Brown Athletics to welcome four accomplished athletics administrators to senior leadership team
6/10/2021 3:48:00 PM | General
The addition of four deputy athletics directors will enable the division to better support varsity and club teams in their quest for championships, and community members toward their personal fitness goals through broad-based recreational opportunities.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — To enhance support for all varsity student-athletes at Brown and expand opportunities for club sport student-athletes and recreational programs, Brown Athletics has appointed four deputy athletics directors to serve on the division's senior leadership team.
The appointments introduce new deputy athletics directorships in the areas of intercollegiate programs, governance and student services, administration, and finance and external relations. All will report to Vice President of Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun, who joined Brown in April 2021, along with Kim Insalaco '03 who serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Advancement and who heads the Sports Foundation within the Division of Advancement. All will also oversee several existing and talented area leaders who will round out the divisional leadership team.
Two of the department's new senior leaders, Shoshanna Engel Lewis and Marvin Lewis, will come to College Hill from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Jake Silverman will join from the University of Pennsylvania, while current Brown Deputy Athletics Director Colin Sullivan will become deputy athletics director for intercollegiate programs.
"We selected these athletics leaders because they all bring important background and perspectives to the division, and in Colin specifically, we have someone with depth of knowledge and experience at Brown to complement the others," Calhoun said. "Transforming Brown Athletics and Recreation to areas of excellence for the university will happen through the combination of old and new, and I think it's going to be a great opportunity to not only bring new energy but to ensure we are thoughtful in embracing and perpetuating everything that's special about Brown."
When Calhoun — a Class of 1992 Brown graduate who competed in track and field — joined the University in the spring, she began strengthening the framework for an athletics and recreation division that is committed to excellence, grounded in Brown's values, robust in its recreational programming and clear in its dedication to student-athletes.
"We're not going to achieve excellence in a sustainable way with our teams and develop best-in-class programming if we aren't mindful of how we support the needs of student-athletes and community members," Calhoun said. "We're making sure they're really in the appropriate environment to be holistically developed and compete or grow to their highest potential."
Calhoun is confident that in rounding out the senior leadership team in athletics, the four deputy directors will help the program rise to the challenge. Because each position is specifically focused, each of the deputy directors will have greater opportunity to maximize their impact on and forge stronger relationships with the community.
As deputy athletics director for intercollegiate programs, Sullivan will lead supervision of the University's intercollegiate sports teams. In doing so, he will plan and analyze the units that provide support to varsity programs while balancing the role of student-athletes relative to Brown's academic mission. As a lead sport supervisor, he will help train others, creating a pipeline for future sport supervisors.
"I am thrilled to assume this new role, which will assist in creating the best intercollegiate experience for our student-athletes, coaches and staff," Sullivan said. He added that the new deputy director positions will be crucial in building out the division and providing the necessary resources for student-athletes to be successful.
Shoshanna Engel Lewis, incoming deputy athletics director for governance and student services, will lead NCAA, Ivy League and University athletics governance, providing oversight for the division's student services, compliance, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. She will also serve as the senior woman administrator and as a sport administrator.
"Brown epitomizes an exceptional and unique educational experience, and I cannot wait to join the team and work together to galvanize the Brown community through athletics and recreation," Engel Lewis said.
Marvin Lewis, incoming deputy athletics director for finance and external relations, will plan, monitor and manage the daily and long-term financial activities of the division while cultivating robust relationships with external partners to maximize revenue growth opportunities.
"I am beyond excited," Lewis said. "I am inspired by Grace Calhoun and President Christina Paxson's vision for the future of the division and look forward to building strong relationships with the student-athletes, coaches and staff, and the greater Brown community."
Jake Silverman, incoming deputy athletics director for administration, will oversee the division's strategic planning, communications and recruiting efforts. In addition to serving as the program administrator for select varsity sports, Silverman will provide oversight to Brown's competitive club sports, intramural programs and the Nelson Fitness Center.
"We have a wonderful opportunity ahead of us to work together to reach new heights for Brown Athletics," Silverman said. "I look forward to the opportunity to serve Brown's talented student-athletes, students, coaches and community members as we lead the division forward."
