“People ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
— Rogers Hornsby
Board of Directors
Terry Smith
President
Terry Smith currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Cypress Loan Servicing, previously known as Rushmore Loan Management Services.
He has more than 25 years of experience in residential mortgage servicing, asset management, and originations. In a dual role, he was also a Senior Managing Director and co-founder at Roosevelt Management Company, Rushmore’s previous parent company.
Prior to his time with Rushmore, Terry served as Managing Director at Ellington Management Group, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, and Senior Vice President of Litton Loan Servicing. Terry has been nationally recognized by rating agencies and investors for building Best in Class operations in servicing, asset management, and property disposition.
Terry enjoys community involvement including serving as a board member of Operation Homefront, Chairman of the Board for Veterans Financial Services Advisory Council, and Pitch In For Baseball & Softball’s President of the Board.
Susan Lowe, CPA
CFO
Susan is a consultant in her own practice focusing on executive level finance, operations, human resources, IT, governance and fundraising in the not-for-profit sector, with more than 25 years of experience. She has served as the CFO/COO/CAO at numerous organizations with missions of healthcare, mental health, special education, human rights, homelessness, animal welfare and juvenile justice.
Susan has a BA in Economics and Political Science from Bucknell University, MS in Accountancy and Business Ethics from Bentley University and a Graduate Certificate in Management from Harvard University. She is a CPA licensed in Massachusetts and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. Even though she now lives in the Boston area, she remains a lifelong Phillies fan.
“PIFBS combines my love of baseball and my passion for youth development. It is a great organization that has a positive impact. I wanted to use my skills to help an organization grow to reach new heights.”
David Ickes
As the Vice President Global Risk Management with Global Guardian, David oversees multiple clients security programs/operations. His previous employment stems mainly in the security field which includes a career in U.S. Navy intelligence with multiple combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. While deployed David typically had a baseball and glove with him most times and was always up for catch with anyone who wanted to play.
In his free time David enjoys working on his 1800’s farmhouse in Lehigh Valley, coach youth sports programs to include baseball, wrestling and football, watching NY Yankees baseball, and working with veterans transitioning from active duty to the civilian workforce.
Michael Markovich
As Global Commercial Director for Wilson Sporting Goods in baseball marketing, Michael “Marko” Markovich brings tremendous insight, connections, and energy to our organization.
A self-proclaimed “zero tool prospect,” Marko’s professional success in the baseball industry has more than made up for his inability to hit the breaking ball.
Marko’s service on the Pitch In For Baseball & Softball board stems from his belief that every child deserves the opportunity to fall in love with baseball or softball, and that the good deed of just one person can launch that lifelong love of the game.
Cathy McIndoo
A competitive and adventurous nature has driven Cathy’s professional endeavors, propelling her to consistent success.
Cathy attended UCLA and played on the national championship softball team. Working her way from the ground-up, Cathy delved into many facets of the title and escrow industry. Her experience has proven an ideal platform upon which to establish herself as a highly qualified and diverse professional.
The company holds licenses in 49 states. Leading an enthusiastic and proactive group of title and escrow specialists, Cathy strives to ensure that her team utilizes technology, exceptional customer service and thorough communication in providing their clients with the services they require.
A proactive self-starter, Cathy enjoys cooking, boating, baseball, softball, and most of all, her six grandkids. She is an avid volunteer, giving her time and talents to local organizations.
Allison Parsell
With 10+ years of industry experience, Allison, who is the Director of Softball Sales at Marucci Sports has helped shape the softball side of PIFBS.
Her relationships with NCAA teams, professional athletes and other consultants within the softball community have helped connect PIFBS with key players.
As a Florida State University graduate and softball alum, her love of the sport drives her to help all players who want to play ball have the opportunity to do so.
“I was inspired to join PIFBS because I wholeheartedly believe in their mission to grow the sport of baseball and softball while providing equal opportunity for all who want to play. Being involved in keeping kids safe, healthy and optimistic about their future is pivotal for the success of our current and next generation. PIFBS gives our youth a way to connect with the sport and build positive relationships that last a lifetime.”
Bill Piszek
Founding Board Member in Memorium
Bill was the inspiration behind Pitch in for Baseball & Softball.
As a diehard Philadelphia Phillies fan and longtime supporter of Little League International, Bill shared his passion for baseball and softball with boys and girls in the United States and around the world. In 2004, while on a trip to Poland he became aware of the lack of the availability of baseball equipment for Little League players. That provided the initial spark that helped establish Pitch in for Baseball & Softball. Bill and his wife Beth resided in Ambler, PA.
“What inspired me to get involved with PIFBS the most was watching Little League Baseball games in Poland and discovering that many kids did not have their own baseball gloves.”
Dan Sheridan
A strategic, energetic, results-driven entrepreneur, Sheridan has more than 12 years of professional experience in Senior Leadership roles.
Most recently, Sheridan served as the President and Chief Revenue Officer for Extensis Group, LLC since 2016, and is a lifelong baseball player and fan.
