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2025 Annual Assembly Recap and Officer Elections - NWBA Board of Directors Updates; NWBA Bylaw Amendment Passed

By NWBA, 06/02/25, 5:00PM CDT

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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. – The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) held its Annual Assembly virtually on May 19, 2025. NWBA Membership elected three individuals (Doug Garner, Dug Jones and Teresa Skinner) to the NWBA Board of Directors and voted on a NWBA Bylaw Amendment proposal in addition to hearing the managerial report from Brandon McBeain, NWBA CEO and the “State of the NWBA" from Matt Pierre, President of the NWBA Board of Directors.

 A recording of the 2025 Annual Assembly can be found here.


Bylaw Amendment Passed

NWBA Membership voted on one (1) amendment proposal, and the proposal was passed to update the NWBA Bylaws. The bylaw amendment proposal along with its passed status are detailed on the NWBA Annual Assembly webpage. The implementation of the amended bylaw will be put into practice within 30 days. The updated Bylaws will be posted on the Governance Documents page of the NWBA website: www.nwba.org/aboutpoliciesprocedures.


Board of Directors - Elected

During the Annual Assembly, NWBA Membership re-elected Dug Jones and Teresa Skinner, and elected Doug Garner to the Board of Directors. Per the NWBA Bylaws, Elected Directors serve a four-year term (2025-2029). 

Dug Jones brings over 40 years of unparalleled experience in adaptive sports, law, and higher education. A decorated athlete, coach, and longtime leader within the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), Dug has made a lasting impact on disability sport in the U.S. and abroad.

His playing and coaching career includes multiple NWBA Division I National Championships with the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks and Fresno Red Rollers, as well as international appearances in Spain, Canada, and Australia. Dug was inducted into the NWBA Hall of Fame in 2017 and has served the organization in numerous leadership capacities—including as Board Secretary, Ethics Committee Chair, and past President of the Intercollegiate Division.

Teresa Skinner is a nationally-recognized leader in adaptive sports, bringing nearly three decades of experience as an occupational therapist, coach, and nonprofit executive. As the volunteer Executive Director of ParaSport Spokane, Teresa has dedicated her career to empowering individuals with physical and visual disabilities through inclusive athletic opportunities.

Teresa’s coaching legacy spans grassroots to elite levels, including her work as a National Team Coach with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and as a long-standing wheelchair track coach for the U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. Her efforts have earned numerous accolades, including the 2024 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Rings of Gold Award and the 2023 USATF Para-Athletics Coach of the Year honor.

Doug Garner is a nationally recognized leader in wheelchair basketball with over 30 years of experience as a coach, program director, and advocate for adaptive sports. Inducted into the NWBA Hall of Fame in 2019, Doug played a key role in expanding the Junior Division, introducing new competition levels, academic honors, and regional growth that transformed youth development across the country.

As Head Coach and Adapted Sports Director at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), Doug guided the program to multiple national championships while launching new initiatives including a women’s team, a wheelchair tennis team, and inclusive summer camps for juniors, adults, and veterans.

Internationally, Doug is an IWBF Gold Medal Classifier and has served as a technical official at major global events. He has coached Team Army to multiple Warrior Games titles and mentored athletes who have gone on to Paralympic and professional careers.


Board of Directors – Appointed

Following the Annual Assembly, the Board of Directors elected Appointed Directors. Lauren Lobrano and Jim Houston were re-elected along with Mike Godsey being elected as an Appointed Director. Per the NWBA Bylaws, Appointed Directors serve a two-year term (2025-2027). 

Mike Godsey is the Director of the Charlotte Rollin' Hornets, one of the premier programs in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). A passionate advocate for adaptive sports, Mike plays an active role at NWBA National Championships and consistently steps up to support the organization whenever needed.

With nearly two decades of involvement in adaptive sports, Mike has been instrumental in expanding access and opportunities for athletes with disabilities. He currently leads wheelchair basketball programming for Abilities Unlimited of the Carolinas, which now supports six competitive teams.

Professionally, Mike has served as Chief Financial Officer for several organizations, bringing a strong background in both technical accounting and financial analysis. His dedication, leadership, and operational excellence have made him a role model to countless athletes and a standard-setter for running a successful nonprofit sports organization.

Lauren Lobrano brings a wealth of experience in disability awareness and advocacy. She currently serves as the Global Disability Inclusion Director at Amazon, where she is a key member of the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. In this role, Lauren acts as a subject matter expert on disability-related issues and leads a team dedicated to advancing Amazon’s mission of becoming Earth’s most customer-centric company. Her previous roles include Director of the Veterans Career Program at Paralyzed Veterans of America, International Programs Director at the Wounded Warrior Project, and Manager of Policy and Program Development at the American Red Cross.

Jim Houston is a seasoned golf professional and operations management expert. He currently serves as the Director of Operations at DWA Golf, LLC in St. Augustine, Florida, where he oversees all facets of club operations, including golf and tournament operations, food and beverage, course maintenance, accounting, human resources, and marketing. Jim previously served for 14 years on the Boards of Directors—holding roles including President—for two nonprofit organizations: Camp No Limits Foundation and the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation. He also has a distinguished track record in fundraising, having established an annual event that has raised nearly $800,000 to date.


Board of Directors – Officer Elections

Following the Annual Assembly, the Board of Directors elected the officer positions of Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Mike Godsey and Dug Jones were re-elected to continue serving as Treasurer and Secretary respectively, while Jim Houston was elected to serve as Vice President.

Per the NWBA Bylaws, Board Officers are elected to a two-year term (2025-2027).