Meet our 2026
conference speakers

Sarah Chabot is the Head Coach of the Denver Onyx, the 2025 WER Champions. She was the Assistant Coach of the U.S. Women’s National 15s team during the 2025 World Cup and the 2024 tour of Japan, Head Coach of the USA Falcons tour of Brazil, and Head Coach of the American Raptors MLR team. As a U.S. WNT player, she earned 25 caps playing 15s and 7s. She played for the Minnesota Valkyries RFC, NOVA RFC, Chicago North Shore RFC, Glendale Raptors/Glendale Merlins.

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Martha Daines is the Manager of U.S. Women’s High-Performance Pathway. She is also a U.S. Rugby/World Rugby Coach Trainer and the Head Coach, Metropolis Valkyries. Martha was the former coach for the USWNT, USA U23s, USA ‘A’/Collegiate All-Americans, U.S. U18s; Midwest Select Side, University of Minnesota, and Macalester College. A former U.S. WNT player, Martha received the USWRF Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

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Karen Fong Donoghue is the owner and founder of The Rugger's Edge, the only college counseling advising company focusing on rugby players' specific needs. For the past 14 years, she has had her share of dealing with challenging clients - from students to parents to coaches.
She played for UC Davis, Pacific Coast Grizzlies U-23, USA Rugby U-23, UCLA Women’s Rugby Club, Santa Monica Women’s Rugby Club, Pacific Coast Grizzlies Senior Women, SoCal Griffins Senior Women, USA Rugby Referee, World Rugby Educator & Trainer

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Annemarie Farrell is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Stonehill College. Before that, she was an associate professor of sport management for 18 years at Ithaca College. Her research interests include ‘spectator motivations regarding women’s sports, notably among female sport fans.’ Anne Marie has been a manager of the U.S. women’s national team and has coached rugby teams at Mount Holyoke College, Denison University, and Cornell University. She spent 15 years as head coach for Ithaca College men’s rugby. She is a Level 3 certified coach, rugby referee, and World Rugby Educator. She was the co-manager of the Boston Banshees (WER).

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Jamie Frech is the Head Coach of the University of Michigan women’s rugby program and the organizer and Coach of NCR summer touring sides. She has been a player-coach for the Ann Arbor WRFC  and for the Detroit Tradesmen's WRFC. Jamie is a managing partner at Frech and Wang, a digital marketing consultant firm.

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Sarah ‘Sharkie’ Harkness is the Head Coach of the Worcester Shamrocks and Co-Manager of the Boston Banshees (WER). She is a Rugby Academy Coach with the New England Free Jacks, and a former Head Coach of the Bridgewater State men’s rugby team. Sharkie has a Masters in Theater Education and holds a World Rugby Level 1 Certification. She was the recipient of the 2025 WPL Kathy Flores Heart of a Champion Award.

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Katherine Henry is the Head of Pro Health and Wellness at League One Volleyball (LOVB). Prior to LOVB, Katherine was the Director of Medical Services at PR 7s, the Director of Content and Coaching for MAX Sports Health, and Head Athletic Trainer for US Rugby Women’s 15s program. She has been the Head Athletic Trainer for the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby, an athletic trainer for USA Rugby with the Women’s 15s program and the medical director for Beantown Women’s Rugby (WPL). She also has Division 1 and 3 experience with soccer, softball, football and many other sports, as well as comprehensive experience with high school athletes and adolescents and adults who are completely new to exercise.

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Katherine Henry is the Head of Pro Health and Wellness at League One Volleyball (LOVB). Prior to LOVB, Katherine was the Director of Medical Services at PR 7s, the Director of Content and Coaching for MAX Sports Health, and Head Athletic Trainer for US Rugby Women’s 15s program. She has been the Head Athletic Trainer for the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby, an athletic trainer for USA Rugby with the Women’s 15s program and the medical director for Beantown Women’s Rugby (WPL). She also has Division 1 and 3 experience with soccer, softball, football and many other sports, as well as comprehensive experience with high school athletes and adolescents and adults who are completely new to exercise.

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Nancy Kechner has coached the University of Virginia Women’s rugby team for over 28 years. Years. She was the USA Rugby’s Female College Coach of the Year in 2017 and was inducted into the Virginia Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018. She coached Princeton to an appearance in the first college nationals in 1991 before returning to her Alma Mater as Head Coach. She led UVA to 19 rounds of 16s, 8 quarter finals, 4 semifinals, and 1 National Championship Game. Nancy coached the VRU U-23s for 9 years, the MARFU U-23s for 4 years, and has served as a Coach Accreditation Program Instructor for USA Rugby.

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Sam Lovett is a noted rugby content creator who has worked with World Rugby, Tiktok Six Nations, Guinness Six Nations, HSBC SEVENS series, AEG Rugby, PR7s, Ball Carrier and WXV; Vice President of Oklahoma City Crusaders; Member, Oklahoma City Mountain Boomers and Gypsy Rugby Club.

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Tiara Mack is a state senator in Providence, Rhode Island. She is the first openly LGBTQ black person elected to the Rhode Island state Senate. A NIRA collegiate All-American at Brown, Tiara was the team captain her senior year. She currently plays for the Providence women’s rugby club.

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Mads McCormick is the Manager of the New York Exiles

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Kelsie McDowell is the Head Coach of the LaSalle College rugby program and former assistant coach at Army West Point. She spent five seasons as the head coach for Iowa State club rugby and was the founder and head coach at Simpson College. She is the head coach of the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy, former assistant coach for the U18 squad, the co-head coach of the U16 program. Kelsie coached the Iowa Hawkette's High Performance Rugby club which counts the first Iowa High School Girls All-Star program winners of four Midwest Championships and a 2017 National High School Invitational Championship. Kelsie also served as the Girls Development Director for Iowa Youth Rugby from 2014-17.

