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The UKnightedXP Team
Mitch Reed, MLS - President and CEO
Mitch is a visionary, father, husband, writer, public speaker, influencer, medically retired combat Veteran, entrepreneur, and continues to serve the United States as a civilian. He is also the co-founder and co-owner of Skullcap Ridge, LLC.
He belongs to numerous nonprofit organizations; including the National Association of Rocketry (NRA), The National Arbor Association, Combat Veteran Motorcycle Association, and Tripoli High Power Rocketry as a certified level 3 member.
An avid gamer his entire life across numerous platforms for over 30 years on PC and consoles, trading card, and board games. He currently holds a Masters in Leadership Studies (MLS) from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a B.A.S.c. in Counseling from Johnson University. Mitch holds numerous certifications, and is also a Licensed Scrum Master (LSM).
For more information, check out his LinkedIN profile below;
Dr. Leslie Bender Jutzi - COO
Mission-driven professional having served in a variety of C-suite positions with over 25 years of experience and success in business development, regulatory compliance, and communications in the education, e-learning, IT services and consulting, #government administration, oil & gas,
and environmental services industries. She is highly skilled in high-impact presentations with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
She was born at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi, and her family immediately moved to Germany where her father was an Air Traffic Controller at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany. Returning stateside, she grew up in the Midwest, and attended both Michigan State University and Chicago Kent College of Law on scholarships. She focused on legislative matters and then developed a robust law and lobbying practice working for several Fortune 200 companies.
Leslie has focused on supporting communities, especially those in underserved and rural areas, throughout her career. As the Chief Academic Innovation Officer of the Burleson Independent School District, located in a small North Texas town, her team created the largest K12 esports programs in the U.S. and developed partnerships with global esports leaders, including co-hosting statewide and regional tournaments and invitationals with world champion professional esports teams and Microsoft with support from Dell Technologies, and working with DreamHack to create its inaugural high school esports championship at DreamHack Dallas 2019.
Along with her professional career, Leslie has served as a Board Member of several organizations, including the U.S. – Mexico Chamber of Commerce Board where she observed and analyzed the implementation of the federal voting system at 20 polling locations in four contiguous Mexican states.
She also served on the Advisory Board for x-o-sphere llc supporting the team that creates K-12 and higher education esports programs and curriculum as a platform to support and expand the post-secondary college and career readiness of students in historically underserved communities. As a Board Member for the SMU Cyber Advisory Board, she supported Southern Methodist University in its efforts to ensure the proper training of qualified talent in the ever-changing landscape of data management. Leslie has been honored with the District Administrator of the Year Award from the Texas Computer Education Association for actively promoting the use of technology on campuses and throughout the school district.
She has also been honored with the Minority Business Leader Award from Dallas Business Journal for her record of excellence in the workplace and in advocacy for others.
Ashton Cooksey - Vice President
Ashton is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and military veteran devoted to strengthening community bonds and promoting social well-being through public outreach initiatives. He holds an affinity for sports games and still has his first hand held Gameboy.
Ashton earned a Bachelors degree from the United States Military Academy and an International MBA from the University of South Carolina.
'UKXP is a paradigm changing platform of positivity and compassion!'
- Ashton
Christopher G. Poirier - Board Member, Advisor
Christopher G. Poirier is the Founder/Game Master of Columbus Got Game (https://www.gotgamega.com/) and a catalyst for all things #Esports and Tabletop gaming in southern Georgia. Chris also is the co-host of The Pull List Podcast for Love Thy Nerd and a connoisseur of nearly all things considered even remotely nerdy.
When not reading comics or playing video #games he and his wife Rebekah seek out all that can be found on the nerd scene by hunting for vintage toys, finding the most epic comic shops, and getting their tabletop on. In the hours that remain, Chris serves as a missionary for Love Thy Nerd at conventions across the US, as the Social Media Manager of Skullz, and as a volunteer with the Georgia Scholastic Esports Foundation.
Previously, Chris served for almost a decade as a Program/Project Manager for the US Government, handling multiple high-value, high-impact National Security Programs/Projects.
