Champions of Character Contacts

Call us to schedule a date for one of our staff to visit your group and share the importance of making character training a part of your organization.

Kristin Knopik Gillette

Director of Champions of Character

816-595-8104, kgillette@naia.org

Kristin Gillette joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics as a Manager of Championship Sports in August 2008 and was promoted to Director of Champions of Character in January 2011.

Kristin has been a certified Champions of Character presenter since 2005 and has spoken to numerous school groups and youth organizations throughout the Kansas City community. As Director of Champions of Character, Gillette will be focused on enhancing and further developing the Association’s flagship program Champions of Character. She will oversee a number of local and national initiatives including character education activities at championship events, character conferences and will coordinate the certification of NAIA constituents. Gillette will be heavily involved in strategizing to improve the awareness of the Champions of Character program. In her efforts she will serve as a presenter and speak to college students, parents, and youth about the importance of using the power of sport to teach life lessons.

As the administrator for women’s soccer, women’s basketball and men’s and women’s golf, Kristin planned and facilitated four national championships and their corresponding events. She also served as the liaison to the NAIA Hall of Fame and Awards Committee.

Prior to joining the NAIA Kristin served as the sports director at Paul Henson YMCA where she developed and implemented youth programs and supervised facility events. Since 2004, Kristin coached high school basketball where she spent two seasons as the head girl’s basketball coach at Barstow High School (Mo.) and assisted at Pembroke Hill (Mo.) where the Raiders won the 3A State Championship two seasons in a row.

Kristin received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing and Sports Management from William Jewell (Mo.) College and a Master in Sports Administration in Education from Gonzaga (Wash.) University. At William Jewell Kristin competed in basketball and golf.

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Kristin currently resides in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kathy Busch
Program Coordinator for Champions of Character

816-595-8101, kbusch@naia.org

As the NAIA’s Champions of Character Program Coordinator, Kathy Busch coordinates all activities, local programming, materials and evaluations. Prior to joining the NAIA in 2005, Kathy was a physical education teacher at various levels of secondary education in Kansas. In addition to teaching, Kathy was a youth softball coach for 10 years. Kathy obtained both her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Education from the University of Kansas. Contact Kathy to schedule a Champions of Character presentation at your organization.