The Foundation commits funding to build to Agassi Center for Education at Child Haven, Clark County’s Child Protective Services. This will give children in protective custody the ability to continue their studies while at Child Haven.
AAFE creates Agassi Center for Education at Child Haven, Nevada’s only public shelter for abused and neglected children. The Agassi Center for Education offers classes to children under protective custody and helps them keep up with their schoolwork.
AAFE opens the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club in West Las Vegas. The new 25,000 square-foot facility includes two tennis courts, a basketball court, a computer lab, and a library. Colin Powell congratulates the Andre Agassi Club for being the nation’s 2,000th Boys & Girls Club.
AAFE provides support to the Nevada Tennis Association’s “Project Serve” program, Assistance League of Las Vegas’ “Operation School Bell” program, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas and Class! Publications.
The inaugural “Grand Slam for Children” brings together a star-studded lineup, including Sir Elton John, Oleta Adams, Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Robin Williams and Wynonna, to raise $1.8M for AAFE. Proceeds support community programs that help underserved children.
Andre Agassi establishes the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation (AACF) to improve the lives of children, with an initial focus on educational, recreational and social service programs.
Las Vegas, NV
Director, Wynn Resorts
Relationship to Foundation: “Godmother,” Donor, Partner, Sponsor and Former Advisory Board Member
1. How were you introduced to the Foundation?
Meeting with Perry Rogers and Andre.
2. How many years have you been involved with Foundation?
Prior to change of charter school laws in Nevada.
3. Why do you support the Foundation?
The mission is compelling. To provide equal opportunities to all children.
4. How do you see Foundation and Agassi Prep impacting the greater good? Setting a great example.
We know that all children, no matter what their circumstances, have needs that exist beyond school. When these needs are not met they can dramatically interfere with a child’s ability to learn. When a school recognizes this reality and works to improve the conditions of the whole child, without compromising the quality of their education, you have a successful result. That’s what this place strives to do.
“This school has become the beacon that Andre hoped it would be. It serves as a successful model certainly of a charter school but more important, as a model for what every school could be.”
Las Vegas, NV
Director of Nevada Giving, The Lincy Foundation
Relationship to Foundation: Foundation Advisory Board Member.
Lindy Schumacher is Chief Executive Officer of Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to having a long-term, meaningful impact on college attendance and graduation rates for students growing up in economically and educationally under-resourced communities in greater Las Vegas.
Through in-depth and individualized support, the Fulfillment Fund helps students growing up in under-resourced communities defy the odds and achieve the dream of a college education. Originally founded in Los Angeles in 1977, the Fulfillment Fund has a 35-year track record of helping young people overcome obstacles to graduate high school, go to college, and reach their full potential. Whereas nationally, only 54% of high school graduates in low-income communities go on to college, 94% of Fulfillment Fund high school graduates in Los Angeles planned to go on to college in 2012.
Prior to taking the helm of Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas, Schumacher was Director of Nevada Giving for the Dream Fund at UCLA (previously the Lincy Foundation), an organization that has steeped itself in the community with a goal to create sustainable change by supporting efforts focused on education, health and social services initiatives.
Schumacher brings a wealth of knowledge through her background in finance and accounting, specifically through her role as a senior auditor for Arthur Andersen and as CFO for The Las Vegas Monorail Company. A graduate of the University of Southern California (USC), Schumacher earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1997.
An education activist, Schumacher has served on the advisory board of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education since 2009 as well as serving on United Way Board with a special emphasis on early education. Schumacher lives in Las Vegas with her husband and three young children who proudly attend the Clark County School District.
Las Vegas, NV
President & Chief Executive Officer Las Vegas Monorail Company
Relationship to Foundation: Agassi Prep Advisory Board Member
Shawn Cable is the Chief Financial Officer for both the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and Agassi Graf and has been with both organizations since 2008.
Prior to joining the Agassi Graf, Shawn worked for Syncon Homes, a regional real estate developer focused on residential homebuilding, commercial & golf course properties, where he was the Corporate Controller for all divisions. His primary responsibilities were financial reporting, project analysis and working with government agencies. Before Syncon Homes, Shawn worked for a number of both publicly-held and private real estate development companies focused on residential and commercial development throughout the United States.