Michael Wimmer - Business and Growth Advisor
Mike is a retired Marine Corp officer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Black Belt, avid volunteer, operational expert, and has a keen eye for typographical errors! He is currently serving his clients in the financial services industry. Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management. He is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt as well. Mike's volunteer efforts include being on the Workforce Council for the West Florida Defense Alliance, being the Florida State Ambassador for the We Defy Foundation, teaching at a local BJJ gym, and numerous political initiatives in his local community.
Mike served 20 years in the Marines, has been doing BJJ for 21 years and working out for 25 years, BUT has been a gamer since the moment he could hold a controller. His gaming experience dating to the Atari 2600 and every major gaming system from then until now. From raid tanking in WoW to pay 2-win phone games, Mike has a vast breadth of experience in the gaming world to include his weekly Dungeons and Dragons group. His excitement for our community is only surpassed by his passion to serve.
Marcus "Esports" Howard - Senior Strategic Advisor
When he was six, Marcus Howard's parents got him Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas, and he’s been playing and building video games ever since. Video games inspired Marcus’ interest in technology, and in the 9th grade, he started coding his own video game on the TI-83+ graphing calculator. Today, Marcus is CEO of the esports education startup MetArena, and the President of Tampa Association of Gaming, a non-profit dedicated to growing the gaming industry and STEAM youth programs in the Tampa Bay region. Marcus consults with universities and businesses around the world, helping them use video games to digitally engage their entire communities.
Marcus fully aligns with UKnightedXP's mission: ‘Advancing the world through gaming, education, and charity’. Prior to joining UKnightedXP's Board, Marcus partnered with Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay in 2019 to use video games to teach underrepresented youth how to write code and start businesses. In 2020, the Game Awards recognized Marcus as 1 of 50 people in its inaugural "Future Class", a cohort of gamers around the world helping to build a more inclusive future for the gaming industry. When Super Bowl 55 came to Tampa Bay in 2021, Marcus co-produced a hybrid esports conference and career expo in the metaverse, which he made free to the public to help create more accessible economic opportunities for underrepresented communities.
Marcus provides bold thought leadership for both the global gaming and blockchain industries. He's one of the top content creators for gaming, sports, and blockchain on LinkedIn. His insights are featured in several prominent industry publications, including the University of South Florida's esports book, and the blog for international conference producer "Esports BAR". Check out Marcus' new book, "Innovate: Gaming & Esports", which explains the 100+ STEAM career opportunities in the global video game industry:
https://issuu.com/svengvp/docs/g_e_book_-_3_-_ebook
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-esports-howard-60785023/
Jonathan D'Avignon, M.A., Ed.S - Education Consultant
Jonathan D’Avignon is an instructional pioneer, school creator, professional motivator, entrepreneur and continues to lead and teach students, educators and professionals through the Southeastern United States. He is the founder and Educational Director of the Longleaf Writers Conference, creating exceptional writing opportunities for internationally published authors and secondary school students.
His commitment to community ranges from teacher mentorship and administration professional learning to serving as a board member of the Destin, Florida Fire Foundation. He currently holds a Masters in Political Science and a Specialist in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida.
Experience with games began early with countless hours of Canasta with Jonathan’s Brazilian grandmother and developing patience during his brother’s tutorial of the Sicilian Gambit through the King’s Game, chess. Board games continued to be a staple during family gatherings and naturally grew into online and console gaming. Jonathan was specifically drawn to anachronistic settings, critical game theory and digital community building. MMORPGs are his preferred gaming world driven by World of Warcraft ("For the Horde").
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-davignon/
Justin M. Jacobson, Esq, - Legal Advisor
Justin M. Jacobson, Esq. is an entertainment, esports and video game attorney located in New York City. For the last decade, he has worked with professional athletes, musicians, producers, DJs, record labels, fashion designers as well as professional gamers, streamers, coaches, on-air talent and esports organizations. He assists all of these creative individuals with their contract, copyright, trademark, immigration, tax and other related business, marketing and legal matters.
