By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–The Sports San Diego Board of Directors has elected Dr. Nancy Rohland-Heinrich as president of the non-profit organization for 2025. She succeeds Jackie Reed.
Before her new leadership role, Rohland-Heinrich worked with National University for 45 years and currently serves as executive vice president of Community Engagement. She also serves on various non-profit boards and received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the SD Business Journal. She earned her Ed.D. from UC San Diego.
Additional officers elected include Roger Dougherty, president-elect, Steve Martin, treasurer, Shelley Zimmerman, secretary, and Jackie Reed, immediate past president.
“Sports San Diego is expanding our scope of work for the San Diego region, which will result in considerably larger impacts for our community,” Rohland-Heinrich said. “I look forward to working side by side with a great group of civic-minded San Diegans and making a difference for our community through sports.”
Formerly known as the San Diego Bowl Game Association, Sports San Diego has produced the annual Holiday Bowl college football game since 1978. In 2022, the organization embarked on a major phase of growth by integrating the region’s sports commission. That momentum continued in 2023 with the launch of the Rady Children’s Invitational men’s college basketball tournament and the addition of the California State Games under Sports San Diego’s management.
Recognizing that San Diego is a premier tourist destination, the mission of Sports San Diego, a non-profit 501c3 organization, is to generate tourism, visibility, and economic impact for the San Diego region by producing the Rady Children’s Invitational, Holiday Bowl, California State Games, and recruiting outstanding sports events and experiences to San Diego. Since 1978, the association has generated over $1 billion in economic benefit for the San Diego region.