After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1995, Shawn joined Enterprise Leasing Company as an Area Coordinator and was responsible for financial reporting, corporate audits and new retail setup for locations in Arizona and Nevada. In May of 2000, Shawn earned his Masters in Business Administration, from UNLV.
Julie Pippenger is the Chief Operating Officer of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, she joined the Foundation in 1997. For two years, she also served as Chief Operating Officer for the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a Clark County independent public charter school. In these capacities, she was involved on a daily basis with myriad activities pertaining to both the Foundation and Agassi Prep, including overseeing design and construction of the school and subsequent expansions (a $40 million project), managing fiscal affairs, strategic planning, coordinating fund-raising efforts such as the annual Grand Slam For Children (which over the past 14 years has raised more than $70 million), and submitting grant applications to various funding sources.
Prior to her current position, Julie served as a special events supervisor for the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and worked on the Grand Slam for Children event, which eventually led her to join the Foundation in 1997.
Julie received her BS in Travel and Tourism from Niagara University in New York, and has served on numerous boards in the Las Vegas area, such as, the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas for which the Foundation funded and built the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club that opened in 1998. Her contributions to the community have garnered several awards including the “Woman & Youth” award in 2000 as well as a “Hometown Heroes” award in 2006.
Evy is the executive assistant to the CEO, Steve Miller. She joined the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education in 2008.
Evy works closely with Steve to manage his various obligations inside and outside the Foundation and Agassi Graf Holdings. Among her responsibilities are the coordination and scheduling of meetings, travel and logistics for both entities. Evy and Steve have worked together since 1992.
Prior to joining the Foundation and Agassi Graf Holdings, she was office manager for the Professional Bowlers Association for 8 years. Other experience includes 8 years of banking and 12 years in the athletic footwear and apparel industry, for Nike, Inc. and Avia Athletic Footwear. While at Nike, she worked with the Agassi Foundation coordinating Steve Miller’s involvement as a founding Board member and Nike’s support of the Foundation. Additionally, she worked in Nike’s Tennis Sports Marketing.
Evy attended Brigham Young University and Portland State University, with an emphasis on finance and accounting.
Steve Miller is the Chief Executive Officer of Agassi Graf Holdings. He is responsible for the leadership and operation of three for-profit entities (Agassi Graf Holdings, Agassi Ventures LLC, and Stefanie Graf Ventures LLC) plus one non-profit foundation (Andre Agassi Foundation for Education). Miller oversees the staff and manages the financial portfolios of all four properties. He is responsible for the coordination of business ventures, strategies, and personnel evaluations, as well as managing and representing the Agassi Graf Lifestyle brand.
As CEO of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, Miller is responsible for the leadership and operation of the Foundation enterprise, and managing the financial portfolio.
He is a visionary, a passionate and progressive leader with the broad institutional experience and the intellect necessary to motivate and lead a diverse team of professionals. He participates personally and sets the example for dynamic, aggressive fundraising, managing foundation assets and effectively partnering with the board of directors.
Miller brings a wealth of experience to these positions. Most recently, he was the CEO of Power Plate International, and the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has served as a senior analyst and adjunct professor at the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. Acting as a key industry specialist, he worked with the Warsaw Center on a variety of initiatives, including industry outreach and research.
From 2000-2005, Miller was President & CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association in Seattle. In his five years at the PBA, he was responsible for revamping the organization, bringing membership to an all-time high, negotiating two exclusive television deals with ESPN, and increasing sponsorship from
2 sponsors in 2000 to 17 for the 2004-05 PBA Tour season.
Miller is also well known in the world of sports marketing, having served as Director of Global Sports Marketing during his 10 years at Nike. While at Nike, Miller served in numerous positions, including Director of Athletics, Director of U.S. Sports Marketing, Director of Sports Marketing for the Asia Pacific Region and Director of NCAA Sports Marketing. He also oversaw Nike’s $100 million investment in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Miller has been named NCAA ‘Coach of the Year’ five times and is a member of four Halls of Fame. He is a member of the Board of Directors of USA Track & Field, and the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation. Miller is a highly sought-after lecturer on topics ranging from motivation to executive leadership. He has a B.S. in English literature and physical education from Bradley University, and an M.S. in physical education and biomechanical analysis from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.