Division I - AAA ADA Release
 
CLEVELAND -- University of Detroit Mercy Associate V.P. & Athletic Director Keri Gaither has been a mainstay on the Executive Committee for the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association since July 2010 and she will remain on the committee for the duration of the 2012-13 academic school year.

Now in its 12th year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs.
 
In addition to serving on the Division I-AAA committee, Gaither has spent the past summer at various national forums speaking and offering knowledge to others based on her experiences.
 
Her travels took her to her final speaking engagement of the summer on Wednesday, July 18 in Kansas City, MO for the NCAA/NACWAA Leadership Enhancement Institute. She presented to administrators with 7+ years of experience and who are at least at the Associate Athletic Director (or comparable) position and discussing fiscal management.
 
“I have been fortunate to have excellent mentors throughout my career and I am grateful to have also had some wonderful opportunities to participate in these types of programs,” said Gaither.
 
“Being part of the NCAA's inaugural Leadership Institute several years ago was a phenomenal experience.  I hope that through my participation on these committees and my involvement with leadership development programs, other aspiring athletic administrators will have the same type of experience.
 
Gaither started off her summer tour on June 18 serving on an Athletic Director's panel at the University of Michigan for an event hosted by the Sport Management Institute (SMI). She was joined on the panel with Athletic Directors from the University of Connecticut in Warde Manuel, Eastern Michigan University in Derrick Gragg and the University of Toledo in Michael O'Brien. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) has joined with SMI as a participating sponsor of the program.
 
Gaither then spoke at the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interest Committee (MOIC) committee from June 19-22 in Indianapolis.  The MOIC was formed to review issues related to the interests of ethnic minorities and women with a focus on education and welfare of minority student-athletes, as well as the enhancement of opportunities for ethnic minorities and women in coaching, athletics administration, officiating and the NCAA governance structure. Gaither is one of six Division I members on the 15-person committee serving in the third year of a four-year term.
 
At the NACDA convention in Dallas from June 24-27, she talked to the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association Executive Committee. The Executive Committee Members and all other Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association members serving as an executive committee member will be present for the annual association meeting.
 
Also at the NACDA convention in Dallas, she was with the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) as part of a group of speakers. She shared the floor with Julie Hermann, Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Louisville and China Jude who serves as the Assistant Vice President/Athletics at Queens College of The City University of New York.
 
“These events are also a great way to positively promote UDM and Titan Athletics while also providing the opportunity to network with a wide range of individuals and share best practices,” added Gaither.
 
Gaither has served in her current role at the University of Detroit Mercy since May of 2007. During her time at UDM, Gaither announced the expansion of the Detroit Titans Division I sports program from 16 to 19 teams, added numerous projects including an all-purpose synthetic turf field and track as well as a brand new basketball court that was recently dedicated to Dick Vitale on Dec. 5, 2012. She chaired the Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC) for the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and held the same position, in addition to being designated Tournament Director, for the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Midwest Regional. She is a current member of the Horizon League's Executive Council.