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Positive Coaching Alliance Welcomes UMass Boston's Sport Leadership and Administration Chair Dr. Joseph N. Cooper to its New England Board

10.13.2020

Boston, MA. - Positive Coaching Alliance/New England (PCA/NE) is honored to welcome Dr. Joseph N. Cooper, the inaugural Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston, to the Board of PCA/NE.

Dr. Joseph N. Cooper is the inaugural Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and brings to the PCA/NE Board deep expertise in sport management, gender and race in sport, racism and other forms of oppression, higher education, and qualitative research.

An award-winning professor and researcher, Dr. Cooper says “I am excited to join a talented group that understands the transformative power of coaching. I look forward to working together to promote and create positive change in sport leadership.” The PCA/NE Board is comprised of individuals who represent many of New England’s most respected organizations, institutions, and corporations. Board members include: Kim Beckett; Matthew Cohn, Kirkland & Ellis; Tracy DeForge, The Player’s Impact; Vona Hill, Managing Perspectives, LLC; Brian Hogan, Fidelity Investments; David Krauser, HarbourVest Partners; Mark Lev, Fenway Sports Management; Mark Lund, WBZ-TV/CBS Boston; Board Chair Mark Melito, Deloitte; Sean Quirk, Boston Cannons; Bruce Richardson, Salesforce; Shawn Sullivan, Boston Celtics; Bob Sweeney, Boston Bruins; and Joe VanBuskirk, New Balance. Nationally, Positive Coaching Alliance is supported by exceptional athletes, coaches, and leaders through its National Advisory Board including New Englanders Tommy Amaker, Brad Stevens, Kristine Lilly and more.

Dr. Cooper earned his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), master's degree in Sport Administration in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science from UNC-CH, and doctorate in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Management and Policy from the University of Georgia. Dr. Cooper has also served as an associate professor at the University of Connecticut in the Sport Management program in Department of Educational Leadership and Neag School of Education.

Dr. Cooper’s research focuses on the intersection between sport, education, race, and culture with an emphasis on sport involvement as a catalyst for holistic development. He is the faculty founder of Collective Uplift (CU), an organization designed to educate, empower, inspire, and support individuals to maximize their holistic potential both within and beyond athletic contexts. He has presented research at international, national, and regional conferences and published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, edited books, and op-ed contributions. As a result of his research, he has been cited in various media outlets including the New York Times, Boston Globe, ESPN, Le Monde, ABC News, Yahoo, and Diverse Issues in Higher Education. He is the author of “From Exploitation Back to Empowerment: Black Male Holistic (Under)Development Through Sport and (Mis)Education” (Peter Lang).

Beth O’Neill Maloney, Regional Director of PCA/NE, says “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Cooper. His academic focus on how sport serves as a catalyst for holistic development and positive changes in society aligns with the Positive Coaching Alliance mission and our commitment to be a force for education through sports done right. Dr. Cooper’s thoughtful leadership of UMass Boston’s Sport Leadership program is developing game-changing students who will champion diversity, inclusion, and equity in the sport industry in the 21st century and beyond.”

Positive Coaching Alliance is a national non-profit working to develop Better Athletes, Better People by partnering with youth and high school athletic programs to provide young athletes with a positive, character-building sports experience.