Our Team

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Nia was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Growing up, she developed a passion for the game of basketball while also participating in soccer and volleyball. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Family Science at the University of Maryland in College Park while exercising her leadership skills as a Peer Mentor, Teaching Assistant, and President of the Women’s Club Basketball team. Currently serving as the HR Director, she is utilizing her management, interpersonal, and athletic background to expand our team, increase professional development among employees, and liaise for new partnerships to drive new opportunities for success for the organization. Her why is to make a difference for the next generation of youth, be a light in challenging spaces to create true change, and uplift all those she interacts with. 

Gregory Francis Jr was raised in the Richmond Virginia area for more than 18 years where he grew up playing a slew of sports including baseball, basketball, and bowling. He continued his education at American and George Mason University earning a Master’s degree in Sports Analytics and Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Operations Management. Today, he competes professionally in bowling tournaments while leveraging his youth sports experience with his technical, analytical, and writing background to secure grants and funding for all Mentoring Through Athletic programming and operations as the Director of Business Development. His why comes from knowing the support he provides, and making a genuine impact on the lives of young people and their families alike for the better.

Alexa Jeffries is originally from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Winston-Salem State University, continuing her education with a Master of Arts in Teaching from North Carolina A&T State University. She furthered her academic pursuits by obtaining two additional master's degrees, one in Athletic Administration (MCAA) and the other in Coaching and Exercise Science (MCES), from Concordia University Irvine. Passionate about the intersection of sports and community service, Alexa has been the Athletic Director of Mentoring through Athletics since 2021. She views her role as an opportunity to blend her love for sports with her desire to make a positive impact in the community. Alexa's journey motivates her commitment to mentoring; lacking mentors who resembled her during her upbringing, she is determined to help others reach their full potential. 

James Thompson, also known as Coach Dave was born in Washington D.C. He brings inspirational experiences to the organization from serving as a camp counselor at Another Way Challenge, being a mentor at Young Soldiers Outreach, and behavior management tech for foundation schools. As the Director of the Basketball Program, he coaches the youth through workouts, practices, and games, and develops meaningful relationships with the youth and their families to develop a family-oriented atmosphere. His experience and knowledge drive his passion for working with the organization as he believed youth and community development is not only important but gratifying.

Alayiah Claiborne is originally from Washington, DC. She is the Administrative assistant and Merchandising Manager. As the Administrative Assistant she excels at managing communication with school partners, coordinating logistics for all events, and maintaining a filing system within our system. As the Merchandising Manager, she ensures accurate counts for inventory, prepares all necessary orders for restocking and provides all staff with MTA gear to represent the organization. Over the years she has witnessed the significant impact the organization has made not only in the community but in her own life too. Alayiah is dedicated to making a difference in the world and can fulfill her purpose with the work she does with MTA through developing new relationships with different children and assisting in any way that she can.  

Brenee Ellis was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Brenee’ was a natural-born athlete as she engaged in a variety of sports throughout her childhood and high school career. This included basketball, tennis, cheer, participating in the step team as well as managing her high school's football team from ninth to 11th grade. Being a natural-born leader she has always assumed the managerial or overseeing role using these skills to fulfill her duties as our After School Program Director. Within her role, she takes pride in site management, lesson planning catered differently for each school site, delegating tasks to staff, and creating positive relationships with school coordinators. Her why has always been to provide support and push people to their highest potential through leadership, mentoring, and guidance. 

Katherine is from Easthampton, Massachusetts. She is an assistant women’s basketball coach at Smith College actively developing female student-athletes as leaders and preparing them for their professional lives after Smith. As the Director of Marketing, she oversees all social media platforms and creates promotional graphics/content. In addition, she supervises a team of interns who collectively assist in generating highlight videos, executing game day media operations, and managing website content. Her goal has always been to positively impact as many developing student-athletes as possible, and she can do that through this organization. She knows the organization will always go the extra mile to make a difference in the lives of our young people. She is passionate about it truly being about more than athletics here. 

Zaria Stith is from Washington D.C. She pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at Towson University and continued her education by earning a Master’s degree in Sports Management from Mount St. Mary’s University. Growing up she participated in soccer, track, dance, ballet, and jazz. Her athletic background, educational background, and technical skills have equipped her to thrive in the organization. Serving as the Media Director at Mentoring Through Athletics she captures film and edits content to portray on our social media outlets. Zaria's passion for supporting the youth in every aspect of life, mentoring them through challenging situations, and coaching them toward success motivates her in her role.