Our Team |
Brian M. Shulman, Founder & CEO | TOP |
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Brian is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on the subjects of sports and character education, having authored The Death of Sportsmanship and How to Revive It and addressed Congress regarding issues of sportsmanship and steroid education. Prior to founding LTS in 2001, Brian was a senior executive in the healthcare information technology industry and currently is a Managing Director of Georgetown Capital Partners, a venture capital firm investing in healthcare IT. |
LTS is one of the fastest growing privately held educational software companies and the only company using sports and video games to engage today's digital learners. LTS delivers intervention solutions that improve Math and Reading skills, as well as an entire line of virtual modules focused on using sports to improve behavior both on and off the field.
A graduate of Auburn University, Shulman was a Captain of the Auburn football team and helped lead them to the 1988 SEC Championship. He was an eighth-round draft choice for the Green Bay Packers and graduated from Auburn in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Brian currently resides in Birmingham, AL, with his wife Lisa and their three children.
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Mark Wood, President, Education Division | TOP |
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As President of LTS's Education Division, Mark is responsible for the overall, day-to-day business operations and growth of the Kid's College and STAR Sportsmanship business units. For the past ten years, Mark has held management positions in the K-12 education sales arena. Most recently, he was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Princeton Review's K-12 Division. |
Prior to joining The Princeton Review, Mark was Vice President of Sales Operations at The Riverside Publishing Company, the assessment division for Houghton Mifflin (now Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Achievement Technologies, Inc. Mark also managed at FedEx Corporation for seven years and served in the United States Air Force. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Mark lives in Maryland with his wife, Valerie, and two daughters, Meghan and Madison. |
Jack Risenhoover, Director of Development | TOP |
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Jack Risenhoover directs overall business development and strategy for LTS. He is responsible for creating new initiatives and relationships, with a recent focus on LTS’s captive agency, Sports Triangle, and its marketing efforts directed at corporate ad sponsors. He is a director for After Sports, LLC – a non-profit organization devoted to helping professional athletesmake a difference in their communities. |
He has over 20 years experience in senior executive roles managing Legal, Human Resources, Technology Infrastructure, and Administration. He has enjoyed a diversified career having worked with Merrill Lynch in the launch of Oklahoma Venture Partners, serving as COO of a Los Angeles advertising agency, and having operated for a decade as an Executive Officer, Secretary, and General Counsel for a publicly-traded software company with more than 2,000 employees and a market capitalization over $1 billion. He is also a Board Member and Managing Principal for Health Robotics, a worldwide leader in chemotherapy robotics.
Risenhoover received his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University, Master of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma, and Bachelor of Science in Management from Pepperdine University. He has been married for 17 years and has four daughters. |
Bobby Rushing, Chief Operating Officer | TOP |
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As Chief Financial Officer, Bobby maintains the books and records for the
company, prepares financial statements and works with the CPA to ensure
compliance with GAAP. Bobby joined Learning Through Sports in 2009. His
background experience includes consulting for the leading accounting and
finance recruiting firm Savela and Associates and the global professional
services firm Resources Global Professionals. |
Prior to consulting, Bobby
served as a Controller for SunGard Employee Benefit Systems, the largest
provider of defined contribution software in the United States, eventually
earning the position of Vice President/Controller with responsibility for
all budgeting and accounting of four domestic and international companies.
Bobby played high school and college baseball (at the University of
Montevallo) and has coached for the Alabaster Dixie Youth Baseball Program
and the American Legion.
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Phillip Fulmer,
Board of Directors | TOP |
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As former head football coach for the Tennessee Volunteers, Phillip Fulmer was responsible for guiding the decisions of thousands of young athletes, many whom went on to become NFL stars like Peyton Manning and Jerod Mayo. In April 2009, Fulmer joined the Board of Directors for Learning Through Sports in a focused effort to improve sportsmanship across America. |
Fulmer’s influence will continue to demonstrate that outstanding coaches are defined by the trusting, personal relationships they establish with their players, making them role models for life.
