The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces the completion of its Board of Governors reconfiguration to include the addition of Sheila Johnson, Cynthia (“Cynt”) Marshall, and Hall of Fame Coach Tara VanDerveer, bringing the board to its maximum of 23 leadership positions.
Johnson is the founder and CEO of Salamander Collection, a luxury hotel company. As a partner of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Johnson is an owner of three Washington professional sports teams: the Wizards, Mystics and Capitals. Johnson’s other leadership roles include board member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; College of Performing Arts at The New School; Trust for the National Mall; The Metropolitan Opera; Jackie Robinson Foundation; Simon & Schuster Publishing Advisory Board, and founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival. In partnership with chef and restaurateur Kwame Onwuachi, she founded the Family Reunion — a celebration of culinary excellence and diversity in the hospitality community.
Marshall is the founder and CEO of Marshalling Resources, a consulting firm focused on leadership and organizational development. Marshall served as CEO of the Dallas Mavericks from March 2018 through December 2024, and previously as a leader in operations, legislative affairs, and human resources at AT&T, where her roles included president of AT&T’s North Carolina division, and senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer.
VanDerveer, a 2011 inductee to the hall, retired as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. As National Coach of the Year five times over three decades, and 18-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, VanDerveer accumulated an 1,216-271 (.818) record in her 45 years as a collegiate head coach at Stanford, Ohio State and Idaho. Since retiring from her coaching career in 2024, VanDerveer now serves as special adviser to the athletic director at Stanford University. She teaches a master class for continuing education at Stanford.
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Viability Inc. in Springfield announces that Cathy Tranfaglia, program director of community integration services, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Light of Dawnn Award.
The Light of Dawnn Awards were established to honor the legacy of youth leader Dawnn Jaffier, who demonstrated a commitment to building stronger communities before her life was tragically cut short.
The 2025 Light of Dawnn Awards Ceremony is presented by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network in partnership with the Highland Street Foundation, Josh Kraft and West End House. To learn more, visit https://www.highlandstreet.org/articles/light-dawnn-awards
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The Hampden County Sheriff’s Office celebrated the graduation of the 53rd Western Massachusetts County Correctional Officer Academy at Western New England University’s Rivers Memorial Hall in Springfield. The ceremony marked the completion of a 13-week training program designed to prepare recruits for roles in law enforcement and corrections.
Recruits underwent rigorous training at Westover Air Reserve Base. The academy also included a community service project, where graduates helped to beautify public spaces in Blandford and Chester. The ceremony also recognized outstanding achievements within the class:
Class executives: President: Olivia DePace; vice president: Dahiana Gonzalez; treasurer: Yanize Quinones; secretary: Kevin Kelly.
Special honors: Academic Award: Cameron Keating; Physical Fitness Awards: Male: Miguel Torres; Female: Wanda Carresquillo.
Sheriff’s Award: Victor Colon-Nieves.
