Bios

Knight Commission (photo)

Co-Chairs

Dr. Carol A. Cartwright
President Emeritus, Kent State University and Bowling Green State University

Arne Duncan
Former U.S. Secretary of Education

Members

Dr. Eric Barron
President, Pennsylvania State University

Pamela Bernard
Vice President & General Counsel, Duke University

Dr. Christine Copper
Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor, United States Naval Academy

Dr. Scott Cowen
President Emeritus, Tulane University

Michael Crow
President, Arizona State University

Dr. John J. DeGioia
President, Georgetown University

Dr. Walter Harrison
President Emeritus, University of Hartford

Dr. Christopher Howard
President, Robert Morris University (Pittsburgh, PA); Former Football Player, U.S. Air Force Academy

Derek Kerr
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, American Airlines

Shanteona Keys
Athletic Leadership Specialist, Growing Leaders; Former Women’s Basketball Player, Georgia College

Penelope Ward Kyle
President Emeritus, Radford University

Jonathan Mariner
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Major League Baseball

Jacques McClendon
Director, Player Engagement, Los Angeles Rams

Anna Spangler Nelson
Chairman, Spangler Companies Inc.; Member, UNC Board of Governors

Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson
President, Georgia Institute of Technology

Jill Pilgrim
Principal Owner, Pilgrim & Associates; Acting Executive Director & General Counsel, Track & Field Athletes Association, Inc

David Robinson
Co-Founder and Principal, Admiral Capital Group, Former NBA Player and Former Men’s Basketball Player, U.S. Naval Academy

Peter Roby
Director of Athletics and Recreation, Northeastern University

Myron Rolle, M.D.
Neurosurgery Resident at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital; Former Football Player, Florida State University

Paul Tagliabue
Former NFL Commissioner; Member, Georgetown University Board of Directors

Nicholas Zeppos
Chancellor, Vanderbilt University

Dr. Nancy L. Zimpher
Chancellor Emeritus, State University of New York

Member, Ex-Officio

Alberto Ibargüen
President and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Founding Co-Chairs (photo)
Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.
President Emeritus, The University of Notre Dame, Founding Co-Chair, 1989-2001

William C. Friday
President Emeritus, University of North Carolina, Founding Co-Chair, 1989-2005

Past Chairs/Co-Chairs
Thomas K. Hearn Jr. – Chair, February 2005 – May 2006
Clifton R. Wharton Jr. – Co-Chair, May 2006 – April 2007
R. Gerald Turner – Co-Chair, May 2006 – Dec. 31, 2015
William E. “Brit” Kirwan – Co-Chair, April 2007 – Dec. 31, 2015; Chair, Jan. 1, 2016 – Dec. 31, 2016

Staff
Amy P. Perko
Chief Executive Officer

Scott Hirko
Associate, Communications and Research

Consultants

Jeff Orleans
Attorney, Hirschfeld Kraemer

JoJo Rinebold
Principal, The Rinebold Company

Todd Turner
Founder & President, Collegiate Sports Associates