BOSTON – Several members of the Northeastern Athletics family attended the annual NCAA Inclusion Forum last week in Indianapolis. Former student-athletes Alexa Armstrong (volleyball) and Chelsey Goldberg (women's ice hockey) attended the forum, while Peter Roby (director of athletics and recreation) and Regina Sullivan (executive senior associate athletic director) served as panelists.
 
The NCAA Inclusion Forum brings together higher education and intercollegiate athletics leaders passionate about improving the educational and professional environment for student-athletes, coaches and staff. Sessions engage on a broad range of topics related to policy, research and best practices for racial and ethnic minorities, women, international student-athletes, LGBTQ and disability-access to sport.
 
"I can't thank Northeastern, Peter Roby, Regina Sullivan, and our athletic department enough for sending us to the NCAA Inclusion Forum in Indianapolis," Goldberg said. "I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was that this was going to be an incredible weekend and experience. On the flight back to Boston on Monday, I realized that I was right. No doubt this was one of the best weekends to learn, meet new connections, develop new relationships, and start thinking about ways to start my professional career in the athletics community."
 
Roby and Sullivan were panelists during "The Role of the Senior Woman Administrator Today" session on Sunday, which served to give an overview of the history of the role, the intent and goals of the designation, common misunderstandings about the SWA position, and ideas for SWA responsibilities and areas of involvement in athletics departments. Current pairs of athletics directors (ADs) and SWAs from all three divisions shared their experiences with the SWA role, focusing on how they effectively work together to make the most of their position and how they overcome challenges. Panelists also gave recommendations on how to achieve a successful AD/SWA relationship and allow time for audience questions and comments.
 
"After attending different sessions throughout the weekend and meeting incredible people, I now have a better understanding of how the NCAA operates, how sports administration works, how to resolve certain issues that arise, and the hard work that it will take for me to reach my dreams of becoming a motivational speaker throughout collegiate and professional sports," Goldberg said. "Overall, this was an incredible opportunity to represent our University, athletic team, and ourselves."