Together, Calhoun says, the new senior leadership team represents Brown Athletics' highest priorities and will better support Brown's teams in their quest for championship titles, and community members toward their own personal fitness goals through recreational opportunities.
"We want to set everyone up on their best personal trajectory for life while at Brown and afterward," Calhoun said, "so we will do everything we can to maximize services, programming and learning opportunities through and around sport."
ABOUT THE DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Colin Sullivan, Deputy Athletics Director for Intercollegiate Programs
Colin Sullivan was named the deputy director of athletics at Brown in 2015 after working as the director of athletics at Salve Regina University for seven years. In early 2021, Sullivan served as interim athletics director at Brown until the appointment of M. Grace Calhoun.
Sullivan has more than 25 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, starting as a coach at Iona College, then as an administrator for 11 years at Marist College, followed by his position at Salve Regina.
At Salve, Sullivan developed partnerships with the alumni and development offices and implemented programs to help provide financial assistance needed to enhance the student-athlete experience. He also served as the chair of the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
Prior to joining Salve, Sullivan served in a variety of administrative capacities in 11 years at Marist, most recently as senior associate athletics director. In addition to overseeing the office of sports information, he was the sport administrator for 23 Division I intercollegiate athletic programs and oversaw all business operations.
Sullivan earned his bachelor's degree in history from Mary Washington College in 1991, where he was a three-time NCAA Division III qualifier in cross country for the Eagles and received all-conference honors four times each in cross country and track. He earned his M.B.A. in Human Resource Management from Iona in 1994.
Shoshanna Engel Lewis, Deputy Athletics Director for Governance and Student Services
Shoshanna Engel Lewis joins Brown from Georgia Tech, where she most recently served as associate vice president for athletics governance and inclusion, facilitating all athletics governance, ethics and compliance, legal and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In addition to serving as Georgia Tech's associate and senior associate athletics director for compliance beginning in 2013, she was the institute's first deputy Title IX coordinator for athletics from 2015 to 2020.
Additionally, she serves as the third vice president and board member of the National Association for Athletics Compliance and represented Georgia Tech on the Atlantic Coast Conference Committee for Social Justice and Racial Equity. She was also a member of the NCAA Interpretations Committee from 2015 to 2019.
Engel Lewis previously held positions at Yale University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina, and Tulane University.
A graduate of Yale University, Engel Lewis was a standout Academic All-American gymnast for the Bulldogs. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2003 and went on to earn a master's degree in sport administration from the University of North Carolina in 2007.
Marvin Lewis, Deputy Athletics Director for Finance and External Relations
Marvin Lewis joins Brown from Georgia Tech, where he served for seven years as associate athletics director and later senior associate athletics director for finance and administration. There, he managed the athletic department's annual budget and oversaw the business office, equipment operations and information technology and served as the sport administrator for the school's men's basketball, track and field and baseball programs.
Lewis has established himself as one of the nation's most respected young administrators. Most recently, he was named the 2018-19 College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) Manager of the Year and was selected to participate in the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program for aspiring athletics directors and conference commissioners in 2019-20.
Previously, he held roles at the University of Maryland and Georgia State University and worked as an accountant before entering college athletics administration.
A native of Germantown, Maryland, Lewis was a four-year starter and two-year captain for the Georgia Tech men's basketball team; as a senior in 2004, he helped lead the team to a Final Four appearance. He graduated with honors from Georgia Tech in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management. After becoming a licensed CPA, Lewis also earned a master's degree in taxation from Georgia State in 2008.
Jake Silverman, Deputy Athletics Director for Administration
Jake Silverman joins Brown from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served for 14 years, most recently as the associate athletics director for operations. He began his career at Penn by serving eight seasons with the football program as director of operations and assistant athletics director for operations before becoming the assistant athletics director for admissions and financial aid.
During his time at Penn, Silverman served as the sport administrator for 13 different programs — including football, golf, squash and tennis — and held the position of athletics liaison for Penn's dining and residential services. Additionally, he provided oversight to Penn's 35 active club sports and membership racquet centers, and was responsible for managing external partnerships and overseeing more than 200 events annually, including athletic camps and clinics.
Silverman graduated from Syracuse University in 2008, where he served as a student assistant coach for the defensive line and completed an internship in football operations. Previously, he interned for the Philadelphia Eagles training camp and Comcast SportsNet.
