Mary Ullmann Japhet joins TBE governing board

We’re excited to announce Mary Ullman Japhet as the newest addition to The Basketball Embassy’s governing board.

We’ve made some changes to our board after five years of the original structure and split the board into two committees, Governing and Advising. Japhet joins TBE founder Chris Dial, Tim Drolet and James Wetz to round out the governing board, while Laura Dixon, Dr. Emir Turam, Dr. Edward Rashid, Dr. Ioana Lacau, and Jenny Dial-Creech comprise the advisory board.

Japhet is the owner and founder of Japhet Media LLC and spent 18 years as the Senior Vice President, Communications & Community Engagement for San Antonio Sports, the local sports commission. She oversaw the local organizing committee’s public relations and marketing strategies for four NCAA Men’s Final Fours, two NCAA Women’s Final Fours and numerous other national and international sporting events, which garnered more than $853 million in direct economic impact for the community.

“Mary brings a vibrancy and wealth of knowledge and experience in so many areas relevant to our mission,” Dial said. “Her time with SA Sports and working with local organizing committees, like those for the Final Four, will prove invaluable in helping us further root ourselves in not only the San Antonio sports community, but south and central Texas as well. Mary shares in our love for people and the game of basketball and we feel extremely fortunate to have her leadership to help us to continue to move forward and grow as an organization.”

The newest member of the advisory board is Laura Dixon, who works in external relations for the San Antonio Spurs. She has a unique vantage point from which she sees the global basketball community interact, while maintaining multiple responsibilities in the spaces TBE exists.

“Whether referencing her work with the State Department and their Global Sports Mentoring Program, her more locally focused roles in positions like the President of the Texas Lyceum or generally her leadership position with Spurs Sports and Entertainment, we are counting on Laura and her amazing mind to help us act, engage and impact more and more communities that TBE was built to serve,” Dial said. “Having Laura Dixon advocate for your mission brings an incredible amount of legitimacy to our many campaigns and the ability to lean on her knowledge and expertise will undoubtedly make us better.”

Dial also spoke on the other members of each board:

Tim Drolet, governing board - “Tim Drolet is a long time friend to not only me, but the game of basketball. One would be hard pressed to find a better steward of the game and, in essence, a better ambassador. Whether it was spearheading grassroots initiatives in New Braunfels, Texas, or selflessly serving local youth in need, Tim has been using basketball as a means to serve humanity and empower youth for as long as I can remember. Having Tim move formally to our governing board gives us some muscle where we need it most as he will certainly help move the needle in our scope and efficacy.

James Wetz, governing board - “James Wetz is basically a co-creator of what we all know now as The Basketball Embassy. James has had a life-long love affair with the game and is currently still consumed by it and it's magical magnetism. Playing a role similar to the Wizard of Oz thus far, we are excited to see James slide more formally into a role on our governing board. James brings his beautiful mind and his passion for basketball and continues to serve this organization tirelessly, much like a parent would do for their child.”

Jenny Dial-Creech, advisory board - “Jenny Dial-Creech is one of the nations top sports journalists, now writing for The Athletic. She knows more basketball than most would ever care to and she has a talent for articulating it and all of its subsequent interactions with humanity. Focusing mostly on the elite level of our game, Jenny's ability and interest to serve TBE on our advisory board will often be illustrated as her mission and ours align in empowering youth, emerging leaders and specifically women using basketball as a vehicle to do so.”'

Dr. Ioana Lacau, Dr. Emir Turam and Dr. Edward Rashid, advisory board - Dr. Ioana Lacau, Dr. Emir Turam and Dr. Edward Rashid were thee three individuals that came together to stand behind what was merely an idea 5 years ago. The Romanian, Turkish and American lovers of basketball and established professionals in their respective disciplines stood by TBE, its mission and all of the goals it set out to achieve when many others saw it as a flash in the pan endeavor. Dr. Lacau, Dr. Turam and Dr. Rashid have all been pioneers in their own spaces and that pioneer spirit they brought with them has helped TBE beat the odds and not only stay solvent longer than the average lifespan of a non-profit organization, but equally as important - TBE has stayed relevant. As we move forward, we are proud to have this group of mentors and supporters maintain a seat on our advisory board as TBE embarks on the next phases of our life in sports, development and diplomacy.