LiFEsports Team
Faculty & Staff
LiFEsports is made possible through countless hours of work by OSU faculty, staff, and community partners.
LiFEsports is made possible through countless hours of work by OSU faculty, staff, and community partners.
Assistant Director of Coach Beyond
PhD Michigan State University, MS University of Tennessee, BS The Ohio State University
Dr. Kylee Ault-Baker is the Assistant Director of Coach Beyond and Research Scientist working with the LiFEsports and Coach Beyond Initiative. She has a PhD and Master’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus in Sport Psychology, and she has worked as a mental performance coach for the past 8 years. Her research addresses how sport can be a tool for positive youth development and the role of sport coaches and administrators in education-based athletics. She joins the research team with the goal of furthering our understanding of how LiFEsports contributes to the growth and development of youth throughout Columbus, and is excited continue to provide programming for coaches and athletes on the development of leadership and life skills.
Ph.D., M.S.W., University of Utah. M.S., B.A., B.S., Miami University
Dawn is a professor at the College of Social Work and affiliate faculty member in Human Sciences at OSU. Dawn serves as the Executive Director for Teaching/Research for LiFEsports. She is known nationally for her research in sport-based positive youth development, afterschool programming, and school mental health practice. She is a licensed independent social work (with supervision designation) in Ohio. Dawn was a college athlete, and also has coached soccer at the high school, Club, and community levels. Collectively she has over 30 years of experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating youth development, sport, exercise, and school mental health interventions for youth. Dawn has been at OSU since 2000, and joined the LiFEsports team in 2008. More information about Dawn Anderson-Butcher can be found at csw.osu.edu.
Assistant Professor of Social Work at the Ohio State University
Ph.D., The Ohio State University, B.S., M.S.W., Louisiana State University
Dr. Samantha Bates is an Assistant Professor in the OSU College of Social Work and our LiFEsports Director of Research. She is a licensed social worker with more than seven years of experience working with socially vulnerable youth in various settings including schools, communities, after school programs, and sport. Her research focuses on equity-minded positive youth development and mental wellness through sport. She is highly involved in driving our research agenda to identify key mechanisms and strategies that facilitate positive outcomes for our young people through sport. She is also helping to lead our Coach Beyond work that aims to train 15,000 coaches in positive youth development practices by 2025.
https://csw.osu.edu/about/faculty-staff/faculty-directory/bates-samantha-ph-d/
Youth Leadership Academy Facilitator
B.S. in Urban Studies, University of Cincinnati; M.P.A., Ohio State University
Noelle is dedicated to fostering positive change and empowering communities to thrive. As the Eastland Neighborhood Program Specialist for the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods, she leads the implementation of the Eastland for Everyone Community Plan. Collaborating with community members and stakeholders, she helps realize a bold, bright future for Eastland. Noelle holds a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from the University of Cincinnati and a Master’s in Public Administration from Ohio State University.
B.S.B.A., M.A., Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Jerome is currently the Director of Staff Development in the Department of Athletics, the LiFEsports Executive Director of Service & Outreach, and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Social Work and in the College of Education and Human Ecology. He is dedicated to providing a great experience to people of all ages through sport. He enjoys helping students excel at developing into great people, and to become effective members of society. He accomplishes this through his work in athletics, the LiFEsports Camp, and in the classroom.
Program Manager
B.S. Sport Industry, The Ohio State University
Quinten Kimble is the current Program Manager with LiFEsports and a proud graduate of The Ohio State University, where he earned his Bachelor degree in Sport Industry. His connection to LiFEsports comes full circle, as he was once a LiFEsports camper himself.
Throughout his time with LiFEsports, Quinten has grown from a camper into a leader, gaining experience in youth development, staff leadership and program operations. He is passionate about creating meaningful experiences for young people and using sports and recreation to help youth build confidence, leadership skills and lasting memories.
Senior Program Manager
B.A. Sport Management, Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Stephanie Loomis is a Senior Program Manager working with the Coach Beyond Initiative and LiFEsports. She has a BA in Sport Management from Bowling Green State University with a focus in Recreation and Event Management. She has worked in the sport industry for 13 years, in which she served as an Ohio high school Athletic Director for three years. Stephanie has coached girls' basketball and softball at the high school, club, and community levels. Her role in Coach Beyond supports coaches and administrators in education-based athletics on going beyond the X's and O's. Stephanie joins the team eager to continue leading impactful programming for coaches and athletes in the development of leadership and life skills with Coach Beyond as the catalyst.
BSSW, MSW, The Ohio State University
Tommy is currently serving as the Senior Program Manager for LiFEsports. In this position, Tommy is responsible for overseeing programming for the Youth Leadership Academy, working with high school aged youth to provide them with leadership development and college/career readiness programming. Tommy worked with LiFEsports in the summers of 2018 and 2019, where he found his passion for working with youth and their communities. Outside of LiFEsports, you can find Tommy playing volleyball whenever he has a chance and exploring all the great things Columbus has to offer!
