NGFFL Board of Directors Election November 2011

Below are the candidates nominated to fill the four positions opening up on the NGFFL Board in November 2011. The Board asks City Leaders to carefully review these with your appropriate stakeholders among your local leagues and organizations, and be prepared to vote online the week of November 28. Each city will be asked to vote for four candidates.The top four vote-getters will assume the four open Board positions. ....

Javier Cavero
South Florida Cat 5

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

I have been involved with my organization at the local level and I truly enjoy the friends I have made and as I continue to grow I would love to bring my fresh perspectives to the NGFFL Board. I am also very level headed and always like to see the view from all sides before making a decision. I sometimes like to question decisions that are being consider so we do not develop "group think" and miss crucial opportunities.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
In college I was involved in Student Government therefore I am aware of by-laws and Robert Rules of Order. I was also a member of a social Fraternity and was the Treasurer, Recruitment Chair, and Social Chair, therefore I am well versed in organizing and planning events. At Cat 5 I was the President, Treasurer, and Tournament Director and helped organize fundraisers and recruitment events. Recently I organized our first ever tournament called the Sunshine Cup 2011 and I will also be organizing the next Sunshine Cup 2012. Therefore I have proven to meet the high stress job of organizing large events and motivating people to assist. I also have attended 4 Gay Bowls and 3 Pride Bowls thereby I have seen really great tournaments and also some that could have used some more "planning".

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I am healthcare administrator by trait therefore I am well organized and great at moving projects forward and insuring time tables are being met. In other words....If I say I am going to get it done it will get done.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:
I am available nights and weekends. I do have a job but my hours are usually Mon-Fri until 6pm. Other than my flag football organization I currently do not have any other committments.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
I think assisting struggling cities with recruitment, bringing in support from National organizations that promote our GLBT community and expanding to other cities.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
Being involved on my team for the past 5 years and attending various tournament including organizing Sunshine Cup 2011 gives me enough knowledge for me to give voice to issues that come up for the NGFLL Board. Also keeping the National Board diverse and have members from smaller cities represented adds great value to any future discussions the NGFFL Board may have in the future.

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Phillip Clawson
Boston Flag Flag Football League

