Our Team

Tommy has served with Nations of Coaches since 2008. As executive director, he oversees the implementation of Nations of Coaches’ core vision: to help coaches achieve their higher calling of shaping the character of the next generation of young men. Kyle played basketball collegiately at Tennessee Temple University, where he first began working with SCORE International – a global sports ministry that reaches the nations for Christ through short-term mission trips. Kyle later worked full-time with SCORE as the national college basketball director. Between 1996 and 2007, Kyle served as the head boys basketball coach at Decatur Heritage Christian Academy, where he led the Golden Eagles to three trips to the state basketball’s final four and won five area titles. Kyle and his wife Heather live in Decatur and have seven children.

Dale is a 45-year veteran of college basketball coaching and athletic administration. He served as president of both the Black Coaches Association and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. With 23 years of collegiate basketball coaching experience, Dale is perfect for his role as vice president of coaches’ ministries for Nations of Coaches, a position he’s filled since 2012. Dale has a tremendous heart for encouraging other coaches to leave a legacy of impacting athletes both on and off the court. He and his wife Pamela live in Nashville and have one daughter and three beautiful grandchildren.

Roger has 40 years of experience as a coach and pastor, including 28 years as the chaplain for Marshall University’s men’s basketball team. He’s served with Nations of Coaches since 2014, most recently as a regional director over Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and parts of North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Through this role, Roger plays an integral part in equipping coaches to help their players make the connection between character and sport. Roger and his wife Carol live in Lewisburg, West Virginia and have a son and a daughter.

Tim Carter joined Nations of Coaches as the Regional Director over Texas in 2020 after an exemplary 34-year college basketball coaching career. Carter began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma from 1982-83 and was an assistant coach at Midwestern State University from 1984-86. He helped lead Houston to the NCAA Tournament in 1987 and then joined Leonard Hamilton’s staff at Oklahoma State from 1987-90, leading the Cowboys to the NIT in 1989 and 1990. From 1990-94, Coach Carter was the head coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. From there he had an 11-year stint at the University of Texas-San Antonio. Coach Carter is the all-time winningest head coach at the University of Texas-San Antonio, leading his team to the NCAA Tournament twice during his tenure. After reuniting with Leonard Hamilton at Florida State for the 2006-07 season, Carter became the head coach at South Carolina State for six seasons from 2007-2013.

Coach Carter earned an associate’s degree from Hutchinson Community College (1976), his bachelor’s degree in education from Kansas (1979) and a Master’s in education from Oklahoma (1984). He is a past board member of both the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Tim and his wife, Sheila, have two daughters, Kiara and Kortney, and a son, Wynton.

Mike joined Nations of Coaches in 2017. As head basketball coach at Bethel University, he won seven national championships, 18 conference titles, and received seven National Coach of the Year honors. He is in the NAIA Hall of Fame, NCCAA Hall of Fame, and the Bethel University Hall of Fame. Mike brings tremendous experience to his role at Nations of Coaches, helping coaches across Indiana and Michigan build up players who show character on and off the court. Mike and his wife Jacci live in Wakarusa, Indiana and have two married sons.

Pete joined Nations of Coaches in 2013 after serving as the head basketball coach and athletic director at Northland International University in Dunbar. Before Northland, Pete and his wife Lisa spent 19 years ministering in local churches and coaching high school students in Connecticut, Florida, and Indiana. Pete and Lisa have two sons, and they are also blessed with two grandsons.

Grayson started working at Nations of Coaches in 2019 as an administrative intern. After serving 9 months in the part-time position, he joined Nations of Coaches full-time at the beginning of 2020 as the National Associate, assisting the National Director, Pete Wehry, minister to and oversee NOC Character Coaches across the country. Grayson is concurrently a student at Liberty University, working towards his degree in Christian Leadership.

Because of his experience as a Christian student-athlete, Grayson is passionate about helping others fight for a healthy balance between work or school, sports, and family, and seeing people reach their full God-given potential. Grayson stated, “My goal is to see the kingdom of God moved forward through the game of basketball.”

Grayson is married to Bailey Speers Wakefield.

Jon joined NOC in 2020 as the Legacy Enrichment Director and is currently focusing on the North Carolina/ South Carolina region.

Jon has a strong background as a program builder. He has a proven track record of implementing and leading successful capital campaigns and fundraising programs at higher education institutions including Wake Forest University and Georgia State University.

 Jon also started and led his own company, CourtHarbor which developed the first-ever free-standing tennis court dividers, and custom logo court products for tennis. In 2017, CourtHarbor merged with North Carolina-based SE Logo Wear.

His passion for basketball, which began at an early age, includes coaching basketball at Milton High School (GA); North Davidson High School (NC); and Greensboro College (NC). He is included in the 1994 Greensboro College Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the coaching staff.

