Catalyst Endowment Fund 2024: Youth Sports  

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our first Catalyst Endowment Fund event on Tuesday, March 26. This event featured a panel discussion titled, Game Changers: Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders Through Youth Sports.

Our Panelists:

Bryan Cote

Since 1994, Bryan Cote has been a widely published healthcare and sociology columnist, researcher and writer of The Behavioral Health Hour, a peer review journal he’s published continuously since 1999 on the intersection of science, sport and policy. 

Bryan cut his teeth for 15 years as an investigative newspaper reporter and researcher for the likes of The Herald in Boston, Oncology Business Review and The American Journal of Managed Care. He is a managing director at Berkeley Research Group where he advises healthcare companies and has led hundreds of studies on behavioral health, including “Losing Beats Winning,” a 15-year tracking study into the impact of competitive youth sports on addiction, and “Bet On Yourself,” a new study into what influences young males to bet on sports.

He has taught physical education at Grace Academy middle school in Hartford Connecticut since 2010 and serves as a social service coordinator for the Karen Association of Connecticut, a non-profit he helped create that supports the refugee population. 

Bryan and his wife Janine have raised 4 children and have lived in the Hartford area since 2002.

Dr. Ramona Cox

Dr. Ramona Cox joins Doc Wayne as the Director of the Champions Network®. As Director, Ramona will lead a growing team of diverse facilitators and team members focused on professionalizing the field of sport-based therapy and offering engaging and accessible mental health support globally.

Ramona played NCAA Div. 1 volleyball throughout her time at the University of Michigan and obtained her Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in sport psychology from Michigan State University. Following Ramona’s collegiate volleyball career, she played 11 years of semi-professional football at tight end and fullback for the Detroit Demolition and Detroit Dark Angels. Ramona has a passion for sports-based youth development and has researched increasing sports and physical activity opportunities for urban African American adolescent girls.

Ramona is heavily involved in the sports-based youth development community as a facilitator and lead trainer for the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), a board member of the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association and the McDonald Phelps Foundation, and a member of the State of Michigan Women in Sports Task Force. She has also worked collaboratively and implemented impactful projects with organizations such as the Women’s Sports Foundation and U.S. Soccer Foundation. Ramona continues to coach volleyball in Detroit at Cass Technical High School and Instant Replay Volleyball Club.

Alexandra Maund 

Alexandra Maund is a Boston native and the current Manager of Communications for the Connecticut Sun in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), where she oversees the Sun’s press relations, communications, website, and broadcasting. She joined the Sun after working in communications in the finance industry with Fidelity Investments. Maund attended Yale University, where she got her Bachelor’s in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies while playing Division I basketball; and she used her last year of Division I eligibility to attend and play for George Washington University, where she received her Master’s in Media and Strategic Communication from the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.

In her free time, Maund works as a color commentator for her alma mater, Yale University’s women’s basketball team, as well as serving as a basketball trainer to elementary, middle and high school-aged kids out of Progression Training, LLC. in Groton, CT. Maund’s goal is to use her platform in communications to provide representation for young Black and Brown girls looking for role models, education and opportunities through basketball and sport.

Brian Gallagher

Brian Gallagher is a dedicated advocate for youth sports and community engagement, serving as the Founder and Director of Active City, a nonprofit organization focused on developing and promoting youth sports in Hartford, Connecticut. Born and raised in Hartford, Brian's passion for sports and community involvement was cultivated early on as he actively participated in various sports programs during his schooling years.

With a deep-rooted commitment to his hometown, Brian has made significant contributions to the local sports community. As the Youth Sports representative and Chair of PRAC (Hartford Parks Recreation Advisory Commission), he has worked tirelessly to ensure access to quality sports programs for Hartford's youth. Additionally, Brian is the Co-Founder and Head Coach of Saturday Hoopsters, a basketball program aimed at teaching Hartford's youth valuable skills both on and off the court.

Since 1998, Brian has served as the President of the Hartford Soccer Club, where he has coached and overseen youth soccer initiatives, positively impacting the lives of countless young athletes. In his role as a Health/Physical Education Teacher and Coach within the Hartford Public School system, Brian continues to inspire and mentor students, instilling in them a love for physical activity and healthy living.

Brian's dedication to youth sports and community development extends beyond the field and classroom. Recently, he earned his Masters Degree in Recreation and Leisure from Southern Connecticut State University, focusing his research on utilizing sports as a tool to motivate students and improve academic outcomes. His innovative proposal caught the attention of the Hartford city council, leading to the creation of a new position dedicated to supporting youth sports initiatives in the city.

As President of Active City, Brian remains committed to his vision of transforming Hartford into America's most physically active city for children, working collaboratively with individuals and organizations to achieve this goal. His leadership, passion, and tireless advocacy continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of Hartford's youth and the broader community.

Join us for a conversation on Building Tomorrow's Champions: Nurturing Social-Emotional Growth through Youth Sports. 

RSVP here

More information coming soon