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

Having played a big part in building the Boston league, and having played and coached in many of the Gay Bowls, I would like to help grow GLBQT flag football nationally (and internationally). Gay flag football has given me many friends, the opportunity to play a sport I love, camaraderie and has enhanced my leadership abilities. For me, this is a great opportunity to give back at a national level in a meaningful way. Through the hard work and dedication of a lot of people, we have built an amazing, inclusive, community-focused, and virtually dramafree league in Boston. Our league has created a safe and welcoming space for GLBQT people and straight allies of all skill levels to play hard, connect and socialize, and come together to give back to our community. We recently became recognized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit (which I am excited to hear the NGFFL is well on the way towards as well). I would like to see this opportunity afforded to GLBQT and allied folks in many cities/regions without a gay flag football league, and to more folks through strengthened and improved leagues where there is already organized gay flag football.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
As a founding member and a founding board member, I helped grow the Boston league from a small group of pick-up players the 1st year to a four-team league the 2nd year to an eight-team league the 4th year and a 12team league the 6th year. We are now a thriving 18-team league. During the past 13 years I have served as a board member (seven years) and captain (12 years) in the Boston league. After playing/coaching in the very first Gay Bowl in LA, I have played for and/or coached the Boston Brawlers, Hancocks or Bulldogs for all but one of the Gay Bowls (and several Pride Bowls and the Gay Games in Chicago). Over the years, I have helped the Boston league: (1) build a culture of inclusivity and welcoming towards all new players (2) draft bylaws (3) create an annual team draft process (4) establish and refine rules of play (5) manage contentious incidents and players (6) plan multiple events (year-end parties, marching contingents for the Boston Pride parade, etc.) (7) develop and execute fundraising plans I know what it takes to set up a flag football league and build it for success and growth, and I look forward to the opportunity to help other cities do the same.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I have built a Corporate Social Responsibility consulting practice over the past 10 years, which has allowed me to develop a broad network (400+ executives at 300+ companies) of folks who are in charge of philanthropy for their respective companies. Prior to this I spent five years running community affairs for Andersen (a global Accounting and Consulting firm) and John Hancock. At the beginning of my career, I worked for a few different nonprofits. Combined, my experience of asking companies for money, giving money to nonprofits and helping companies find good-fit nonprofits to invest in affords me an ideal network and position to help with the NGFFLs ambitious fundraising goals.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:
I am self-employed, and as such I set my own schedule. I would like this to be one of my primary volunteer activities over the next two years, and as such, plan to dedicate as much time as is needed to do my part to help the NGFFL achieve its goals and targets. There will of course be busy weeks when I wont have more than an hour or two to spare, but I anticipate having on average 5 hours per week to invest in this commitment.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
One major challenge is securing the resources (human and financial) needed to achieve the ambitious goals that have been set. I believe the solution has several components: (1) Reaching out to companies and foundations that care about GLBQT people and issues, diversity and inclusion, and/or sports. Developing relationships with key decision-makers and identifying win-win opportunities where the NGFFL (and local leagues) benefit, and there is an ROI (return on investment) for the company. (2) Leveraging and tapping the networks (and employers) of players across the country to connect to the right people at potential sources of funding for the NGFFL and local leagues. (3) Involving other leaders and athletes from all of the NGFFLs member cities and engaging them in completing the tasks and securing the feedback needed to accomplish the NGFFLs goals. While I have experience building corporate partnerships, I also believe in the wisdom of crowds. If I am elected to the board, and tasked with leading the development of corporate partnerships, I would seek and welcome ideas and introductions from other board members and leaders in member cities to help build a robust ongoing funding stream to support the NGFFLs goals.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
Im a level-headed guy who absolutely loves flag football. While I am competitive on the field, off the field I am all about inclusivity, building consensus, and advocating for the greater and common good. Im allergic to drama, though accomplished at diffusing it. I would never advocate or push for a policy, rule, or position because it benefits my city or league at the expense of others. I hold integrity, sportsmanship and fun far, far, far above competition and winning. Boston has a big, strong and successful league, and we have taken a break from serving on the NGFFL board. We have a lot to offer, and it is high time we got involved again. Ive been asked by several of our current Boston league board members to throw my hat in the ring, and as an added bonus, they have said they will happily add resource when and if needed. I know that developing corporate partnerships is a key goal, and Im energized by that and excited at the prospect of adding my skills around corporate relationship development and new-league development to the NGFFL board. I hope you will allow me the honor of serving as a board member.

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Chris Cormier
Washington DC

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

I want to serve on the NGFFL board to utilize the lessons Ive learned from playing in NYC, Denver, and DC to strengthen the network of leagues across the country. Football has changed my life and helped me develop as a gay man and I want to broad the reach that the national league and city leagues have. That includes strengthen support to member leagues, attracting more sponsors to provide financial support, and helping develop leaders in local leagues and through the national board.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
Ive helped build up Denver and found the DC leagues which have grown to be two of the most vibrant in the country. Ive led on recruitment in both cities, drawing on my background as a community organizer. In addition, I worked with Jared Garduno to create a toolkit to help leagues start and grow a resource that was launched in 2011. I currently serve on the DC league board and will be stepping off in May 2012.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
In addition to the above, my professional background in nonprofit development can help strengthen fundraising efforts and develop strategies to identify new sponsorship targets. My job is to work with donors to develop strategies around fundraising and giving, so I will bring a skill set that can help attract new sources of financial support and sponsorship.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming.

Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:
I work hard and never commit to anything unless I know I can add substantive value. I travel a lot for work which makes my schedule complex but also gives me down time on flights to devote to league work. I currently give about 5-10hrs/week to the DC board, which I will step off in May 2012.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
Leadership development. Everyone knows that the best intentions die quickly without the right people in place. Many people dont know they are leaders until they have the tools, structure, and resources to help them step up. I was that way. And Id like to use my skill set to help develop the leagues individually and as a network. I see this can happen through a combination of resource development, recruitment assistance, mentoring, and working one-on-one to help each league get to the next level of leadership.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
Flag football has given me a lot. Ive made amazing friends in three different cities. Ive learned how to step up and be a leader in my local community. Ive even gotten a date or two out of it! I want to give back which Ive been able to do in DC leading on recruitment and as a board member and now I want to give back to the national league. Ive learned a lot in the three leagues Ive been a part of (NYC, Denver, and DC), and I believe I have the skill set, work ethic, and drive to strengthen what is already a solid group of athletes. Id be honored to get selected to serve on the NGFFL board.

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Scott J. Dinkins
Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League, Founder and Former Commissioner

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

I have a firm belief in this organization and what it can do for gay people across this country who desire to play sports. As founder of the Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League, I have heard from many people within my own league that tell me that Saturday morning gay football has transformed their lives in a meaningful way. The opportunity to come together and play sports combined with the quality of people they meet and the shared experience - has led to a richer life than they ever imagined. I believe every gay person should have the opportunity to have the the experience. As a result, I would like to use my knowledge and my experience from these past 3 years in Philadelphia to help strengthen the NGFFL brand and outreach programs. I believe every gay person should have the opportunity to have the the experience. Additionally, those cities that are struggling to create leagues of their own deserve to have better resources available. I am confident that my experience and leadership in founding the GPFFL in a city where I was a new resident can assist the board in pulling together the resources that will help to found new leagues across the country and help to strengthen cities that are struggling to build their organizations. I strongly believe in and support the current NGFFL board. I get excited when I hear about the future plans of the organization and know that those plans are instrumental in one day changing peoples lives across the country. While I believe the Gay Bowl is a vital important part of NGFFL, I believe what is most important is what happens on the fields across this country each weekend within our respective leagues. It is the chance for a non-athlete to play a team sport and not be made fun of. It is the realization that someone can actually be good at a sport they never attempted as a child. It is the experience of making lasting friendships and finding a community within the community. THIS is what the NGFFL is really about. If we strengthen our leagues across the country through the NGFFL brand, then we ultimately strengthen future Gay Bowls and other regional tournaments. I believe we have only scratched the surface of what the NGFFL could be and I want to work hand in hand with the board to create greater NGFFL awareness across the country and outreach to our

city leagues. Here are some ideas I would like to advocate during my term on the board: Strengthen the Outreach / Mentor programs to new cities. Network of commissioners/key officers to assist in sharing best practices and resources geared toward growth of city leagues. Greater marketing of the NGFFL brand to our cities. Greater national awareness among the gay community. Articles in all the national gay magazines profiling the league as well as other national non-gay sports magazines. Recruit national sponsors to assist in Gay Bowls. Create options for newer competitive teams to have regional tournaments to strengthen competitive teams. Possible creation of a B Bracket NGFFL Gay Bowl Championship.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
The Citadel The Military College of South Carolina B.A. English, 1990 FLAG Flag Football League, Boston, MA Member, 2007 Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League, Philadelphia, PA Founder, 2008 Commissioner, 2008-2010 Founder, The Revolution (Competitive Team), 2008 League Team Captain, 2011 Participated in Gay Bowl IX and Gay Bowl X. Chicago Pride Bowls 2009, 2010, 2011.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc. 2005 - Present I am currently employed by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc. as a District Business Manager in New York City. I lead a sales team of 8 representatives in the Neuroscience Division. I oversee a promotional and operational budget of approx.$250,000/yr for my district. In this position, I am responsible for creating a business plan each year for my district as well as overseeing the creation of the business plans for each of my 6 territories. Prior to my current role, I was the Regional Operations Manager for the Great Lakes Region of the Neuroscience Division at BMS. In this role, I managed the day to day operations of a region with 125 sales representatives and 12 District Business Managers and approx. $400,000,000 in Abilify sales. I was directly responsible for managing the promotional budget of approx. $1,000,000/yr and was the regions liason to targeting and alignment, sales operations and marketing. I worked directly with the Regional Vice President and together we crafted the regions business plan each year. I also was responsible for all of the regions flow of communications thru daily e-mails and voice mails to each member of the region. When I moved from Boston to Philadelphia to accept my new role at Bristol-Myers Squibb, my passion for the experience I had with the FLAG Flag League in Boston motivated me to start the GPFFL. I did not know anyone in Philadelphia when I moved there in early 2008 so I relied on my leadership, motivation, communication and sales abilities to guide me through

