As UWBHF continues to expand and grow, we are excited to announce the formation of the UWBHF Community Support and Development Board. The board is comprised of four of the most influential leaders in the U.S. women’s ball hockey community, including Marcella Coulson (NYC), Jen Free (Pittsburgh, PA), Alessandra Glista (Boston, MA), and Beth Marhefka (Southern California). 

In late 2020, the women initially connected in a grassroots effort to share resources and provide support for women’s ball hockey endeavors in their respective communities. Over the course of the next year, their passion for the advancement of women’s ball hockey became evident. They set out to find a way to reach more women in an effort to share their collective passion and vision and serve the women’s ball hockey community on a national and potentially global scale. The women met with UWBHF leaders to propose a partnership, and the UWBHF Community Support and Development Committee was officially formed in August of 2021. 

The Community Support and Development Board will provide support for a multitude of issues faced by the women’s ball hockey community including equity, advancement, program and policy development, growth, networking, best practices, solutions development, and community engagement through education, resources and community connection. 

The board is here to support women in the ball hockey community in ways that meet their unique needs and can be reached via email at communitysupport@uwbhf.org.

MEET THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Marcella Coulson is an educator and entrepreneur from Ontario, Canada, who specializes in leadership, communications, and gender and equity research.  A natural organizer and empathic communicator, she is a visionary leader who excels at bringing people together using inclusive leadership. She is a conceptual thinker who intuitively grasps the big picture and develops a strategic approach by methodically presenting it in smaller yet meaningful parts. She is deeply committed to community building, gender and equity issues, and helping others set and achieve their goals. She is a Learning Coach, and co-founder and President of Women’s Ball Hockey NYC.

Jen Free is a writer, communications specialist, and entrepreneur from Pittsburgh, PA, with a strong background in leadership, business, website design, and marketing. Her core belief is that all things start and end with connections, and she is whole-heartedly committed to cultivating positive relationships with everyone she meets. She is deeply intuitive and genuinely interested in each person’s unique story and takes great joy in lending her talents to be of service to others. She is President and Chief Writer at Jennifer E. Free Creative Services, founder and President of the Pittsburgh Women’s Ball Hockey League Association, General Manager of the USA Ball Hockey Women’s Masters Teams, and Assistant IT Director at USABH. Most importantly, she is the proud mom of 2 young ball hockey players, ages 6 and 8, and the wife of a one very supportive husband.

Alessandra Glista has been involved with the USA Women’s Program since 2006 as a player. She has played on 10 US National Teams and  is a five-time silver medalist. She was named MVG of the ISBHF Master’s Tournament in 2016 and an All Star in the ISBHF Masters Tournament in 2017. In 2015 she, along with Sarah Wilson, Jason Glista and Karen Levin, saw a need in women’s ball hockey to start a community to unite women from across the country who love the sport. Together, they founded the nonprofit, The United Women’s Ball Hockey Foundation (UWBHF) to give female ball hockey players a voice and to ensure the growth of the sport. In 2019, Glista received her Nonprofit Management and Leadership certificate at Boston University and was recently named the Women’s National Teams Director for USA Ball Hockey.

Beth Marhefka is a transformation specialist, facilitator and cultivator of possibility, and entrepreneur living in Huntington Beach, CA. After 17 successful years in the corporate world, Beth left her career to follow a new and different path. She is now the founder of her own life and success coaching business, the SVP of CSR at the EMPowerplay Project, a startup coach and Passion-Based™ expert at The Passion Centre, and the Director of Pacific Coast Hockey. Beth believes that living in full alignment with your true passions and purpose are the true keys to happiness and success. She thrives on supporting others in identifying and living from that place of full alignment. Beth has played on three USA Women’s Masters Teams, is one of the Directors for the California Division of the NBHL, and a consultant for the EMP/USABH Alliance Partnership project.