He received a master's degree from Penn in 2012 in organizational dynamics, earning additional certifications in organizational leadership and organizational development and change.
The appointments introduce new deputy athletics directorships in the areas of intercollegiate programs, governance and student services, administration, and finance and external relations. All will report to Vice President of Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun, who joined Brown in April 2021, along with Kim Insalaco '03 who serves as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Advancement and who heads the Sports Foundation within the Division of Advancement. All will also oversee several existing and talented area leaders who will round out the divisional leadership team.
Two of the department's new senior leaders, Shoshanna Engel Lewis and Marvin Lewis, will come to College Hill from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Jake Silverman will join from the University of Pennsylvania, while current Brown Deputy Athletics Director Colin Sullivan will become deputy athletics director for intercollegiate programs.
"We selected these athletics leaders because they all bring important background and perspectives to the division, and in Colin specifically, we have someone with depth of knowledge and experience at Brown to complement the others," Calhoun said. "Transforming Brown Athletics and Recreation to areas of excellence for the university will happen through the combination of old and new, and I think it's going to be a great opportunity to not only bring new energy but to ensure we are thoughtful in embracing and perpetuating everything that's special about Brown."
When Calhoun — a Class of 1992 Brown graduate who competed in track and field — joined the University in the spring, she began strengthening the framework for an athletics and recreation division that is committed to excellence, grounded in Brown's values, robust in its recreational programming and clear in its dedication to student-athletes.
"We're not going to achieve excellence in a sustainable way with our teams and develop best-in-class programming if we aren't mindful of how we support the needs of student-athletes and community members," Calhoun said. "We're making sure they're really in the appropriate environment to be holistically developed and compete or grow to their highest potential."
Calhoun is confident that in rounding out the senior leadership team in athletics, the four deputy directors will help the program rise to the challenge. Because each position is specifically focused, each of the deputy directors will have greater opportunity to maximize their impact on and forge stronger relationships with the community.
As deputy athletics director for intercollegiate programs, Sullivan will lead supervision of the University's intercollegiate sports teams. In doing so, he will plan and analyze the units that provide support to varsity programs while balancing the role of student-athletes relative to Brown's academic mission. As a lead sport supervisor, he will help train others, creating a pipeline for future sport supervisors.
"I am thrilled to assume this new role, which will assist in creating the best intercollegiate experience for our student-athletes, coaches and staff," Sullivan said. He added that the new deputy director positions will be crucial in building out the division and providing the necessary resources for student-athletes to be successful.
Shoshanna Engel Lewis, incoming deputy athletics director for governance and student services, will lead NCAA, Ivy League and University athletics governance, providing oversight for the division's student services, compliance, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. She will also serve as the senior woman administrator and as a sport administrator.
"Brown epitomizes an exceptional and unique educational experience, and I cannot wait to join the team and work together to galvanize the Brown community through athletics and recreation," Engel Lewis said.
Marvin Lewis, incoming deputy athletics director for finance and external relations, will plan, monitor and manage the daily and long-term financial activities of the division while cultivating robust relationships with external partners to maximize revenue growth opportunities.
"I am beyond excited," Lewis said. "I am inspired by Grace Calhoun and President Christina Paxson's vision for the future of the division and look forward to building strong relationships with the student-athletes, coaches and staff, and the greater Brown community."
Jake Silverman, incoming deputy athletics director for administration, will oversee the division's strategic planning, communications and recruiting efforts. In addition to serving as the program administrator for select varsity sports, Silverman will provide oversight to Brown's competitive club sports, intramural programs and the Nelson Fitness Center.
"We have a wonderful opportunity ahead of us to work together to reach new heights for Brown Athletics," Silverman said. "I look forward to the opportunity to serve Brown's talented student-athletes, students, coaches and community members as we lead the division forward."
Together, Calhoun says, the new senior leadership team represents Brown Athletics' highest priorities and will better support Brown's teams in their quest for championship titles, and community members toward their own personal fitness goals through recreational opportunities.
"We want to set everyone up on their best personal trajectory for life while at Brown and afterward," Calhoun said, "so we will do everything we can to maximize services, programming and learning opportunities through and around sport."