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those early tough days of trying to get a league off of the ground. I believe those skills coupled with my passion for the experience of flag football, are qualities that make me an ideal candidate for the NGFFL board.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:
Currently, I am a District Sales Manager with Bristol-Myers Squibb. While this job is demanding, I do have the luxury of setting my own schedule each week as I am a field based employee. Additionally, I am allowed 1-2 home office days per week. I do not feel that life and work obligations will impact my ability to serve on the NGFFL board in any way.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
I believe strengthening our Outreach and Mentoring program is one of the major challenges of the NGFFL today. I know from my own experience that building a league is a daunting task. I took what I learned from my experience in the Boston league and basically re-created it in Philadelphia. Cities without leagues and those that are struggling do not need to recreate the wheel here, but what they do need are access to the resources to grow: knowledge of existing models, copies of existing by-laws, mentors and early financial support. Every major city in the USA should have an NGFFL sanctioned gay flag football league.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
My Current Situation I currently live and work New York City. After two years of living in Philadelphia, my company relocated me to the NY area. While I recognize New York has a tremendous league and offers a great opportunity for me, I have chosen to remain with the GPFFL as a due paying member. I feel so strongly about developing the grass roots of the NGFFL that I chose to spend my contribution of time with a growing league like we have in Philadelphia. After founding the league and serving as commissioner for two years, I no longer serve on the board but remain fully engaged in all

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aspects of the league. Currently, I serve as a captain of one of our 6 teams in the fall league. My Background My association with gay flag football began in the fall of 2007. I was living in Boston, MA and one of my friends there asked me to join the FLAG Flag League. While I wasnt 100% sure I wanted to play, I decided to give it a try and entered the draft that season. I was picked to play on the Navy Blew U team and the moment I stepped onto the M Street Fields in South Boston that fall, my passion for gay sports and the NGFFL was born. What I experienced during that season competitiveness, friendships, camaraderie, spirit and pride was simply overwhelming. I could not believe that I had found an organization that promoted gay sports in such a positive manner and was thrilled at the quality of people I had met through gay flag football. In the spring of 2008, my company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, relocated me to Philadelphia, PA. I moved to Philly not knowing a single person and was anxious to find the gay flag football league there. Sadly, I learned that a league did not exist. However, weeks later I happened to answer an ad placed by Jere Becker in the Philadelphia Gay News and spoke with him. He informed me there was no gay league in Philly but would love for me to start one. After months of contemplating the decision and debating whether or not I would have the time to commit to starting a league, I made the decision that my experience with the NGFFL and FLAG Flag League in Boston was enough to motivate me to try to bring a league to Philly. I felt so strongly about my own positive NGFFL experience in Boston that I knew I had to at least try. The gay community of Philly needed to know what was happening across the country each Saturday morning in the fall with gay flag football. That September, I was lucky enough to get a meeting with Mayor Michael Nutter and I explained my passion for the NGFFL and showed him a list of cities across the country that had leagues. He asked me what I needed from him to start a gay league in Philadelphia and took my number. On Monday, I had calls from his office one being the GLBT outreach liaison to the mayors office and the other the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for the City of Philadelphia. At that moment, I knew the Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League was on its way! We found a field and began with 11 people our first Saturday. While disappointed in the initial turn-out, my belief in what the NGFFL and a local Philly league would for the gay community in Philadelphia was worth pressing forward. Since the fall of 2008, I have worked tirelessly to bring my own NGFFL experience and the gay flag football to the city of Philadelphia and to create a premier league within the NGFFL. My leadership motto for myself was to always do what is in the best interest of the leaguenot my own personal agenda. Additionally, I have always advocated that we would market the GPFFL to the Philly gay community as part of something much larger part of the NGFFL. In fact, I arranged for the Philadelphia Gay News to do a profile piece on the league and asked Jim Buzinski to be interviewed for the article to ensure that the NGFFL was represented and readers would begin to understand that a national league existed. With my passion for the NGFFL experience leading me, I spent my first two years as commissioner overseeing the development of a governing board and an army of volunteers who have helped in organizing, recruiting and building a premier organization in Philadelphia. Since that first Saturday in 2008, we have grown from a single person handing out flyers at a gay street festival in the fall of 2008

