Lunch with Katrina Adams: the New Face of the United States Tennis Association
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Lunch with Katrina Adams: The New Face of the United States Tennis Association Thursday, October 8, 2015 11:45 AM Reception / 12:00 PM Luncheon and Program / 1:30 p.m. Conclusion The Standard Club 320 South Plymouth Court Chicago, Illinois 60604 Chicago native, Katrina Adams, began serving a two-year term as Chairman of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) on January 1, 2015. Adams is the first African-American and former professional player to lead the association. At 46, Adams is also the youngest person to occupy the office. Adams’ ascension to the top of the USTA is inspiring. She joined a tennis program on the West Side of Chicago when she was six years old. Adams loved tennis, and her talent for the game quickly emerged. She attended Whitney Young High School and won the Illinois High School Association singles championship in 1983 and 1984. At Northwestern, Adams led the Wildcats to the Big Ten Championship in 1986. She won the NCAA doubles championship with Diane Donnelly in 1987 and was twice voted an All American. As a touring pro, Adams won 20 doubles titles and achieved a doubles ranking of 8th in the world and a singles ranking of 67. After Adams’s retirement from the professional tour, she served from 1999 to 2002 as a national coach for USTA Player Development, where she helped to develop some of the nation’s top players. She has also given back to the game through grass-roots participation in several nonprofit organizations nationwide, and she currently serves as a member of Women in Sports and Events. Adams has been a television commentator for the Tennis Channel since 2003. She is currently one of the hosts on CBS’s “We Need to Talk,” the first-ever nationally-televised all-female sport show. Adams is also a contributor to Tennis Magazine and tennis.com, providing instructional articles and videos. Adams served for many years as the Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Educational Program, which is dedicated to serving under-resourced children through a powerful combination of tennis, education, and mentoring. As USTA Chairman and President, Adams is continuing to push the USTA to make the game more available to children from diverse backgrounds and attract a new generation of players through community tennis and player development programs. Katrina Adams will be interviewed by former USTA Chairman of the Board and President, and long-time Standard Club member, Jon Vegosen. Dress Attire is Business Casual To register for this luncheon event, visit: www.katrinaadams.eventbrite.com. .