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Keynote Speaker

Tom Cove

Executive Director, SFIA

Tom Cove is the President and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Mr. Cove directs SFIA initiatives to promote sports participation & safety, health & fitness, international trade, and product standards and serves as a liaison to international and national sports federations and government agencies. Mr. Cove also oversees the sports industry’s premier research facility and appears regularly in national media and before Congress on the state of youth sports and physical activity trends in America. He led the legislative campaign to pass and annually fund the Physical Education for Progress (PEP) program. In the course of his more than thirty years in the sports and fitness industry, Mr. Cove co-founded two non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting youth physical activity and has served on the board of directors for more than 15 non-profit organizations.

Cornerstone Staff

  • Bridget Niland, Ph.D., J.D.

    Dean, College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management, Niagara University

    Bridget Niland has over 25 years of experience in higher education, sports law, philanthropy, and event and tourism management. A former college athletics director, she has also held management positions within the NCAA. Niland worked with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to create Project Play WNY.

  • Darren Treadway, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor, Sports Management, Niagara University

    Darren Treadway serves as an Associate Professor of Sports Management at Niagara University. His research focuses on how political skill, leadership, occupational stigma, and bullying impact employee productivity and retention in service organizations. He has also been involved as an organizational development consultant with profit and non-profit organizations for two decades, most recently focusing on capacity in Youth Sports Organizations.

  • Alicia Sammarco

    Director of Events and Experiential Operations, Niagara University

    Alicia Sammarco oversees the College of Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management various events and provide organization and leadership to its experiential learning opportunities. She plays a lead role in the colleges communications initiatives, including its e-newsletters, website development, and social media presence. Sammarco also guides the students through the college’s practicum programs. Before joining Niagara, Sammarco served as Project Play Western New York program manager at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.