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to a 75 member league with 6 teams in the fall of 2011. Additionally, I organized and formed the GPFFLs competitive team The Revolution during the fall of 2008. The Revolution has attended every Gay Bowl since the GPFFL was founded as well as three Chicago Pride Bowls and the Inaugural Sunshine Bowl in Ft. Lauderdale. I am very proud of my work and the work of the current board of the GPFFL. I know great things are still to come our way but we have accomplished a lot recently: 2010 Philadelphia Gay News wrote an article highlighting the news of the past decade and named the GPFFL as a decade notable that changed the Philly gay community in a positive manner. 2011 Philly Gay Calendar named the GPFFL Sports Team of the Year 2011 Philadelphia Magazine featured the current GPFFL Commissioner in a list of 100 Who Whos in Gay Community of Philadelphia 2011 GPFFL has raised over $7,000 for local charities such as ActionAids, Philly AIDSWalk, Delaware Valley Legacy Fund and MANNA. 2011 Each team in our league participated in the Make A Wish Foundation Flag Football Tournament which raised over $800 for the organization. 2011 GPFFL received 501c3 status. I appreciate you taking the time to read my nominating statement. I am extremely proud to be a part of this wonderful organization I look forward to seeing it grow into the organization I know it can be! Regards, Scott Dinkins

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....

Peter Goulet
Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?
I want to assist the NGFFL in finding it's way back to where it was when it was founded. Growth has been amazing, but at what cost. I want to be part of the solutions.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
Former founding board member. Former member of the board in Boston. Former member of the Boston Area Gay Lesbian Youth Board. Outreach is what I feel I can be strong on when it comes to the NGFFL. Helping smaller market teams create leagues.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
My strength in seeing the mission and making sure that the mission is not just words but are put into practice. Through Outreach with growth in member cities, community service and communication the NGFFL can become a leading organization in something bigger than just our sport.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its well-intentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -- you from giving that time:
I work for the Boston Public Schools so I work during the school calendar year and do not work summers. I am adopting a son, so he is going to be my number one priority... however, time management is my strength. As a Division 1 athlete, I learned early in life how to manage time. When it comes to my passion, the fire is lit.

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What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
Major challenge right now, if I am being honest, is image. That can change and must change. Supporting member cities in growth, creating a community service project in the host city during Gay Bowl Weekend I believe would be an important piece to help change the image.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
I just feel that it is important to remember and read the mission statement frequently and often as a board member. Offering member cities support with issues that they feel are upcoming through an outreach officer on the board could negate a lot of the pubic scrutiny that has been part of the recent history of the NGFFL. It is not necessarily anyone's fault, I just feel that I can bring a vision to the table that is not judgmental as I am a School Counselor and do not play for the Boston Hancocks anymore.