Fulmer’s numerous accomplishments through a 37-year career at the highest level of college athletics include a BCS National Championship, National and SEC Coach of the Year, 2 SEC Championships and seven SEC Eastern Division titles. Fulmer has served on the board of directors for Boys and Girls Clubs, American Football Coaches Association, Team Focus and Child and Family Services. He is the national spokesperson for The Jason Foundation. Fulmer and his wife have four children. |
Laura LeNoir, Director of Customer Service | TOP |
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Laura is personally responsible for all communication with the customer including technical support, operations, sales, and customer care. Her prior experience as a speech therapist and work in marketing communications ensures that each and every person that contacts Learning Through Sports is handled with care and their needs are met efficiently. Laura is a proud graduate of Auburn University and enjoys football. |
Amy Frith, Marketing Specialist | TOP |
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She is the touch point for customer success stories from Kid’s College, STAR Sportsmanship and MySportsmanship.com users from across the nation, and acts as the media contact for the company. Before joining LTS in 2006, Amy served as a marketing and communications specialist in the information services industry. She graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. |
Sherry Shirley, Educational Sales Consultant | TOP |
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As Educational Sales Consultant, Sherry is responsible for growing sales, as well as ensuring customer care. Sherry conducts virtual product demonstrations and training on LTS products and assists with operations and technical support. As a former teacher of 15 years (Grades 4-8), Sherry brings valuable experience and expertise to the company, and is able to |
closely identify with customers’ needs as educators. Sherry earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Auburn University at Montgomery, AL. She has been married for 25 years and has two children. |
Amechele Toups, Utilization Specialist and Coaching Liaison | TOP |
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As Utilization Specialist and Coaching Liaison, Amechele provides support to LTS Academic Coaches to ensure that all administrators, teachers, students and parents are utilizing LTS products effectively and efficiently. She has a background in Elementary/Early Education from the University of Montevallo. Her previous career as a Clinical Research Coordinator ensures individualized and detailed customer care. Amechele and her husband have three young daughters |
Benj Sampson, National Accounts Consultant | TOP |
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As National Accounts Consultant, Benj is responsible for identifying and growing corporate sponsorship opportunities with LTS, as well as implementing Kid’s College in schools across the nation. Benj joined the world of marketing and corporate sponsorship in 2006 after completing a 13-year professional baseball career. |
Benj played in the major leagues with the Minnesota Twins as pitcher, and also in the minor leagues with the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies. Following his baseball career, he attended the University of Texas at Arlington as a Finance Major.
Benj is also a pivotal figure in Learning Through Sports’ STAR Mentors program. His professional sports background and numerous hours spent tutoring young athletes in the U.S. and abroad render him well-prepared to serve as a positive sportsmanship spokesperson and role model.
Benj has been married for 8 years and has 2 children. His hobbies include coaching, golfing, and spending time with the family hiking, traveling, or exercising their chocolate Lab. |
Tony Banks, National Accounts Consultant | TOP |
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Tony Banks says that his experience as a former professional football and baseball player inspired natural leadership in him and helped foster invaluable social skills that he exercises today as a STAR Mentor for youth athletes.
Reflecting on his own childhood in a neighborhood of southeast San Diego riddled with gang activity, |
Tony set a goal as a member of Learning Through Sports to inspire kids (especially inner city youth) to embrace learning both in the classroom and on the sports field, and in doing so avoid succumbing to a dangerous lifestyle.
Tony is a sportsmanship spokesperson for the company, drawing on years of success first playing baseball for the Minnesota farm system straight out of high school, then playing football over a 20-year span for San Diego Mesa Junior College, Michigan State University, the St. Louis Rams, Baltimore Ravens (winning a Super Bowl in 2000), Washington Redskins, and the Houston Texans.
As National Accounts Consultant, Tony is responsible for matching Learning Through Sports with corporate sponsors who believe in the same mission for today’s youth. Tony has been married for 8 years and has one son. |
Jan Patterson, Strategic Educational Director of Sales | TOP |
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Through 9 years of experience teaching learning disabled students in Mississippi secondary school classrooms, Jan grasps a strong understanding of the special needs of both students and educators. As Strategic Educational Director of Sales for LTS, Jan is responsible for connecting schools with needs to the solutions that can help them achieve. |
Jan earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education with K-12 Certification and her Master of Education Degree in Mild Learning Handicaps from the University of West Alabama.
