, from Belhaven University. Sonja was a part of Belhaven’s Sports Administration charter class (Class of 2014) and from th...

Courtney Washington was named Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at Chicago State University on November 1, 2024.

She comes to Chicago State after serving as the Associate Athletic Director of Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator at Shaw University where she oversaw compliance operations, guiding coaches and staff in navigating NCAA, CIAA, and institutional regulations. She is an experienced athletic compliance professional with a comprehensive background in NCAA rules, eligibility certification, and student-athlete support with previous stops at Texas A&M Commerce, Alcorn State, Memphis, Delta State and Auburn University at Montgomery.

Washington plays a crucial role in coordinating...

Dr. Fachaitte (fuh-shay) Kinslow is a senior athletics administrator, compliance leader, and
former counselor with more than two decades of experience advancing equity, academic success,
and holistic development for student-athletes. Raised on a multigenerational farm in Dover,
Oklahoma, she brings a values-driven, service-oriented leadership approach shaped by family
legacy, education, and faith.

Dr. Kinslow currently serves as Associate Director of Athletics, Senior Woman Leader, and
Compliance Administrator at Texas A&M University–Texarkana. In this role, she oversees
athletics compliance and governance, conducts rules education for coaches and staff, coordinates
required de...

Dr. Tara M. Collins is a Retired United States Navy Chief Petty Officer. She has over 20 years’
experience in the sports industry. Her experience began as a command football & basketball
coach, then evolved into becoming an agent advisor. Dr. Collins’s educational background
includes an earned PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in Sports Management
and Leadership (Northcentral University). She researched and defended her dissertation titled
“Understanding the Psychological Journeys of African-American Football Players from High
School to the NFL and the Player-Agent Relationship”. In addition, she has a Master of Science
in Sport...

This episode is a replay from Season 8. Sonja Stills, MEAC Commissioner, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 8. Sonja Stills, MEAC Commissioner, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 7. Kimberly Davis, National Hockey League Executive, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

Alfreda Hagans-Sanchez is the Assistant Director of Compliance at Duke University. She recently joined the Blue Devil family in December of 2023. Prior to Duke, Alfreda had stops at SFA as the Director of Compliance & Risk Mitigation, The University of North Carolina Greensboro, Virginia Commonwealth University and Longwood University.

Alfreda has spent over a decade in Division I college athletics as a former multi-sport Track and Field and Cross-Country athlete, NCAA Compliance Administrator and Track and Field and Cross-Country coach. She graduated from Campbell University with a degree in Business Administration in Accounting and later graduated from Virginia Commonwealth...

Ruby A. Jackson is a scientist and a creative.  A native of Chester, Pennsylvania, Ruby is a former track and field athlete, coach, and Seton Hall University graduate with a B.S. in Biochemistry. Ruby holds coaching certifications as a USATF Level 2 Coach and a USAW Level 1 Coach.  She has traveled to India to coach track and field, providing Long Term Athletic Development Plans for athletes.  One of the athletes Coach Ruby worked with went on to represent her country in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.  Ruby resides in North Carolina, and has shifted from coaching to media.  She is the fou...

Dr. Letisha Engracia Cardoso Brown (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati where she is also an affiliate of the Africana Studies and Women’s, Gender, Sexuality Studies programs. Dr. Brown is a Black feminist, interdisciplinary scholar who researches the lived realities of Blackgirlwomen in sport, media, education, and girlhood.

Dr. Brown’s academic scholarship can be found in outlets including the Sociology of Sport Journal, Communication & Sport, Girlhood Studies, and Race & Social Problems. Her first book, Say Her Name; Centering Black Feminism and Black Women in Sport (March 2025...

This episode is a replay from Season 10. Natalie Graves, Founder NAT Sports Directory & Natalie Graves Athletic Counseling LLC and Author, joins Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.expert.

In honor of Martina's retirement, this episode is a replay from Season 6. Martina Ballen, Senior Associate AD for Human Resources & CFO at UNC Chapel Hill, joins Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 12. Seasons 1 - 11 can be found on 200plus.ex...

Zara Northover is an 2008 Jamaican Olympian in the shot put, speaker, and founder of Moving in Faith, a global empowerment brand that inspires people to persevere with courage, identity, and bold purpose. From class president and team captain to Olympian, corporate athlete, and now servant leader and advocate, Zara’s life has been defined by faith, resilience, and an unwavering belief in God’s timing.

She has fearlessly stood up to race discrimination and retaliation in the workplace, representing herself Pro Se and currently awaiting a decision from the Michigan Supreme Court. Her powerful journey is captured in her...