 A 1992 graduate of East Carolina University,  Jon, and his wife, Kerri, and their two sons, Lawson and Layton, live in Lexington, NC

Dee Kijanko is an artist, writer, speaker, and mentor, who is passionate for the hearts of women. She and Tony have been married for 45 years and she has been devoted to their “co-ministry”  to all of the teams Tony has coached. She has been volunteering with the NOC Wives Steering Committee for the last year, helping to develop outreach and support to all women married to a coach.

Together the Kijankos are grateful to have parented four children and now are filled with joy to be called “Mimi” and “Papa” by six grandchildren. They also have led short-term international mission teams to many countries over the past 30 years

Tony Kijanko has been coaching in some form for many years. Before his 45-year football coaching career, he played offensive tackle at Bowling Green State University and professionally for the Cleveland Browns. Afterward, he coached high school and college football at various schools, most recently at Taylor University in Indiana. In his “retirement” he continued to coach his oldest grandson at Dawson County High School in North Georgia.

Together the Kijankos are grateful to have parented four children and now are filled with joy to be called “Mimi” and “Papa” by six grandchildren. They also have led short-term international mission teams to many countries over the past 30 years

Nikki Sprader joined Nations of Coaches in January 2012 as the executive assistant. After 12 years I the manufacturing engineering sector, Nikki brings managerial, standardizations, and financial and budget planning skills to the ministry. As an added dimension to the ministry, she has a proven record in program and project management and performance management based on data-driven results. Nikki and her husband live in Mooresville, AL and have one child.

Before joining Nations of Coaches as NOC Wives Coordinator, God has lead Lynette through a number of careers ranging from engineering and pharmaceutical sales to teaching math at the high school and junior college levels. She is also an entrepreneur health and wellness advocate, providing nutritional products and resources.

Lynette received her MS degree in Engineering Management from Cleveland State University in 1994 and her BS from North Carolina A&T in 1990.

Lynette served as a women’s teacher-leader with the Bible Study Fellowship in Charleston, West Virginia, and she and Jayson have facilitated marriage Bible studies and have been the keynote speakers for the 2011 FCA marriage retreat. She currently serves as a co-facilitator of a life group “Healthy by Design” at Every Nation Cincinnati in Ohio, and as a facilitator with Coaches Wives Bible Study.

Lynette celebrates 30 years as a coach’s wife to Jayson. They have 3 children, Brandon, 27, Bryan, 24, and Briana, 15, and reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hope co-leads the NOC Wives ministry with Nations of Coaches, and additionally, she is an itinerant speaker with Forge, a ministry based in Denver, Colorado. She loves to write, share truths from God’s word, go on long walks with her husband Barclay and spend time in nature. A former science teacher of 28 years, Hope is fascinated by seeing evidence of God in creation (Romans 1:20). She has authored two books: “Love is Speaking… Hearing God’s Whispers in Everyday Spaces” and “Gym Rats” a devotional for coaches’ wives. Hope is the wife of Charleston Southern Men’s Basketball Coach, Barclay Radebaugh, and they have lived in Charleston, South Carolina for 16 years. They have three adult children; Reid, Sophia, and Anna, who is married to Don and has a daughter named Ruth.

Kathy joined the Nations of Coaches team as director of marketing & communication in 2017. A graduate of Auburn University with a BFA in Art/Graphic Design, Kathy has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and design, including a tenure at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center. Kathy and her husband, Lt. George Silvestri with the Decatur Police Department, live in Decatur and have four grown children.

Lisa joined the Nations of Coaches team as Character Coach Administrator in January 2019. After graduating from college, she spent 12 years in ministry with her husband, Pete, and their two sons, PJ and Drew. Before serving at NOC Lisa’s work experience included a three-year tenure as Dean of Women at a small college, supervising the Guest Relations desk, and running the Thrift Store at First Baptist Church in Orlando. Lisa and Pete reside in Mt. Dora, Florida with their oldest son, their daughter-in-law, and their two grandsons, while enjoying frequent trips to Birmingham, Alabama to visit their younger son.

Jacci Lightfoot joined Nations of Coaches in June 2017 as Regional Administrator. She also assists in coordinating the Marriage & Family and NOC Wives ministries. She attended Bethel College majoring in Early Childhood Education. Eventually, she decided to pursue a career in nursing. Most recently Jacci has worked as an international Tour Manager, leading groups of travelers of all ages to various countries.

Most importantly to her, she has been a Head Coach’s wife for 38 years, bringing humor and insight from living her life “behind the bench.” Jacci and her husband, Mike, live in Wakarusa IN. They have two sons, two incredible daughters-in-law, and two grandsons who live two doors down.

Scott Brewer has been serving the Baylor Men’s Basketball program since 2012. Scott brings a passion to share life and the love of Jesus Christ to each individual. His invaluable leadership in the lives of the coaches, players and other supporting staff has deep impact from encouragement, in-home meals, character development and Bible studies. Scott and his wife, live in the DFW metroplex.

Antonio McKenzie serves as a Character Coach with Nations of Coaches.