ABOUT THE DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Colin Sullivan, Deputy Athletics Director for Intercollegiate ProgramsColin Sullivan was named the deputy director of athletics at Brown in 2015 after working as the director of athletics at Salve Regina University for seven years. In early 2021, Sullivan served as interim athletics director at Brown until the appointment of M. Grace Calhoun.
Sullivan has more than 25 years of intercollegiate athletics experience, starting as a coach at Iona College, then as an administrator for 11 years at Marist College, followed by his position at Salve Regina.
At Salve, Sullivan developed partnerships with the alumni and development offices and implemented programs to help provide financial assistance needed to enhance the student-athlete experience. He also served as the chair of the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
Prior to joining Salve, Sullivan served in a variety of administrative capacities in 11 years at Marist, most recently as senior associate athletics director. In addition to overseeing the office of sports information, he was the sport administrator for 23 Division I intercollegiate athletic programs and oversaw all business operations.
Sullivan earned his bachelor's degree in history from Mary Washington College in 1991, where he was a three-time NCAA Division III qualifier in cross country for the Eagles and received all-conference honors four times each in cross country and track. He earned his M.B.A. in Human Resource Management from Iona in 1994.
Shoshanna Engel Lewis, Deputy Athletics Director for Governance and Student ServicesShoshanna Engel Lewis joins Brown from Georgia Tech, where she most recently served as associate vice president for athletics governance and inclusion, facilitating all athletics governance, ethics and compliance, legal and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In addition to serving as Georgia Tech's associate and senior associate athletics director for compliance beginning in 2013, she was the institute's first deputy Title IX coordinator for athletics from 2015 to 2020.
Additionally, she serves as the third vice president and board member of the National Association for Athletics Compliance and represented Georgia Tech on the Atlantic Coast Conference Committee for Social Justice and Racial Equity. She was also a member of the NCAA Interpretations Committee from 2015 to 2019.
Engel Lewis previously held positions at Yale University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina, and Tulane University.
A graduate of Yale University, Engel Lewis was a standout Academic All-American gymnast for the Bulldogs. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science in 2003 and went on to earn a master's degree in sport administration from the University of North Carolina in 2007.
Marvin Lewis, Deputy Athletics Director for Finance and External RelationsMarvin Lewis joins Brown from Georgia Tech, where he served for seven years as associate athletics director and later senior associate athletics director for finance and administration. There, he managed the athletic department's annual budget and oversaw the business office, equipment operations and information technology and served as the sport administrator for the school's men's basketball, track and field and baseball programs.
Lewis has established himself as one of the nation's most respected young administrators. Most recently, he was named the 2018-19 College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) Manager of the Year and was selected to participate in the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program for aspiring athletics directors and conference commissioners in 2019-20.
Previously, he held roles at the University of Maryland and Georgia State University and worked as an accountant before entering college athletics administration.
A native of Germantown, Maryland, Lewis was a four-year starter and two-year captain for the Georgia Tech men's basketball team; as a senior in 2004, he helped lead the team to a Final Four appearance. He graduated with honors from Georgia Tech in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management. After becoming a licensed CPA, Lewis also earned a master's degree in taxation from Georgia State in 2008.
Jake Silverman, Deputy Athletics Director for AdministrationJake Silverman joins Brown from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served for 14 years, most recently as the associate athletics director for operations. He began his career at Penn by serving eight seasons with the football program as director of operations and assistant athletics director for operations before becoming the assistant athletics director for admissions and financial aid.
During his time at Penn, Silverman served as the sport administrator for 13 different programs — including football, golf, squash and tennis — and held the position of athletics liaison for Penn's dining and residential services. Additionally, he provided oversight to Penn's 35 active club sports and membership racquet centers, and was responsible for managing external partnerships and overseeing more than 200 events annually, including athletic camps and clinics.
Silverman graduated from Syracuse University in 2008, where he served as a student assistant coach for the defensive line and completed an internship in football operations. Previously, he interned for the Philadelphia Eagles training camp and Comcast SportsNet.
He received a master's degree from Penn in 2012 in organizational dynamics, earning additional certifications in organizational leadership and organizational development and change.
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