Staff

Katrina Adams

Executive Director

Katrina Adams started playing tennis at age 6 in a Chicago parks program. At 16, she was a two-time Illinois High School Association singles champion. Recruited by Northwestern University, she earned the NCAA doubles title there in 1987 and was twice voted All-American. In 1988 she joined the WTA Tour, retiring in 1999 with 20 career doubles titles. Ms. Adams was a USTA national coach 1999-2002, helping to develop some of the nation's top tennis players. She is currently an analyst for the Tennis Channel and a Co-Host CBS Sports Network.

In 2005, Ms. Adams, a USPTA and PTR certified teaching professional, joined HJTEP and has grown the enrollment to over 1,000 participants and increased the operating budget to $1million+. She served as the Chair and President of the USTA 2015-2018 and as the Vice President of the International Tennis Federation(ITF), 2015-2023.

Simone Spigner

Program Director

Ms. Spigner, a graduate of HJTEP, is a head coach of entry-level programs for our youngest players. She is a PTR-certified teaching professional with more than 10 years of experience in coaching. She attended South Carolina State University on a 4-year tennis scholarship. Simone was promoted to Manager of Tennis Programming in 2021.

Renee Campbell

Education Director

Ms. Campbell joined HJTEP in 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Seton Hall University with a double minor in Child Psychology and Education. She brings certifications that specialize in Early Intervention and Special Education with a concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Applied Behavior Analysis. Renee’s role is integral for HJTEP’s parental involvement.

Douglas Knox

Fitness Director

Mr. Knox joined HJTEP in 2020. After a standout high school varsity basketball career, he received a scholarship to play at Bethune Cookman and earned his NASM certification for professional training.

Quacey Balleste

Community Outreach Coordinator

Ms. Balleste grew up playing tennis in Harlem and earned an Associate Degree from Manhattan Community College. She previously coached tennis for HJTEP while her three daughters learned to play in the program - two earned tennis college scholarships. Quacey rejoined in 2022 and still provides tennis instruction.

Full Team

• Maurice Willacy - Director of High Performance Tennis
• Shawnte Beale - Coach
• John Fumi - Coach
• Alyse Hamlin - Tutor
• Ben Johnson - Coach
• Brian Spigner - Coach
• Carolina Zapata - Tutor
• Patricia Zapata - Coach