Ric Callahan serves as the Character Coach for the Samford University Men’s Basketball Team in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been a pastor for 35 years serving in the local church. Ric and his daughter own and operate a non-profit ministry called Quest Kids Club. His passion is to lead and guide men to become like Jesus. He loves ministering to the coaches and players at Samford. Any financial support given will be used to cover expenses for his ministry to the team. Ric is married to Carla and they have two daughters.

Billy acts as a part-time Nations of Coaches character coach for the Lehigh University men’s basketball team. Having coached basketball at the high school level for 15 years, starting a sports ministry called Push The Rock, and being ordained as a minister, Billy brings a passion for the game and for investing in the lives of young men. He’s had a tremendous impact on the team at Lehigh University. Billy and his wife Cindy live in Macungie, Pennsylvania and have two children.

Jim founded Nations of Coaches in 2008 to help encourage, resource, and equip coaches to handle the pressures of their position, so they can leave a legacy of personal and professional excellence in the lives of their players. Today, Jim serves as the executive director for the National Association of Basketball Coaches, where he is a leading voice in helping return college basketball to its higher calling. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and serves on the Board of Directors for USA Basketball. Jim and his wife Carol live in Kansas City, Missouri.

Brad is the dream coach for IMA Financial, a full-service insurance brokerage and risk-management consulting firm based out of Colorado. He’s been an integral part of IMA’s business development for more than 25 years, and recently he accepted a role as the company’s internal life coach. Brad and his wife Marla live in Centennial, Colorado and have three children.

Ed is the assistant coach at Indiana University. He formerly worked as the assistant coach at UCLA from 2013 to 2016. Ed was a four-year starting point guard at Miami from 1985 to 1988, where he helped lead the school to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, received numerous awards, and holds multiple records. He has also coauthored two books – Guard Play and Five-Star Basketball. Ed has two daughters and one son: Christiana, Natalie, and Eddie. And Ed and his wife April have two daughters: Ava and Callie.

Steve was formerly the general counsel and president of the multinational holding company Circle “S” Industries, Inc. He now practices law and does business consulting from his Florence, Alabama, office. He is a member of Woodmont Baptist Church and has served on the finance committee for many years. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Shoals Christian School. Steve is married to Jeanette, and they are the parents to two sons.

Ron is currently the assistant coach at Longwood University. He has served as an assistant coach for DePaul and Clemson University, as well as head coach at Radford University and Eastern Nazarene. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Physical Education, and a Doctorate in Kinesiological Sciences with an emphasis in Sports Psychology. Ron and his wife Denise live in Farmville, Virginia. They have two children and seven grandchildren.

Brett is the senior pastor of Grace Covenant Church in Chantilly, Virginia – a suburb of Washington, D.C. He currently serves as the North American leadership team director for Every Nation Churches, and as chaplain of the Washington Redskins. He previously served on President George W. Bush’s Advisory Board for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Brett has also written two devotional books: Live Well and Relate Well. Brett and his wife of 30 years, Cynthia, live in Chantilly, Virginia, and have raised seven children.

Kris is the President/CEO of Vermeer Southeast a construction equipment company headquartered in Orlando, FL. He is the author of 3 faith based books and a frequent speaker on the topic of living your faith at work. Kris and his wife Robin reside in Windermere, Florida and have 3 children.

RICK BARNES is the reigning Naismith College Coach of the Year after guiding the University of Tennessee to a school-record-tying 31 wins and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2018-19. In 32 overall seasons as a Division I head coach, Barnes has led his teams to 24 total NCAA Tournament berths, seven Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and one Final Four in 2003.

His coaching experience includes head coaching stops at George Mason (1987-88), Providence (1988-1994), Clemson (1994-98), Texas (1998-2015) and Tennessee (2015 – current).

He earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Lenoir-Rhyne in 1977 and was named the college’s Distinguished Alumnus in 1997. Barnes was inducted into the Lenoir-Rhyne College Hall of Fame on Oct. 5, 2002, and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Lenoir-Rhyne on May 7, 2005.

He and his wife, Candy have a son, Nick, and a daughter, Carley. Carley and her husband, Josh Lickteig, have four children: Avery, Caleb, Emma and Isla.

Coach Dana Ford is the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Missouri State University.

A native of Tamms, Illinois, Ford is a 2006 graduate of Illinois State University where he was a four-year letterman for the Redbirds under coaches Tom Richardson and Porter Moser from 2002 to 2006. He was a regular starter and led ISU in steals as a senior.

He went on to successful assistant coaching stints at Winthrop University and Wichita State University under coach Gregg Marshall. He later served as associate head coach at Illinois State under coach Dan Muller. His coaching resume also includes assistant coaching stops at Chipola (Fla.) College and Tennessee State. Coach Ford was most recently the head coach at Tennessee State University.

He and his wife, Christina have a daughter, Charlie Rose, and three sons, Carson, Cameron, and Crain. The Fords are also the parents of another daughter, Promise, who passed away in infancy in 2017.