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Alexander Jones
Michigan Panthers

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

I want to serve on the board because I believe I can help make a difference and I believe that this is the best way to do so. I am a younger face who can help expose the league to a younger audience. In my case two years ago, I knew nothing about the flag football league or any other leagues or sports for people in the LGBT community. I also feel that the developing cities are under represented when it comes to having a voice in the league. I believe I can be that voice.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
I play for the Michigan Panthers, growing up Ive been apart of every school council, society, or organization for both sports and academically. While attending school at Michigan State University I was part of MRULE (Multi Racial Unity Living Experience) which was an outreach group on campus whose main goal was to bring people of all backgrounds together.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I am in school right now for Exercise Science/Sports Administration and I play on pursuing a masters degree in Sports Administration. So anything sports is not only a hobby for me but it is also a passion of mine. I have played football from little league to high school. I also coached high school football and wrestling

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One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its well-intentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -- you from giving that time:
My work schedule is very flexible and it allows me to make time for other things I feel are important to me. I am very good when it comes to time management, and also I can adapt well to last minute changes.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
I think a major challenge is the gap in play when it comes to the top teams and the rest of the league. I think we have a lot of cities that are in the developing phase and are still trying to get their feet off the ground. I think a solution is to be more proactive in helping these cities establish leagues of their own. Share ideas for recruiting, rules, choosing leaders, and ways of finding sponsors. Also possibly hosting a Gay Bowl in a developing city exposing the league to low market cities. I think by solving this problem it could help solve others like players leaving to go play with more competitive teams, and the amounts of blow outs we see during the gay bowl.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
I look forward to for the opportunity to service on the board of the NGFFL. I have always wanted to be part of something special. I want to see the league become more unified, more competitive, Fun and less drama.

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....

Sam Lehman
NYGFL

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

Gay sports has enriched my life beyond my wildest dreams. A majority of my closest freinds all came from various gay leuages. I am now in a position to give back to younger guys who are re-discovering sports,

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
Currently: Referee Director of the NYGFL Commissioner of the Southern New England Softball Lueage

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I own a successful software development company with offices in NYC, CT, Charlotte and Dallas TX. In business and sports my demeanor plays a large part. With over 70 employees I have become a master at handling confrontations, I do this with ease and respect. The same goes for my current board positions and my work on the football field. I feel I have the perfect demeanor needed for a board position, one that may be involved with occasional confrontations.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its well-intentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -- you from giving that time:
Being a business owner who sets his own time, I have always met my obligations in regards to time. I also work behind a desk and am overly accessible.

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What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
Keeping current teams challenged. As we grow we must address teams playing competitive football. Understandably teams do not want to play teams severally under or over their competitive level. I am sure the current board has had many conversations about two divisions and how to proceed. I can add logic to this challenge.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
Human nature creeps into every board position. Ideally board members leave their team affiliations at the door; however this is easier said than done. I will bring a completely neutral view point to discussions.

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....