Sydney Ginsberg
As an Investor Relations Associate at Hellman & Friedman, a global Private Equity firm, Sydney is focused on the Firm’s relationships with its limited partners and its fundraising efforts. Prior to Hellman & Friedman, she was part of the Technology, Media & Telecom Investment Banking group at Credit Suisse.
Sydney is a graduate of Yale University, where she earned a B.A. with Distinction in Political Science and played centerfield on the Varsity Softball team. She is a lifelong New Yorker (and a diehard New York Yankees fan), but currently resides in San Francisco.
As a longtime softball player as well as a youth baseball and softball coach, Sydney believes deeply in the unique power of baseball and softball to teach indispensable life lessons and is passionate about ensuring that all young players have the opportunity to reap those benefits.
Jessica Koshinski
As a young athlete, Jessica fell in love with the games of baseball and softball. Now, as a medical student, Jessica is interested in a career helping athletes through orthopaedic surgery and human performance medicine. In addition to medicine, she works in a variety of fields, always looking to learn and develop new skills.
Jessica graduated from Haverford College, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, with a concentration in Biochemistry. She earned a Varsity letter for her four years as Haverford’s third baseman, where she now serves as an assistant softball coach and enjoys mentoring athletes. After growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Jessica decided to stay on the eastern side of the state after college, now residing in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Jessica is passionate about working with PIFBS to share the opportunity to play the game that helped her develop intangible life skills and taught her many valuable life lessons.
Advisory Council
Paul Maritato
Paul Maritato has spent over 30 years in the Consumer Products industry. His background is focused on Marketing Research and Sales Analytics, and he was recognized as an industry leader by many publications and organizations in these arenas. He spent over 20 years at Kraft Heinz, where he served as Senior Director of Analytics and Applications. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Kellogg’s and Campbell Soup.
Paul brings to PIFBS his analytics background combined with his lifelong love of baseball. He is driven to enhance the reach of PIFBS, so that kids around the world can have the opportunity to play baseball/softball with the equipment they need.
Paul has a BA in history from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Iowa. He and his wife reside in Chicago, where they try to go to as many Cubs and White Sox games as they can.
Unique Kizer
Unique Kizer is a multifaceted leader, author, and speaker who has made it her mission to positively impact the lives of young people. As the CEO of the foundation founded by Brianna and Mookie Betts, she brings her expertise in Risk Management and Nonprofit Compliance to ensure the organization’s success.
Unique’s leadership extends far beyond her work with the Brianna and Mookie Betts’ foundation. She serves as a valued member of the Ohio Valley Goodwill Board, where she lends her expertise to drive positive change in the community. Most recently, she was appointed as an advisory board member for Pitch In For Baseball and Softball, further solidifying her commitment to empowering young people through sports and education.
Unique’s driving force is the overall health and well-being of our youth. In addition to reaching the next generation through sports and education, she firmly believes that access to proper mental and emotional health resources is crucial for their success in an ever-evolving world. As a trained trauma-informed caregiver, Unique has a profound understanding of the importance of creating safe and supportive environments for young people to thrive. Her advocacy work focuses on supporting children of divorced and separated families, providing them with the resources and guidance they need to navigate complex family dynamics.
In 2022, she was honored as a YWCA Rising Star, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the community. When she’s not inspiring change, Unique can be found spending quality time with her loved ones, particularly her nieces and nephews, who bring her immense joy. She’s also an avid hiker and movie enthusiast, often finding solace in the great outdoors and the magic of the big screen.
Shawn Miller
Shawn Miller currently serves as VP, Head of Business Development for Xome, where his team is responsible for the company’s growth initiatives through cultivation of new and existing relationship throughout the real estate eco-system including capital markets, financial institutions, servicers and government agencies.
With more than 15 years of experience, Miller is a seasoned leader with expertise in multiple facets throughout the real estate and PropTech sectors.
Miller is hyper focused on keeping the dream of homeownership alive through Xome’s leading data and technology-enabled marketplace (Xome.com).
John Masotta
John Masotta is a seasoned marketing and sales leader with a stellar track record of driving breakthrough growth for national and regional brands within the Food & Beverage industry. With extensive experience in strategic planning, brand management, and customer activation, John brings a general management mindset to problem solving and results optimization. Having managed both well-known national brands such as Campbell’s & V8, as well as emerging regional brands such as Hatfield, allows for a unique perspective on the journey different brands take.
A life-long baseball fan, John has stayed connected to the sport in many different ways. Professionally, several sponsorship partnerships have allowed for the development of relationships within a number of MLB and MiLB organizations. Personally, as a proud father of two daughters, the chance to coach and guide them through local and travel softball has been fun and rewarding. As a fan, there are few better ways to spend a day than at Citizens Bank Park or Fenway Park rooting on the home team with my family.
As the game evolves at the youth level both domestically and internationally, I’m excited about the prospect of helping more kids gain access to the equipment they need to become life-long fans of the game.