Justin is an Adjunct Professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington, Post University in Connecticut, St. Francis College in Brooklyn, and CUNY Hunter College. He has authored “The Essential Guide to the Business & Law of Esports & Professional Video Gaming” and is on the Board of Directors for non-profits Coalition of Parents in Esports (COPE) and Garden State Esports.
To learn more about Justin, we encourage you to check out the links below.
Practice: http://www.jmjesq.com http://www.twitter.com/justinjesq
Mike Sullivan - Director, Military Service Council
The biggest advocate for “gaming as a tool”, Mike believes in harnessing the power of gaming for good. An impactful leader in the US Air Force for 13 years, Mike transitioned to the US Space Force in 2021 to continue leaving his mark and making positive change wherever possible. A casual gamer, Mike started gaming during the days of dragging the family computer to a friend’s house to join a LAN party in various games like Age of Empires or Rise of Nations. Nowadays he doesn’t have much time for gaming outside of a couple quick matches in Teamfight Tactics.
In 2020 he alongside a small team of Airmen launched “Air Force Gaming” (AFG), the official gaming and esports program for the Department of the Air Force. Since its inception, AFG has grown to over 25,000 members composed of Total-Force personnel from all branches of service, Veterans, Retirees, USAFA/ROTC Cadets and their dependents. Mike leads an enterprise of almost 200 globally dispersed volunteers in providing MWR & Esports opportunities for the community, but more importantly hosts cross functional teams in Diversity & Inclusion, STEM, Mental Health, Warfighter Development and more. Those teams enable Mike’s primary focus of changing the Dept of Defense’s views of gaming, from “gaming as entertainment” to “gaming as a tool”. "GSD".
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesullivan214/
Danny Rumley - Disaster Outreach Manager
Danny is a father, husband, writer, and Army leader with 12+ years of active-duty time who specializes in team management, strategic planning, tactical communications, and social media networking. He is also the Weekly Interceptors' social media director and content creator which provides air and missile defense news & education over social media platforms. As an advent console gamer and trading card collector Dany spends most of the time exercising and enjoying the family.
His career is supported by a M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from American Public University, M.S. in Homeland Security from San Diego State University, a Masters of Operation from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College and a vast breath of Technical and Leadership Certifications. He will finish his Doctorate in Management with a concentration of Global Leadership Fall of 2022. a vast breath of Technical and Leadership Certifications.
Trent Watson - LARP Relations Manager, Co-Founder
Trent has been an avid gamer since the late 80's. His background includes both console and computer gaming, as well as various LARPS and tabletop RPGs. He has a Bachelors degree from Florida State University in Sociology. Trent has also served on numerous anime convention boards, including as Chairman of Anime South. Currently, he resides in Panama City where he works at Publix Supermarkets as a manager and helps run a local Amtgard park.
CSM (R) Jerry Jacobitz - Senior Military Advisor
Jerry E. Jacobitz is a retired Command Sergeant Major who served in the United States Army and is a Soldier for Life. Over 30 plus years in the military, Jerry was a staunch advocate for the all the Soldiers in his formation(s). In his new life after retirement, he is pursuing his passion to advocate for military service members and veterans.
He was raised in rural Nebraska and Iowa, where learned the importance of faith, family, and loyalty that served him well in the Army. In the small town atmosphere, he was an early adopter of gaming and gaming culture, sharing a natural affinity for gaming on Apple IIe, Atari, and Nintendo. At one time being the only person in his town to own the first generation of Nintendo.
CSM (R) Jacobitz began his incredible Army Career as an 11B after graduating One Stop Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1992. In 1997 he transitioned from the infantry to Air Defense Artillery (ADA), where he would ultimately retire as the Command Sergeant Major of the largest Air Defense command in the free world at the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (32nd AAMDC). He served in every Leadership position from Team Leader to Nominative Command Sergeant Major.
He is a veteran that served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Serving more than seven years deployed in 9 different countries, he also earned two Bronze Stars and Two Legion of Merits amongst many other military awards.