Patrick McIntyre
Washington, DC

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

From Washington to Denver and back again, gay flag football has been an integral element of my life for the past 10 years now. Back in 2001, I stumbled upon a group of gay guys who gathered on the National Mall to play pick up every Sunday through the Winter months. Eventually that morphed into attending our first Gay Bowl in 2003, then to captaining the Washington Monuments for a few years, as well as assisting the fledgling national board with bylaws, conflict resolution, and vision. It also led to captaining local teams and officiating in Denver, as well as successfully pitching Denver Gay Bowl XII to you, the voting members. Life's long, strange trip has brought me back to DC, where I continue to participate as a player, captain, and referee. So after eight consecutive years of participation at Gay Bowl, and after numerous tours as a player, captain, and referee in local leagues in Denver and DC, now seems like the right time to re-engage at the national level. I want to serve on the national board because I want to give back to a phenomenon that has contributed so much to my life. Not only am I aware of how our sport has enriched my journey, but I've watched it do the same for countless friends who've joined us along the way. I would bring the institutional knowledge necessary for any organization to stay true to its mores. But I would also bring a refreshed perspective to an organization that is poised to do great things for a great many more young men and women who follow in our footsteps. This board can do that if it keeps its eye on the prize, practices transparency and accountability to the great degrees possible, and leads our community through the clutter that can slow us down to the clarity that can deliver so much more. I have the experience professionally and with flag football to help lead a volunteer board and movement towards those ends, and now is the right time for me to contribute what I'm able.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
Professionally, I currently serve as Director of Health Policy for United Way Worldwide. In addition a variety of sales and advocacy positions, I also served as National Executive Officer of United Way Australia. So from asking for a buck, to asking for a vote, to asking for engagement, I understand what it takes to navigate competing, complicated, and parochial interests to paint a picture of the greater good and rally the troops to pursue it.

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Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I can't say I have any specific technical skills, other than to say I enjoy writing and have an array of experience in the nonprofit, business, and political worlds that could potentially bring a number of interesting partnerships to bear.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its well-intentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -- you from giving that time:
Anyone who's fallen for the charms of flag football understands that it's far easier to allow flag football to consume vast amounts of time than to say No. Whatever the leadership role I've held, I find myself thinking about how best to execute that role more often than I do many other important elements of my life, namely my career (I write that only half-jokingly). While work keeps my busy, nothing brings me more joy and ENERGY than solving flag-football problems and striving for excellence in something I love so much.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
My sense is that the NGFFL is in the midst of some difficult yet normal growing pains. As this baby grows, many more characters and perspectives come into play. Successful leadership in this context requires venues for interested parties to air ideas and concerns, but also requires decisive decision-making delivered with a compassionate yet firm hand. To the extent this board can practice service-leadership and understand that perception is reality, it will deliver on its promises and build a tremendous amount of consensus in the process.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
From expanding the reach of flag football into more communities, to building a more sustainable organization, to turning outward not only to our community but the nation, I subscribe to the mission and vision that's been crafted by the current board. My contributions will come from thinking big, navigating challenges and opportunities, and executing tasked action items. It's a pretty humbling experience to ask for someone's vote of confidence on an issue that is so near and dear to so

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many of our hearts. But I'm confident I have the experience, knowledge, and passion to deliver for our community. Thank you for your consideration.

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....

Stephen Osada
Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

It is clear that there is great passion for both the sport of flag football and the community that the league brings together which culminates in the annual tournament. I share in that feeling and would like the opportunity to continue to grow the national league in a positive direction. I understand that such passion is often tied with somewhat different perspectives on what is the right direction as a whole. I hope that by serving on the board I can bring a perspective that aims to be as fair and inclusive of the cities, teams, and participants that make this league what it is. I want to continue to see more cities come on board, more opportunities for teams to come together, and more ways for participants to feel part of a larger family I have been proud to be a part of for numerous years.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
I have played on both the local and national level of Flag Football, Volleyball, and Softball as well as the local level of Basketball and Dodgeball. This has given me a good perspective on success points and sticking points of team sport leagues and tournaments. On a local level I have captained teams in Flag Football, Volleyball, and Dodgeball so I have a good feel on what it takes to work with a number of personalities to achieve a common goal.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
I work with website technology on a daily basis and have helped set up hosting and other online functionality for the league in the past. I can be a good reference for establishing or building on tools to help the local and national leagues.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and