Prior to joining LTS and following her teaching career, Jan spent 4 years as a Curriculum/Instructional Specialist in Adult Education with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, then 12 years working with educational technology programs as an account manager and consultant both in the public sector and Tribal and Workforce programs.
Jan is a frequent presenter at regional, state and national educational conferences, speaking on topics such as dropout prevention, intervention, Special Education transition and youth services. |
Jason McAllister, Educational Sales Consultant | TOP |
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Jason is passionate that "all students receive an equal education." His determination stems from his parents who were career educators. "My mother was a middle school and elementary administrator, and my father was a fifth and sixth grade teacher for 30 years.” Jason is well attuned to the challenges educators and learners face, and wants to “affect change within education.” |
Jason joined Learning Through Sports in 2009 with three years prior experience within the Educational Technology industry. Before that, Jason served as an academic advisor and career counselor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Assumption College in Worcester, MA, and a Master of Science, Management, with an emphasis in Professional Writing from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
In his spare time, Jason is a general outdoor enthusiast and plays centerfield for his local Ponce deLeon Baseball league. When not outdoors, Jason and his wife enjoy international travel. Jason enthusiastically looks forward to "introducing a supplemental educational tool to educators that can help address the educational inequities that exist within today's environment." |
Brooks Keisler, Educational Sales Consultant | TOP |
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Brooks’ mission is to assist educators in engaging students using his two greatest passions: education and sports. As a former coach of collegiate athletes, he understands the role sports play in motivating today’s youth. |
Brooks spent one and a half years as assistant volleyball coach at UAB (helping lead them to their first-ever Conference-USA Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament).
Brooks joined Learning Through Sports in 2009 with more than three years of prior inside sales experience. Brooks looks forward to building relationships with educators to better meet the needs of their students. He enjoys seeing students of all backgrounds come alive in the classroom using the tools created by Learning Through Sports. Brooks earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Communication from Georgia Southern University in 2004. He and his wife have two young daughters. |
Pierce Johnson, Educational Sales Consultant | TOP |
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As an Educational Sales Consultant for LTS, a father and a former competitive athlete, Pierce understands the impact sports can have on the education of young people.
Pierce brings to LTS a strong sales background, a passion for education and a wealth of
experience helping coach his two sons in youth sports through the high school level. Pierce earned his Bachelor of Business
Administration degree from Baylor University with a double major in Management and Marketing. In his free time, he enjoys golf and scuba diving. |
David Kinney, CEO, Kinney & Associates | TOP |
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David Kinney is the CEO of Kinney & Associates ( www.kinneyandassociates.com), an Illinois-based provider of Learning Through Sports programs. |
David founded Kinney & Associates in 1994 as an educational company that delivers testing, consulting and web-based products with an emphasis on data-driven results. Kid's College is one of the company's most popular and successful programs. David's prior experience as a test consultant for CTB/McGraw-Hill and a Special Education teacher and director has equipped him to partner with districts across Illinois in the school improvement planning process. |
Catherine Duncan, Vice President, Kinney & Associates | TOP |
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With over a decade of educational consulting experience, Catherine offers her expertise in the management and analysis of data for improving classroom instruction and student performance. |
As Vice President of Kinney & Associates (an Illinois-based provider of Learning Through Sports programs - www.kinneyandassociates.com), Catherine supervises site-based and field-based staff and designs/implements professional development sessions linking curriculum, standards-based assessments and student achievement. She received her B.A. in Elementary Education from Loras College and her M.A. in Educational Administration from Governors State University. Her first major publication by Corwin Press was Data! Dialogue! Decisions! The Data Difference. |
David M. Rees, Business Advisor and Director | TOP |
David is a partner of Vincent & Rees, LC, a legal and business advisory firm located in Salt Lake City, Utah and also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of a financial consulting and marketing firm in Salt Lake City. David has many years of experience working with companies in various capacities, including arranging and structuring financing, operations, sales/marketing, cross-border transactions and legal advisory services.