Today Jerry Jacobitz is an advocate for Veterans and the gaming community, who currently resides in El Paso Texas with his amazing family.
Alex Sellers - Director of Cyber Security
Alex is a cyber security engineer with several years of experience in security, IT, and the gaming industry. He started out hacking video games growing up, from several well-known real time strategy games and first-person shooters, to tinkering with game code to better understand how it works.
Alex has extensive professional experience with cloud and infrastructure security, vulnerability management, application security, and developing tools to secure many different environments. In his free time, he helps manage and administrate a high-volume gaming and computing community, organizing events for fun and for community outreach.
Terrell Bennett - Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Terrell studied psychology at Florida A&M University and has been able to use the discipline of martial arts as a counselor and mentor for adolescents. In 1992 Terrell first heard the words “FINISH HIM”, and immediately took to Mortal Kombat and fighting games. His love of fighting games inspired him to become a 15 year practitioner of Taekwondo, where he obtained his 4th degree black belt. He was selected to serve as program director and senior instructor for Killearn Lakes Taekwondo in Tallahassee, FL.
Terrell serves as a consultant and account manager for cellular sales. He has set his eyes on serving the community, as he seeks to obtain a “FLAWLESS VICTORY” with UKnightedXP and communities in Northwest Florida.
AJ Flanders - Community Outreach Volunteer
AJ is a retired correctional officer and formerly served as a CNA for the Inspector General. He is an avid console gamer. AJ was specifically chosen and asked to serve as a local steward of Volunteer efforts. He has a passion for serving others and enjoys spending time on the range and volunteering to train local families and law enforcement on firearms safety.
‘There is nothing better than seeing smiling faces. I love that.’ – AJ Flanders
Mikomi Chan - Esports Consultant, Diversity and Inclusion Officer
Mikomi has been working in the geek entertainment space for a decade with live events, costume design and modeling, education, and esports. Through her costuming work Mikomi has won multiple awards, featured in numerous publications, magazines, television shows, and news outlets. Mikomi has traveled the country and internationally to teach and mentor aspiring cosplayers.
In 2017, Mikomi shifted focus and signed as the first female Overwatch team captain in North America to Pridestark Gaming. In her two-year run with the organization, she won multiple Top 2 placements, and was voted to multiple tournament All-Star teams. After retiring as a player, Mikomi decided to go into marketing and entrepreneurship. She founded Hope Entertainment at the end of 2020, and her company was recently acquired by Pridestark Empire.
Mikomi is also professional shout caster, coach, streamer, and esports public speaker.
Nathan Holt - Board Member, SEO
Nathan is a lead analyst with Crossroads Missions’ — Storytellers. He has worked all over the world helping non-profits, travel teams, and ministries abroad both as a technical director, editor, multi-media GURU and also helping to ensure financial sustainment of other charitable missions.
'I am truly excited to be a part of UKnightedXP’s story and the impact we can make together as a UKnighted group. ' - Nathan
David Irwin - Artist
David currently serves with the United States Navy as a medical healthcare professional. Beginning in the 1980s, Gaming has been an integral part of his upbringing. During childhood, he was encouraged to build and advance his technical knowledge through desktops and consoles. He discovered his passionate and pursuit in life to never be complacent, and to continuously advance, helping to create the image what a gamer can be, he is looking to bring gamers into the public eye as a force for good.
‘If every gamer could just reach out and do one thing to improve their community, amazing things would be accomplished.’ - David
Kyle Evers - Gaming Consultant
Kyle’s background is in public relations, education, and insurance services. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Florida. He is dedicated to improving communities and passionate about mobilizing gamers for the greater good. Kyle serves as a volunteer coach for youth athletics in his local area and believes wholeheartedly that sports and Esports are an excellent way to unite people and improve lives.
Kyle has been gaming his entire life and plays numerous PC, console, and trading card games. In addition to gaming, he plays the guitar, and is an avid outdoorsman. He lives in Pace, Florida with his wife, son, and two dogs.