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what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:
The biggest challenge to my availability is also my biggest strength--I play in many team leagues. I will bring the same time dedication to those teams as I will to taking on a board position. My teammates know that I do not like to miss games or practices without true cause. In the same manner, I will work through conflicts to dedicate as much time as needed to accomplish the tasks of the board.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
A major challenge the league faces is how to maximize participation and balance competition with an event that has limits on how many people actually can participate and a large discrepancy in the pool from which teams draw their players. Eventually, I see the tournament having different levels from the start of the tournament rather than after pool play. However, in the meanwhile I would like the league to promote tournaments sponsored by cities throughout the calendar year similar to how other national leagues work. This would allow more cities and players to have a feel for what it's like to play a football tournament outside their city bounds. Also, through the local tournaments there can be more experiments where two tournament levels can be run on a trial basis so players of all levels have a chance to play. Having more opportunities to travel will also raise exposure to more players through local advertising and promotion. This will also raise the level of all teams as more and more people gain tournament experience before the big dance. A couple cities have shown this to be a positive experience already and one I aim to promote as a board member.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
Having played in the Gay Bowl since New York first started I know how fortunate I have been to be able to meet such great competitors on the fields and such great friends off them. When I moved to Chicago from New York I was welcomed before I even arrived by the people I had met solely through my experiences at the Gay Bowl. This is a big driving force for me wanting to serve on the board so that others may continue to have the experiences that make this league and its tournament special. Those who have played with me and against me on a local and national level know that I am pretty competitive (I seem to hear some interesting nicknames after games are done). At the same time, I am someone who believes that winning does not need to come at any cost. As captain of numerous local teams in the New York league, I

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made sure that all players regardless of level got equal opportunity to gain experience. This too is my goal as a board member. My aim is to continue to foster competitive with good sportsmanship while allowing everyone--both teams and players--to grow and raise the bar each year. Thanks for your consideration.

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....

Kevin Smiffy
DCGFFL - Washington DC

Why do you want to serve on the NGFFL Board?

I would like to serve on the NGFFL board, because Im very excited about the direction the board is on the course of. The transparency is appealing and I believe I can provide assistance to move the board in the right direction and help flag football leagues continue to grow and make the NGFFL brand top notch.

Please name any relevant experience, organizational associations, and / or affiliations that you would like voters to take into account:
I was on the committee to start the DC Gay Flag football league and help it grow through outreach, fundraising, etc. Was on the board for GayBowl IX in washington DC. Wrote the proposal, and worked with corporations local and nationally for fundraising efforts. Hosted and ran the awards banquet at the Kennedy Center. I volunteer with Burgandy Crescent in DC who works with various organizations and chariites in the DC area.

Describe any specific professional or technical skills you have that you believe could be advantageous to the NGFFL, and how:
As prevously described. I have lots of fundraising experience working with DCGFFL and other organization to come up with ideas to raise money. I have been on boards/committees professional and recreational. I work in Legislative Affairs here in DC, so organization and time management are a must. Being able to work under pressure is a skill that I possess. Also able to work and get along with all sorts of people and groups is another skill im proud of.

One of the challenges faced by the NGFFL Board is time available among its wellintentioned volunteer leaders. Indeed, NGFFL Board membership is time-consuming. Please briefly describe the amount of time you believe you have available to give, and what it is about your work life and other obligations that will allow -- or might inhibit -you from giving that time:

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Im a firm believer in getting things done by deadline or in a timely manner. I would dedicate the time necessary to making this board successful. I work pretty much 9-5, but have flexibility in my schedule to make things work.

What is one major challenge you believe the NGFFL faces, and what do you think is the solution?
I think the major challenge is being able to grow leagues in non-member cities who are interested in creating something. I feel the solution is more outreach and promotion in those cities may it be through "starter kits" or video blogs to show how great/fun the leagues we have are.

What if anything else would you like to offer voting member-city reps? Feel free to use this space to summarize why you'd like to earn their vote.
I have been around sports all my life. Been with flag football in DC for over 10 years and with the league since the beginning. I have competed in the past 5 gaybowls and have gotten to know some fantastic people from all over the country. It would be my pleasure to serve on this board and continue to grow NGFFL to bigger and better things for years to come. Cheers!

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