Among other positions, David has served as Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded educational software company in Sandy, Utah and as Vice President of Strategic Planning for a publicly traded Internet company in Los Angeles, California. David was an associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Finance departments at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York City. He received his B.A. in History from Weber State University and his J.D. from New York University. |
Dr. Garry L. McDaniels, Data Analysis & Reporting | TOP |
Dr. McDaniels is an expert in services for at-risk children, youth and adults. He was Chief of Evaluation and Research for the U.S. Department of Education's Title I Program. Dr. McDaniels also served as the Director of Research, Evaluation and Demonstration programs for the then Bureau for the Education of the Handicapped at the Department of Education. In 1982, he served as the Director of Federal Special Education Programs.
McDaniels and his colleagues created SkillsBank and Cornerstone, which became two of the best-selling supplemental computer products for U.S. schools. In 2000, McDaniels and his associates founded a new company that brought these popular disk products to the web under the name of SkillsTutor.
McDaniels is currently President of the non-profit Orion Research Group focused on evaluation of basic education programs for children and adolescents with disabilities, and low skilled adults. He is the author of over 100 professional papers, 50 magazine columns on education research and data, and a frequent speaker on education topics. The University of Michigan, where McDaniels received his PhD, honored him for his work with the Distinguished Alumni Award, in 1995. |
Barton Listick, Software Development & Production | TOP |
As the CEO of Trylonix Corporation, Barton has over 25 years of experience in software development and is the developer of Knowledge Adventure’s best-selling JumpStart series of children's edutainment software. As the very first grade-based edutainment software, JumpStart literally created an entirely new category of educational software. Fernando Echovera who was formerly with Knowledge Adventure, brings a wealth of experience in database programming to Trylonix’s outstanding team.
Whether as a producer, executive producer or designer, Barton has personally been involved in the creation of more than 15 edutainment titles, as well as the development of an innovative online tutoring service and home learning software for robots. Captivating gameplay and engrossing characters, combined with solid learning and progress tracking, has been the hallmark of his award-winning company. Learning Through Sports is proud to employ the services of this development firm specializing in edutainment and game software, education technology and children’s products. |
Dan Washburn, AHSAA | TOP |
Dan is Former Executive Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association ( www.ahsaa.com) and President of the National Federation of High Schools Board of Directors. |
Don Hinton, MHSAA, STAR Sportsmanship Coaching Coordinator | TOP |
Don is currently serving his 8th consecutive year as a member of the Executive Committee of the Mississippi High School Activities Association ( www.misshsaa.com). Don holds a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a master’s degree in Educational Administration, both from the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2005-06, he was selected as Mississippi Athletic Director of the Year by both the Mississippi Association of Coaches and the MHSAA. As a Coaching Coordinator, Don is the liaison between LTS and the MHSAA and works closely with MHSAA executive committee members, athletic directors, coaches and athletes to implement the STAR Sportsmanship program and monitor results. |
Jim Chesnutt, CLAS, Academic Coach Coordinator | TOP |
Jim is Membership Consultant for the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS - www.clasleaders.org) and serves as Academic Coach Coordinator for Learning Through Sports’ Academic Coaching professional development program, which provides consultants who assist school administrators and educators to better utilize Kid's College student data and differentiate their teaching. Jim coordinates with more than 30 Academic Coaches to stay aware of best practices for maximizing the success of students, educators and administrators who use Kid's College. |
Debbie Hildreth, Assistant Coach Coordinator | TOP |
Debbie Hildreth, Ed.D., is Assistant Coach Coordinator for the Kid’s College Academic Coaching professional development program. Debbie is a retired elementary school principal and former Kindergarten and first grade teacher. She completed her undergraduate work at Samford University, then earned her master’s degree as an Educational Specialist, as well as her Doctor of Education Degree, at the University of Alabama. After working with elementary students for 29 years, Debbie recognizes the significant impact that motivation and skills practice have on student achievement. She believes Kid's College combines these two critical factors. |
