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USTA names Abrams

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced that D.A. Abrams has been named the organization’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. In this role, Abrams will focus on developing and innovating the USTA’s diversity and inclusion initiatives on both a national and grassroots level. Abrams will work out of the USTA’s national headquarters in White Plains, N.Y., and report to Gordon Smith, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the USTA. He will begin officially in his new role on February 21.

“The USTA is excited to welcome back D.A. to the national office,” said Smith. “D.A’s commitment to growing the game, and providing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds makes him the ideal person to implement our diversity and inclusion mission in both within and outside the USTA family.”

Abrams brings 27 years of experience to the USTA both on the national and sectional levels. Most recently, he served as the Executive Director of the USTA’s Eastern Section, where he led it through unprecedented growth. Under his leadership, the section’s membership increased by more than 20%, and its recreational programs for adults and juniors expanding as well.

Prior to joining the USTA’s Eastern Section, Abrams served as the Director of Outreach for the USTA’s national office in White Plains, where he helped expand the organization’s National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network and other programs for special populations.

He has been a pioneer by becoming the first African-American executive director of a USTA regional office at the USTA Missouri Valley section. While there, Abrams increased USTA individual and organizational membership, and exceeded goals set for growth in USTA programs, including USA Tennis 1-2-3, Team Tennis, Community Tennis Associations, NJTL, Schools and Park and Recreation organizations.

Abrams began his USTA career in 1993 as a national coordinator for the NJTL program in the USTA’s national office.

He played tennis at Millersville University in Pennsylvania and earned a master’s degree from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis. Abrams was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he participated in the city’s NJTL program.

Posted on January 18, 2012
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