Ian Oliver

Founder/President, Chairman of the Board

Ian’s work focuses on international enterprise development, managing new market entry, international sales, and brand strategy on behalf of American businesses expanding or establishing investments in Africa and the Middle East. He is currently a founding partner at International Strategy and Implementation Consultants, founder of Africa Talent Management, and a member of the DC/VA District Export Council.

Coupled with his work in export growth and strategy for companies, Ian has an extensive background and network in international development initiatives and impact-driven social change programs. He has structured and led the growth of several large-scale and sustainable public-private-partnerships and corporate responsibility activities in emerging markets on behalf of U.S. government agencies including USAID, PEPFAR, CDC, and the Department of State, as well as large multinational companies and institutions including Johns Hopkins, Johnson & Johnson, FIFA, among others.

Ian believes strongly in aligning corporate goals with social and impact investing and counsels clients on making the business case for impact-investing and public-private-partnerships in emerging markets. He has a passion for giving back through the global appeal of soccer and is the founder of several soccer initiatives including: Ragball International, a financial education project supporting young people across Africa by providing a marketplace for the sale of handmade soccer balls; Goals for Girls, an international initiative of girls helping girls through the game of soccer in partnership with icons of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team; and DC Soccer, a non-profit organization serving the needs of the soccer community in the greater Washington, DC area.

Ian has coached youth soccer for over 20 years in the Washington, DC area.

Cindy Parlow Cone

Outreach Director

As a member of the US Women’s National Soccer Team, Cindy won two Olympic gold medals, one silver and one FIFA World Cup. Upon retiring from her playing career, Cindy served as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina leading them to a 2012 NCAA National Championship. In 2013, as the head coach of Portland Thorns professional team, she led the team to the inaugural NWSL championship.

After winning the NWSL championship, Cindy realized that her true passion was coaching young girls and impacting their lives on a daily basis. She moved back to North Carolina and currently is the Associate Director for Triangle United and oversees all the girls programming.

Cindy has traveled with Goals for Girls to South Africa (2010), Peru (2012), and India (2013/14). With the U.S. State Department, Cindy has traveled as a sports envoy to Bahrain (2006), El Salvador (2008), and Azerbaijan (2010). Also through the US State Department, she has hosted and coached both Iraqi (2013) and Jordanian (2015) girls in her home town of Chapel Hill, NC.

Jackie Skinner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Jackie taught Social Studies for three years while serving as the student government advisor and head varsity soccer coach at Timpview High School in Provo, Utah, garnering the Golden Apple Teacher of the Year award.

During her teaching tenure, Jackie served as the Uganda Country Director for HELP International where she led 29 university students in creating self-sustaining development projects in rural villages. While in Uganda, Jackie dreamed of bringing her high school girls soccer team to the country to work with war-affected girls in the North. She joined Goals for Girls in 2009, and did just that.

Jackie then moved to Washington, DC to work for the United States Agency for International Development in the offices of Food for Peace and Foreign Disaster Assistance. Jackie currently lives in Salt Lake City where she serves as the Director of Operations for Goals for Girls. She has led Goals for Girls programs in Uganda, Peru, Tajikistan, and currently working on her third program in India.

Joseph Schoenbauer

Chief Operating Officer

Joe joined DC Soccer in 2005 and brought with him a wealth of knowledge concerning local, national and international soccer news and events. He became a board member in 2008 and the Chief Operating Officer in 2011. Joe currently works at US soccer agency James Grant Sports Ltd as the Director of U.S. Operations. Prior to joining James Grant Sports Ltd. in 2006, Joe worked for Grassroot Soccer, an international NGO where he was the Refugee Camp Program Coordinator in Zambia. Joe received his B.A. in Sport Management and Communication Studies from Stetson University in 2003. He received his Master’s in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University in 2011.

Patricia Benton

Treasurer

Patricia is one of the founding members of DC Soccer and has served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the organization since 2002. She is the Vice President, Chief Operating Officer for the Salzburg Global Seminar. She is responsible for managing the financial and operational affairs of the organization.  Patricia is the former Vice President and General Manager of Comsat World Systems, a $250 million dollar telecommunications company with over 200 employees. Patricia has also worked as a consultant providing senior financial management services to a number of non-profit organizations: Gender at Work, CIVICUS, The Partnership for Transparency Fund, and DC Stoddert Soccer.  Patricia has an MBA in Finance from George Washington University, a BA in Economics and French from Brown University and she is a CPA.

Lorena Curry

Accountant

Loreena has a degree in accounting from the University of Buenos Aires with several years of financial and contract management expertise. Her most recent experience was five years as the Chief Financial Officer for two local, related non-profit organizations specializing in foreign development and investment. Of particular relevance to DC Soccer, her experience includes generating complex financial statements, budget development, tracking grants, payroll and generating quarterly reports for the Board of Directors.

Jessica Cates-Bristol

Board member

Jessi joined DC Soccer in 2005 as the Scholarship Coordinator. She traveled to South Africa (2007), for the inaugural Goals for Girls program and became a board member in 2008. In 2005, Jessi worked for Grassroot Soccer, an international NGO where she was the Street Children Program Coordinator in Zambia. Jessi received her Master’s Degree in Social Work and her Juris Doctor in 2013 from the University of Maryland. Prior to continuing her education at the University of Maryland, Jessi worked with Maryland Choices. She also completed internships in Senator Ben Cardin’s Office, the Public Defender Service of D.C., and High Road Upper School. Currently, Jessi  works as a School Based Mental Health Therapist for Mary’s Center. Jessi was a four-year D1 college soccer player at the University of Miami & Stetson University.

Alex Bearman

Board member

Alex is the Executive Director of District Sports in Washington,DC which provides soccer leagues to nearly 5,000 adult participants annually. Alex has forged strong strategic relationships with the DC Public Schools, DC Department of Park and Recreation, and non-profit partners to promote community recreation for individuals of all abilities and ages. Under his leadership, District Sports has directed extensive resources towards sport-based development organizations such as DC SCORES, Grassroots Soccer, United for DC and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

Alex also works with Street Soccer USA where he manages a number of special events including their annual soccer tournament in Times Square. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a Master’s of Sports Industry Management from Georgetown.

Len Oliver

Board Member

Len has a Ph.D. in Adult/Continuing Education from the University of Chicago and served as the Special Assistant to the Chairman for the National Endowment for the Humanities. Len has published two books and some 30 articles and is a spokesperson for the study circle movement in the United States. He has also given motivational speeches linking soccer with organizational life.

Len has spent his life in sports, playing on the U.S. Pan-American and Olympic Soccer Teams (1963-1964), as a professional in the American Soccer League, and on all-star teams in six different cities. He holds the USSF ‘A’ Coaching License and FIFA-USSF Referee License, serves as Director of Coaching for DC Stoddert Soccer League, and as State Staff Coach with Virginia Youth Soccer Association. He continues to coach youth soccer and offers USSF-licensed coaching courses, training over 5,000 coaches from 83 countries.

Len’s honors include: Induction into the Temple University Athletic Hall of Fame (1981), USSF National Soccer Hall of Fame (1996), Philadelphia Oldtimers Soccer Hall of Fame (1998), the Virginia-DC Soccer Hall of Fame (2001), VYSA’s “Exemplary Service Award” (1997), and NSCAA’s “Long-Term Youth Achievement Award.” Serves on numerous soccer boards and committees, including DC Stoddert Soccer, DC Soccer, Virginia-DC Soccer Hall of Fame (Chair), NSCAA’s Editorial Board, and NSCAA’s Youth Long-Term Service Award Committee (Chair).