MEd Springfield College, MSE University of Dayton, BS Otterbein University
Brett is currently serving as a Continuing Education Specialist for the LiFEsports and Coach Beyond Initiative. He has a Master's degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Springfield College and a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Dayton. He is a licensed professional clinical counselor with supervision designation in the state of Ohio where he has been practicing for the last five years. Brett joins the team excited to be able to work with coaches and athletes on the development and implementation of mental skills as well as breaking the stigma surrounding mental health by providing education and support.
Dublin Site Manager
B.S.W and M.S.W., The Ohio State University
Claire Sobecki is a dedicated social worker who leverages movement, sport, and physical activity as key modalities to enhance mental health and overall student wellness. Holding both a Bachelor and Master of Social Work from the Ohio State University, Claire serves as a School Social Worker with Dublin City Schools, supporting students' academic, social, and emotional growth.
Her diverse professional background spans research, direct counseling, and camp leadership. Prior to her current role, Claire served as a researcher, counselor, and behavior support specialist, as well as a Summer Camp Site Manager and Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) staff member for LiFEsports. Across these roles, she specialized in behavior management, youth leadership development, and creating structured, supportive environments that empower young people.
B.S.W., Capital University, M.S.W. and M.S., The Ohio State University
Rebecca is currently the Director of Operations for the LiFEsports Initiative. In this position, she is responsible for the day-to-day management and leadership of all current programming. In addition to this role, she supports and manages teaching/learning, research, and fundraising endeavors within LiFEsports. During the summer, she serves as the Assistant Director for the LiFEsports Summer Camp. Becky joined the LiFEsports Initiative in 2008. Outside of LiFEsports, Becky is an independent licensed social worker in the State of Ohio, serves as a field consultant for the National Summer Learning Association, and has coached middle school soccer in Grandview Heights City Schools for the past 11 years.
Emily is a PhD student and a graduate research associate with LiFEsports. A “quadruple Buckeye,” Emily earned an MSW (2025), a BS in Psychology (2021), a BA in Music (2021), and a BA in Anthropology (2022) with minors in History and Society and Environmental Issues from The Ohio State University. She is a former team captain of the national championship varsity pistol team. As a former student-athlete and current researcher, Emily is passionate about destigmatizing mental health and promoting wellness in the athletic community. She has experience with intervention development, implementation, and evaluation, and has worked with youth athletes, high school student-athletes, college athletes, and coaches. Emily's research interests include mental health across the life span within the sport ecosystem.
MSW, LSW
Sly Worthy Jr., MSW, LSW, is a first-year PhD student in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University (OSU). He is a licensed social worker and a certified anti-oppression practitioner through the National Association of Social Workers. Additionally, he holds a certificate in Sport Social Work from the University of Michigan. Sly has approximately four years of experience as a clinician and school social worker, two years as a high school football coach, and one year as a facilitator for coaches and student-athletes through LiFEsports’ Coach Beyond program.
Sly’s combined background in coaching and clinical practice has influenced his research interests in sport social work, mental health, and mental performance. He is currently working towards his social work independent license and pursuing certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC).
Leslie (she/her) is a graduate student in the College of Social Work and is completing her field placement at LiFEsports. She is especially excited to join an environment that supports youth through positive relationships, skill-building, and opportunities for personal growth. Leslie looks forward to connecting with young people in a variety of capacities, learning from their unique strengths and experiences, and helping create a space where they feel seen, supported, and encouraged to thrive.
Her goal as a social worker is to work with youth in both individual and group settings, helping them better manage trauma, stress, and anxiety through art, mindfulness practices, and other holistic approaches. Outside of her field placement, Leslie enjoys gardening, baking, spending time with friends and family, and doing anything that allows her to be creative.
Professor of Kinesiology & Recreation at Illinois State University
Research Interests: Sport-based positive youth development; Youth motivation; Sport and exercise psychology
https://cast.illinoisstate.edu/faculty-staff/profile.php?ulid=ajamoro
Gwendolyn Norrell Professor of Kinesiology at Michigan State University
Research Interests: Stress-athletic performance relationship; Psychological foundations of coaching; Athlete motivation; Youth leadership; Sport-based positive youth development
https://education.msu.edu/people/gould-dan/
Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for Community Leadership and Leadership Studies at The Ohio State University
Research Interests: Gender and leadership in agricultural contexts; Youth empowerment and leadership in communities; Global leadership and cultural competency development
https://acel.osu.edu/our-people/dr-jera-niewoehner-green
Assistant Professor of Kinesiology & Recreation at Illinois State University
Research Interests: Psycho-social development through sport; Life skill development; Life skill transfer
https://cast.illinoisstate.edu/faculty-staff/profile.php?ulid=swpierc
