Staff

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.

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.

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.

Ms. Hamilton initially came to HJTEP in June 2022 as a Development Consultant.  Prior to founding her consulting LLC in 2020, Lynda was the Operations Manager for Hon. David Dinkins at Columbia University-SIPA, where she oversaw all aspects of the mayor’s ecclectic duties as a professor of Urban Policy and elder statesman of New York City government. Over the course of her career, Lynda has contributed to various entrepreneurial launches, worked in the corporate nexus of the National Football League as Manager of their $10 million nonprofit NFL Charities; as the inaugural Community Partner Engagement Manager at the Center for Smart StreetScapes (CS3) at Columbia University; within the nonprofit sector as Office & Online Content Manager for City Parks Foundation; and served as Research Consultant for CUNY’s Center for Urban Education Policy. Lynda maintains active involvement with various civic organizations and philanthropic activities, including as founding Advisory Board member of City Limits - an independent, investigative journalism outlet serving the five boroughs of New York.  Lynda excels at problem-solving and especially enjoys collaborating with a focus on community needs and youth development. Ms. Hamilton earned a degree in Social Psychology at New York University and is a proud resident of Harlem USA. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrhamilton/

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.

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.

Mr. Willacy, a PTR certified teaching pro, joined HJTEP in the Fall of 2021. Maurice earned his degrees in Health Science and Physical Therapy at the University of Florida while playing on the professional tennis circuit. He has worked with various junior and professional tennis players among the top 200 in the world.