National Council
David James
David James is Vice President, Baseball & Softball Development, Office of the Commissioner of Baseball.
He joined MLB in April of 2008, and is responsible for all “Grassroots” youth programming administered by the Commissioner’s office. This includes the PLAY BALL initiative, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program, and MLB’s two national youth skills competitions: Pitch, Hit, & Run and & Jr. Home Run Derby.
The Baseball/Softball Development group at the Commissioner’s Office is also the primary point of contact for MLB Club Run youth activation and programming.
David is a member of the USA Softball Board of Directors. Prior to Major League Baseball, David worked for Little League International from 1998 to 2008 in his hometown of Williamsport, PA.
Dave St. Peter
Dave St. Peter was named the fourth president in Minnesota Twins history on November 26, 2002. St. Peter also assumed the Chief Executive Officer title on December 21, 2016 and continues to oversee the team’s day-to-day operations, strategic planning and interaction with Major League Baseball.
He joined the Twins organization as an intern in 1990 and over his first decade with the franchise held a variety of positions including Pro Shop Manager, Communications Manager, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Senior Vice President of Business Affairs.
At the league level, St. Peter serves as a Trustee on the MLB-MLBPA Player Pension Committee. In the community, St. Peter serves on the boards of the YMCA of the Twin Cities, NuLoop Partners and the University of North Dakota Alumni Association.
St. Peter was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1989. Dave has three grown sons – Jack, Eric and Ben – and makes his home in Chanhassen, MN.
Amy Hever
Amy Hever is an accomplished social impact executive with more than 20 years of progressive experience delivering measurable results to nonprofit and for-profit companies, across a range of industries. Her career journey has given her the opportunity to lean into some of the world’s most pressing and complex challenges through a variety of vehicles the arts and humanities, youth development, health and human services, disaster recovery, scientific research, and professional sports philanthropy.
Originally hailing from NJ, Amy grew up in the Garden State and in Tokyo, Japan. After receiving her bachelor’s in history and East Asian Studies from Binghamton University in NY, she accepted her first role as the General Manager position with a German-toy company with a subsidiary office in Palm Beach County, Florida. Her affinity for the Sunshine State took hold, along with her interest in the social sector. Amy made Palm Beach County home for more than 12 years on and off, landing her first nonprofit role with the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens. Her career has brought her to destinations up and down the I-95 corridor, including the American Red Cross of the Palm Beaches, Scripps Research Institute and the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum here in Florida, as well as the distinguished Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, before making yet another transition into sports philanthropy with the Philadelphia 76ers and the NJ Devils. She now leads the Major League Baseball Players Trust – the charitable arm of the Players Association. Her first “union job”, Amy is responsible for accelerating and amplifying the charitable interests and efforts of professional baseball players.
Tyler Collins
Tyler Collins was named Director of Youth Programs at USA Baseball in January 2017 where his primary responsibility is overseeing the Fun At Bat program. The program is part of the PLAY BALL initiative and is an introductory level bat-and-ball program for kids. Since Collins has taken over the Fun At Bat program, it has grown exponentially, reaching over three million students in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and internationally.
Collins managed the NFL FLAG program at USA Football prior to joining USA Baseball. In addition to growing the flag football landscape in the U.S., he managed a number of annual youth flag football tournaments held at NFL team facilities, as well as national championship events held in collaboration with NFL jewel events such as the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and NFL Draft.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Sport Administration in 2011 from Ball State University. Collins currently resides in Apex, North Carolina with his wife, Nina, and stepdaughter, Abby Kate.
Nina Johnson-Pitt
Nina Johnson-Pitt was named as Little League International’s Senior Strategy Executive in December of 2020. In this position, Ms. Johnson-Pitt is responsible for providing comprehensive vision, leadership, and planning for organization-wide strategy, continuing to evolve the Little League program to provide an unmatched youth sports experience for families around the world.
Ms. Johnson-Pitt first joined Little League as the Central Region Assistant Director in 2006 and was named the Region Director in 2011. During her time working for the Central Region, Ms. Johnson-Pitt has been instrumental in the development of programs in 13 states, the operation and growth of the Little League Softball® Central Region Tournament and Little League Baseball® Great Lakes and Midwest Region Tournaments, and the most recent relocation of the Central Region headquarters to Whitestown, Indiana.
Prior to joining the Little League staff, Ms. Johnson-Pitt worked in a variety of positions in the non-profit sports sector, including the YMCA of Central Indiana and the Summit Area YMCA in New Jersey.
A graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management, Mrs. Johnson-Pitt has also represented Little League as a spokesperson and as a featured panelist and speaker at industry events hosted by Aspen Institute Project Play, SFIA, and NRPA She continues to exemplify her leadership, knowledge, and expertise through written pieces and at speaking and networking events nationwide.
In addition to her work for Little League, Ms. Johnson-Pitt is also a Little League mom and softball coach as well as a basketball coach. She and her husband reside in South Carolina with their three daughters.