CSCAA Assembles College Swimming and Diving Advocacy Council
The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America on Wednesday announced the formation of the College Swimming and Diving Advocacy Council.
The initiative is designed to strengthen and expand the impact of collegiate swimming and diving through advocacy, philanthropy, and strategic leadership.
The Council will serve in an advisory and advocacy capacity to the CSCAA, bringing together leaders from business, law, technology, media, and academia to provide professional insight, connections, and support for initiatives that advance the long-term sustainability of college swimming and diving.
“We are incredibly grateful to this initial task force of strategic leaders who bring unique expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” said Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the CSCAA. “We are in a time that calls for collaboration, bold ideas, and collective action to position swimming and diving for long-term success. Together, we can elevate and strengthen our sport like never before.”
The initial announcement includes 10 members of the council. The aim is to expand to approximately 20 people over the next year to “promote the sustainability of collegiate swimming and diving programs through relationship-building, fundraising, and thought leadership.” CSCAA is taking nominations for the position.
“Collegiate athletics are navigating significant challenges, and it’s critical that we bring together the best minds to build a bright and sustainable future—that is exactly what this council is designed to do,” Barany said. “The Advocacy Council will play a role in ensuring that our sport remains visible, valued, and viable for generations to come. We look forward to building a strong coalition of leaders who believe in the power of swimming and diving on college campuses and the positive impact it can have across our sport’s entire ecosystem.”
The initial 10 members of the College Swimming and Diving Advocacy Council are:
- Mike Balow is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who served seven years on active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer, including assignments with the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the First Marine Division, and as an instructor at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. He is a 20-year veteran of the Detroit commercial real estate industry and is currently a Vice President at CBRE, Inc. He is the father of a former swimmer on the MSU women’s team and was elected to an 8-year term on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees in 2024. In addition to his B.S. from the USNA, Mike holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
- Brian W. Casey has been the President of Colgate University since July 2016. Before joining Colgate, he served as President of DePauw University and also held leadership roles at Harvard University. He earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, where he also was a captain for the swim team, a J.D. from Stanford Law School, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.
- Carter Cast is a faculty member and professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He also serves as an Operating Partner at Pritzker Private Capital and is a former senior executive recognized for driving innovation in consumer and digital industries. Cast was the founding Chief Marketing Officer at Blue Nile and later became the CEO of Walmart.com, where he played a key role in leading the company’s early e-commerce growth.
- CJ Fiala, a Virginia Tech alumnus, serves as Vice President of Enterprise – Life Sciences & Pharma at Salesforce, where he provides strategic leadership to global Fortune 500 organizations. He is known for building trusted partnerships and advancing initiatives that drive long-term organizational impact. He previously served as Vice Chair of the USA Swimming Board of Directors Nominating Committee and remains deeply engaged in supporting the sport’s development.
- Ed Foulke is an NC State graduate who went on to earn his law degree from Loyola and a master’s degree from Georgetown. He served as Assistant Secretary of Labor and led OSHA from 2006–2008 under President George W. Bush; he is now a partner at Fisher & Phillips in Atlanta.
- Tom Johnson is a Cal Poly alumnus and Project Manager who brings a deep personal connection to collegiate swimming and diving. Beyond his professional career, his advocacy on behalf of the Cal Poly swim team has provided him with direct experience mobilizing stakeholders, aligning communities around strategic initiatives, and addressing the complex challenges collegiate swimming and diving programs face when at risk of elimination.
- Ronald Kaminski is Senior Vice President at Quanta Services, Inc. and Founder of Hydrosite LLC, a venture philanthropy fund supporting the future of swimming. He founded HBK Engineering LLC, later acquired by Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR). He is a USA Swimming Trustee and serves on the boards of Chicago Commons and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in civil engineering.
- Nick Lake is a strategy and operations leader at Google, where he supports global business and product initiatives. He previously worked at Bain & Company and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a magna cum laude degree from Emory University. A former collegiate swimmer at Emory, Nick brings both professional expertise and a lifelong connection to the sport.
- Margaret Mason is a Michigan State University graduate and former Captain of the women’s swim team. After serving 20 years in the Pharma industry, she is currently a Tennessee-based entrepreneur and business owner. With two children swimming collegiately, at Arizona State University and Loyola University Maryland, she brings both professional acumen and personal passion for the sport.
- Ryan Spoon, a Duke University alumnus, is President of Yahoo Sports Media Group and former President of Yahoo Sports, where he has led growth and innovation across digital sports media. A former collegiate swimmer at Duke, he brings deep media industry expertise and a strong understanding of the value of athletics in higher education to the task force.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with the Pac-12. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
