About Us
The Big Serve is the USTA's advocacy initiative. The effort is aimed at connecting the passion of USTA members and the larger tennis community with the public policy needs of the communities in which they live. We know that tennis is a sport that can change lives and improve communities, and this website is just one of the tools the USTA is developing to help make that happen across the country.
The focus of this website is to highlight the opportunities, the successes, and the challenges of generating public support for the growth of the game of tennis. There are three areas of particular interest to us:
- The building or renovating of places to play;
- Creating new opportunities to play during after-school;
- Protecting varsity tennis and creating opportunities to play recreational tennis on college campuses.
It is our hope that this website will become an important resource for you as you try to grow the game of tennis in your communities. We are all advocates for tennis in some way, and the USTA will become a better and more nimble advocacy organization with your participation and willingness to share your stories, your challenges, and your successes. Take Heart. Take Part. Take Action.
USTA National Office
Barry Ford, Director, Outreach & Advocacy
Barry leads the USTA's efforts to introduce the sport of tennis to communities that have been traditionally outside of the USTA family, and to build strong local support for the growth and maintenance of tennis facilities and tennis programming across the country. Barry brings 22 years of professional experience as a government official, lawyer, non-profit executive, and political candidate to this position. He is a 1991 graduate of Harvard Law School and a 1985 graduate of Harvard University. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lisa Mensah, and their two children.
TBD, National Manager, Advocacy
Emily Sandor, Administrative Assistant, Outreach & Advocacy
USTA Advocacy Task Force
Jim O'Neill, Chairman
Camille Mosley, Vice Chair
Bill Sederburg, Vice Chair
Julian Barnes
David Benjamin
Carlos Cuevas
David Dinkins
Robin Jones
Bill Leong
Karen MacFarland
Emily Sandor, Staff Liaison
Kathy Spangler
Scott Tharp
