A Chat in the Garden with Monique AJ Smith

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...

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/A...

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 Radi...

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 athl...

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...

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. B...

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 Significan...

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,...

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 tim...

As the founder and owner of BallHers Choice Sports, Maria LaChelle Barber is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment through sports. With a vision to create a platform that celebrates female athletes and provides opportunities for growth, Barber has established herself as a trailblazer in her community. In 2023, Barber turned her vision into reality by founding BallHers Choice Sports Initiat...

Lachauna Edwards is a sports and business attorney with over twelve years of experience spanning education law, business, and intellectual property. As the co-founder of Black Sports Moms, she leads a national movement dedicated to educating and empowering mothers of athletes to navigate the business of NIL and sports. Through dynamic workshops, conferences, and partnerships, she’s helping familie...

Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) appointed Jacqueline “Jackie” Gordon Duvall as its new Director of Athletics, effective August 18, 2025. An experienced leader in athletic administration, she provides leadership and general oversight of the district’s athletic programs and activities. Mrs. Gordon Duvall holds a Master of Science in Child and Family Studies and a Master of Arts in Organizationa...

This episode is a replay from Season 8. Zee Butler, 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...

Candace Smith is in her first year at Ohio University and 18 th year overall in collegiate athletics. Smith joined the Ohio Bobcats in March 2025 as the Executive Associate Athletic Director and Chief Financial Officer and serves as a member of the athletics executive leadership team, advising the Athletic Director of strategic priorities and departmental direction. Her professional oversight incl...

From the track to the clinic, Dr. Wilsa Charles Malveaux understands peak performance inside and out. A former elite Track & Field athlete and Stanford record-holder, she trained for the Summer Olympics before turning her focus to the mental side of the game. Dr. Charles Malveaux earned her BA and MA in Psychology from Stanford University and her Medical Degree from Howard University. She comp...

Dr. Darlene Moore joined KWC Panthers as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, Student Athletic Services and Sports Administration/ SWA in July 2025. Most recently, Dr. Moore served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance and Academic Services at Texas Woman’s University. While at TWU, Dr. Moore oversaw the compliance program which services over 200 student-athletes on a yearly...

Dr. Kyla Formey is a native of Brooklyn, New York and she graduated from Long Island University in 2019, where she was a four-year Division II women’s basketball player. Following graduation, Dr. Formey relocated to Virginia to continue her educational pursuits by obtaining her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Hampton University in 2023 and Master of Science in Athletic Training from Old Dominio...

Chamreece Diggs is a proud graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Recreation Administration and later earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Chamreece, a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional, is experienced in programming, marketing, project management, facility ma...

Andrea Durham is the CEO and Founder of Minority Women in Sports, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation dedicated to supporting and advancing the educational and professional goals of minority women pursuing careers in the sports industry. Founded in 2020, the foundation has launched various programs aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by minority women in sports. Through strategic partner...

Dr. Danielle Lynch assumed the role of Director of Athletics at Haverford College in March of 2022. Lynch brings more than 20 years of experience in college coaching and athletics administration to Haverford and is a respected professional within the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Lynch joined the staff at Haverford from Susquehanna University, where she served as Associate Director o...

CC Clark is a financial literacy educator, speaker, and founder of The Prosperity League, where the mission is simple: Play. Brand. Profit. With over 17 years of experience teaching business, marketing, and entrepreneurship, CC has impacted thousands of students inside the classroom and beyond. A former Division I basketball player at Samford University, she knows firsthand the challenges of being...

This episode is a replay from Season 7. Dr. Jessica R. Murfree, Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina 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. Lis...

In May 2025, Patrick Mashuda, Associate Vice President for Athletics and Compliance, announced the appointment of Sherry Lewis as the new head coach of the Chowan University women's flag football team. Lewis will lead the Hawks in the launch of the university's inaugural women's flag football program, set to begin competition in the Spring of 2026.She will also serve as the Head Coach for Men's an...

Born and raised in North Babylon, New York, my early life was defined by a strong sense of community, hard work, and purpose. These values not only influenced her path in athletics and fitness but also became the foundation for a dynamic and evolving career in higher education, particularly within the realm of collegiate athletics.  After high school I enrolled at Temple University, where I earned...

Terica "Teri" Peay is an emerging leader in collegiate athletics with a strong background in strategic communications, media relations, and athletic administration. With over a decade of experience across NCAA institutions, she has established herself as a results-driven professional committed to promoting student-athletes, elevating athletic brands, and fostering inclusive excellence in sports. C...