OUR VALUABLE BOARD MEMBERS

Special Pops (SPT) Founding member; elected to the SPT Board of Directors in 2005. Current Chairman of the USTA – Southern section Special Populations/Adaptive committee; Current member of the Special Olympics North America Tennis Development Committee. Tournament Director – Special Populations Unified Doubles tournament held in Belton, SC. Tennis Coach of Team USA – Southeast Region at the 2003 Special Olympics Summer World Games in Dublin, Ireland. Head Coach of Team USA – 2011 Special Olympics World Games in Athens, Greece. Tennis Coach for Team USA – 2019 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, Dubai; Affiliate Member of Professional Tennis Registry (PTR). Management Team member for tennis venue at Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, WA. Management Team member for tennis venue at Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, CA in 2015. Management Team member for tennis competition at Special Olympics North America Championships held annually in Hilton Head Island, SC.Recipient of the USTA Southern Section Adaptive Tennis Community Service Award; 2017 recipient of the Harris-Gude Foundation Honor of Distinction; Tommy Nobis Foundation Philanthropy Award.

Special Pops Tennis Patrick became involved with Special Pops Tennis in 2010 after visiting the Summer Games to see the son of a friend compete. It was at that event that Patrick knew he had found a new home serving and connecting with the adaptive needs community. Since that event, he has since become the Site Coordinator for The Special Pops Tennis East Roswell Park Academy, a Special Pops Tennis board member and a Basketball Coach for Special Olympics (it gives him something to contribute to during the cold weather months).

Special Pops Elected to SPT Board of Directors in October 2017. Marcy began volunteering with Special Pops Tennis programs in the 1990s through the ALTA Foundation and her family currently volunteers for Special Pops Tennis at the East Roswell Park and Lifetime Tennis and Athletic locations.

Special Pops Pete has been a SPT volunteer since 2009, certified Special Olympics Georgia coach and Unified partner. Member of ALTA and USTA. Elected to Special Pops Tennis Board of Directors in 2015.

Past board experience includes the ALTA Foundation as well as the Country Club of the South Charity Guild. Currently involved with overseeing a 14-person volunteer group for Meals on Wheels through Senior Services of North Fulton. And in the planning stages of working with 20 friends on a Thanksgiving and holiday program for a group home through Children’s Restoration Network.
Special Pops experience includes being a parent to a Special Pops Tennis athlete, Tyler Luciani. His experience has been wonderfully positive for himself and our family.

Special Pops Elected to Special Pops Tennis Board of Directors in October 2015, Nancie serves as the current website developer / photographer. She began volunteering with Special Pops Tennis programs in 2010 with her three daughters who have enjoyed helping out with SPUD and the Fall Classic for many years. She is active in ALTA and USTA and is overseeing the Medlock Bridge and Standard Club training sites.

For over 31 years, Tammy worked for ADP. She started as a Client Service Specialist and then took on more responsibilities as a Customer Service Manager. Most of her career she was a Technical Support Specialist providing payroll solutions for clients.
Her past volunteer experience includes PTA Co-President at Abbott’s Hill Elementary School and the Athletic Booster Club Treasurer at Chattahoochee High School. Besides serving as SPT Board Member and Treasurer, she also volunteers at The Atlanta Humane Society 2-3 days a week.
Special Pops Tammy was introduced to Special Pops Tennis by a friend. Her husband then volunteered for SPT. Once she learned more, she joined the Special Tennis Pops Board in February 2020. Her husband’s uncle had Down’s syndrome and their nephew is on the autism spectrum. Giving back to special population causes is important and personal to them.
Tammy has played tennis for 30 years and absolutely loves it. She is regularly on both ALTA and USTA Teams as well as playing on T2Tennis and Ultimate Leagues.
She is an alumna of The University of Georgia earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in Finance.

Special Pops Judith, or Judy, as she is known to friends and family, is no stranger to Special Pops Tennis. In 2018 she began her second term on the SPT board. In 2005, she became a founding member of the program. She brought her love of tennis to a population in need of activity and opportunity. She loves to see how tennis has enriched the lives of SPT Athletes over the years.
Outside of playing tennis for almost 50 years, she has not been shy about taking on leadership roles in the community in pursuit of her passion. Leadership positions Judy has held in the past include ALTA Foundation President and member of the ALTA Board of Directors. Judy currently serves as the USTA Atlanta 18 and Over Weekday Women Program Director, USTA Atlanta Nominating Committee member and is Summit Chase Country Club Tennis Association President.
She is an active volunteer with other organizations, spends time with her friends, dotes on her two children and five grandchildren, and bakes up a storm. Whether she is on the road to the beach, visiting her family near or far, mixing things up in the kitchen, or swinging a racket on the court, Judy brings her joie de vivre, can-do attitude, compassionate soul, and beautiful smile to everything she does.

Jane has long been inspired by Zig Ziglar who said, “Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.” Other words of encouragement which guide her daily life are from Vince Dooley, former head football coach and athletic director at the University of Georgia, “Be prepared for luck. You can’t control the results, but you can control the process.”
Special Pops Tennis Jane joined the SPT Board in March of 2018 to help others and continue her lifelong love of tennis. She believes there is nothing like seeing the joy on the faces of SPT Athletes when they feel included, important and when they feel like a champion through tennis.
The annual Fall Classic especially fills her heart as SPT Athletes put their hard work and determination into the friendly competition. Jane believes in the SPT mission as a wonderful organization for both SPT Athletes and volunteers of all ages. Her young sons were Fall Classic ball boys who experienced helping others shine which changed their lives for the better. Jane is forever grateful to Patrick Lynch for introducing her to SPT.
Jane also serves as a Love Serving Autism Board Member since 2019. She is also a Golf for Kids Board Member and serves on the annual golf tournament committee benefitting CHOA. Jane has been a long time Roswell Friends of CHOA volunteer.
While earning her Bachelor of Science in Education and Public Health at the University of Georgia, Jane played on the UGA Women’s Tennis Team for four years. She earned numerous awards and honors as a collegiate athlete.

Special Pops Tennis I became involved with Special Pops Tennis while living in Arkansas, where Jim trained a handful of volunteers who were encouraged to start tennis in the Special Olympics for Arkansas. After moving back to Atlanta, I took the first opportunity I could to get involved in Special Pops by captaining a SPUD league team. I have volunteered at multiple events as a unified partner, “mic woman”, hype man, or anything that is asked of me.

Courtney enjoys bringing the vision of a special event to life for people. She has learned that passion is the key to successful events. Using her passion and evoking passion in others are her goals for every event.
Remaining active and involved in her community, Courtney also serves in several capacities at Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Pius X High School. She hosts a tennis round robin as an athletics fundraiser, acts as a Parent Ambassador and is the chair of school blood drives. She also volunteers at LifeLine Animal Project and Skyland United Food Bank. Courtney has previously served on school boards and her local swim/tennis club board.
Special Pops Tennis Serving as a Special Pops board member is a perfect fit for both Courtney’s passion and experience. As a board member, she embraces the mission of Special Pops and is grateful for the opportunity to support the Athletes and their families. For her, it is pure joy to combine her love of tennis (a self-professed addict) while making new friends.
One of Courtney’s favorite mottos is “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” While she has a strong competitive nature, experiencing team camaraderie is very fulfilling for her, too. She knows we all have something to learn from each other and welcomes the chance to create lasting relationships with our Athletes and volunteers alike.