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Laura Miller is the Head Coach of the Bowdoin College rugby program where she led the team to the 2025 NIRA 7’s Championship. She was the founder and former Head Coach of Women’s Rugby at Aquinas College, Director of Rugby and Head Coach at Alderson Broaddus University (NIRA D2). Laura was a member of the USA Women’s National 15’s Team from 2010-2016.

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Ashley Potvin is the Head Coach University of New England rugby program. Under her leadership, UNE won the inaugural (NIRA) Tier 2 Cup title. She led UNE to the NIRA Division III Championship Game in 2019 and again in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. In 2025, UNE placed second at the inaugural NIRA 7's Championship. A graduate of Norwich University. She played two seasons of ice hockey for the Cadets, followed by two of rugby, when she was a starter on squads that made a USA Rugby National Division II Final Four appearance and two USA Rugby National Division II Elite Eight appearances.

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Meredith Pyke is the Head Coach of the St. Bonaventure College rugby program. Former coach at the University of Rochester, she has served on the Upstate New York Rugby Collegiate Conference board and the National Collegiate Rugby Small College Competitions Committee. She has also coached the Upstate New York Rugby Collegiate Conference’s All Star 7s teams.

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Naima Reddick is a licensed occupational therapist working with school-aged youth. She played the majority of her rugby on the Pacific Coast. Starting in high school, transitioning to College, and later Women's Club. She has played select side and national team ball at every age grade from U19 to Seniors. Between 2010 and 2017, Naima earned 19 caps, including 3 World Cups.

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Kelly Romano is the Head Coach of the Wabash College men’s rugby team and a grateful coach and advocate for girls rugby.  Kelly started her rugby adventures at Illinois State University.  Kelly was given the opportunity to play while studying abroad in Perth, Australia and Wellington, New Zealand. She has spent the last 12 years building and growing girls rugby in her hometown of Carmel, Indiana.  Kelly's program is the only option for girls in 2nd to 12th grade to play rugby in the state of Indiana.  Kelly has coached at all levels from 2nd grade flag rugby to college.  She is currently the head coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

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Tamara Sheppard is the Manager of men’s and women’s high-performance rugby for the U.S. Before assuming the position at USAR, she was the High-Performance Director with Swimming Australia. She was the architect of one of Swimming Australia’s most successful Olympic campaigns ever during the Tokyo games in 2021. Tamara began her career in rugby with Queensland Rugby Union as a State Administration Manager, facilitating strategic planning and competition development across the region.

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Hannah Stolba is the Head Coach, Bay Area Breakers (WER) team and Head Coach, Berkeley All Blues WPL Rugby; Head Coach, Pacific Coast U23s; Previously - Skills Coach, Otago Rugby Club, NZ; Former Head Coach, Glendale Merlins D1 Rugby; Former Assistant Coach, Stanford Rugby; Former Assistant Coach, University of Colorado; Player, USWNT U23 Team, USWNT Senior Women 15s (2010 and 2014 World Cup); player, El Salvador, División de Honor, Spain; Otago, FPC, New Zealand; Glendale Merlins, Berkeley All Blues, Metropolis Valkyries, WPL.

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Mary Swanstrom Athletic Trainer, UC Davis Gymnastics and Tennis; World Rugby Educator and Trainer; USA Rugby Training and Education Southern Region Administrator; USA Rugby Senior Club Council Training and Education Committee and USA Youth and High School Training and Education committees; Athletic Trainer with the Houston Sabercats (MLR) Athletic Trainer, track and cross country, Athletico; Athletic Trainer with Airforce Fighter Pilots, focusing on spinal injury prevention; Coach, San Diego Armada and Chicago Dragons men’s IGR rugby team; Forwards Coach, University of Minnesota Duluth men’s rugby team, Head Coach, Kennedy High School Boys Rugby Club; Player, Chicago North Shore, San Diego Surfers. 

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Kittery Wagner Ruiz is Head Coach of the Boston Banshees (WER) team, former head coach Beantown Women’s Rugby; Assistant Coach, Brown University Women’s Rugby; Assistant Coach, USWNT U20 Team; Player, USWNT 15’s Women's World Cup (2010 and 2014), USWNT 7’s; Former Commissioner, Women's Premier League; Former Head Coach, Women's Premier League Select Side; Former Head Coach, Atlanta Harlequins Women's Rugby; Former Head Coach, Glendale Women's Rugby.

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Alycia Washington is the Director of Women’s Rugby for National Collegiate Rugby (NCR). She was a member of the U.S. Women’s National 15s Team from 2015-2024 and represented the USA in the 2017 Rugby World Cup. She made 47 appearances in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby League and finished her playing career in the French Elite 1 Division with the Stade Bordelais Lionesses. Alycia and fellow USA Eagle Kristine Sommer co-founded the XV Foundation in 2020 to provide consistent and sustainable support for the Women’s National Team. The XV Foundation raised a record amount for the 2025 Women’s World Cup team.

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Josie Ziluca is the Head Coach of the Princeton University women’s rugby program; Head Coach, PR7s Pittsburgh Steeltoes; Sport Performance Coach; Coach, American Rugby Pro Training Center (ARPTC); Coach, USA Rugby Age grade pathways; Coach, MARFU U23 women; Coach, North American Lions; Player, Northern Virginia Women's Rugby Club (NOVA) Atavus All-Stars, Atlantis 7’s, San Diego Surfers, USWNT 7’s (2014); USA Touch World Cup Women's Open Team 2019, Mixed 30s team (2024); San Diego Galaxy Women's Touch Team; Founder, Women In Rugby nonprofit.

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