Soldiers To Sidelines Blog

The Honorable James D. Rodriguez is the University of Health and Performance (UHP) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development. James brings over 30 years of experience spanning the U.S. government and corporate sectors. He has previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Veterans’ Employment and Training at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL VETS), where he was responsible for preparing America’s veterans, service members, and their spouses for meaningful careers post service.

As UHP forges ahead in their quest to transform the cycle of military transition for our nation’s veterans, James’s vast experience and leadership are instrumental in advancing the UHP mission and strengthening their partnerships with both government and industry.

Prior to UHP, Mr. James Rodriguez was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Office of Warrior Care Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense. In this role, Mr. Rodriguez served as the principal advisor on the coordination of recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for wounded, ill, and injured service members across the military departments.

Prior to his selection as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Mr. Rodriguez was the Director for Veteran and Wounded Warrior programs at BAE Systems. In that capacity, he acted as the Corporate Liaison for the White House Joining Forces initiative to senior military leaders, government officials, and nonprofit organizations, increasing the footprint of our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured across all spectrums.

Mr. Rodriguez served twenty-one years in the United States Marine Corps in numerous leadership and management positions. He deployed to over 11 countries around the world and served in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Eastern Exit-Somalia, and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his final duty assignment at Balboa Naval Hospital, he was the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Officer in Charge of the Wounded Warrior Battalion, where he was responsible for the transition, development, and education of service members with service-connected disabilities.

Mr. Rodriguez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland, University College, and a Master of Arts Degree in International Commerce and Policy from the George Mason University School of Public Policy.

Del Smith, who boasts over 14 years of coaching experience, including three seasons at Wagner and, most recently, the last three seasons as the head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA DII), was named Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at Wagner in February, 2019.

Over his three seasons at West Virginia Wesleyan, Smith guided a program turnaround which was impressive on multiple fronts. In 2016, Smith inherited a 2-8 football team with an average margin of defeat of 32 points per game. In his second year at the helm, Smith led the Bobcats to their highest Mountain East Conference (MEC) finish since the inception of the league, a fourth-place showing (out of 11 teams). Most notable, was Wesleyan’s win over of Notre Dame (OH), the eight-ranked team in Super Region 1. In addition, during Smith’s three-year tenure, a host of Bobcats received conference and national recognition. In total, 16 West Virginia Wesleyan players received All-Conference recognition in the Mountain East. Smith mentored the conference leader in sacks, interceptions, all-purpose yardage, rushing yards, and fumble recoveries.

Senior defensive end, Kevin Pharoan, led the MEC in sacks and was a Cliff Harris Award finalist in 2016. Senior running back, Michael Anderson, was recognized as Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, AFCA 1st Team All-American, Don Hanson 3rd Team All-America, D2Football.com All-American, 1st Team All Super Region 1, 1st Team Mountain East Conference.

Prior to his arrival at WVWC, Coach Smith was the defensive coordinator at Bridgewater College in Virginia (NCAA Division III). During the 2015 season, Smith’s defense led the competitive Old Dominion Athletic Conference in passing defense yielding just 174.8 yards per game and pass efficiency defense at 116.1.

Smith spent three years as the head football coach of Bishop O’Connell High School in the nationally recognized and competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

During his tenure, Smith led the Knights to their first three-year stretch without a losing season in more than four decades. Coach Smith was recognized for the turnaround in 2012-13 as he was awarded Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and Arlington County coach of the year honors. Over a three year period, Smith placed over 16 student-athletes on college rosters and managed the schools strength and conditioning program.

In 2010, Coach Smith was the linebackers coach and special team’s coordinator at Bridgewater College. During the 2010 season, Coach Smith’s kickoff return unit finished 3rd nation in return yardage averaging 25.37 yards per return. Overall, special team’s units blocked nine kicks.

From 2008-10, Coach Smith was the head football coach at Blue Ridge School outside of Charlottesville, VA. In 2009-10, Smith led the Barons to their first state championship game appearance in over a decade and a half. Smith was recognized in 2009 as the Virginia Independent and Old Dominion Football Conference coach of the year for his efforts. Prior to his three-year stint at Wagner (2006-08), he began his career as the Bobcats’ linebackers coach in 2005.

Smith, is a 2005 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan where he was four-year member of the football program and a member of the consecutive conference championship teams in 2002 and 2003. Before enrolling at West Virginia Wesleyan, Smith was a 2001 graduate of Benedictine College Preparatory School in Richmond, VA, where he was a member of the 2001 State Championship teams in both football and baseball.

Del Smith is currently Vice President of Mission at Benedictine Schools of Richmond.

President & CEO – RR Donnelley

Mr. Quinlan currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of RR Donnelley. He is a seasoned executive with significant experience leading and growing business-to-business manufacturing and services companies. He is deeply familiar with RRD and the print and digital marketing and business communications industries, having served as President and Chief Executive Officer of RRD from 2007 to 2016, and Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of LSC Communications from 2016 to 2020 following its spin-off from RRD.

Mr. Quinlan holds an MBA in finance from St. John’s University, which recognized him with its Outstanding Alumni Achievement Medal in 2010, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Pace University, which conferred upon him an honorary doctorate in Commercial Science and presented him with its 46th Leaders in Management Award in 2009. The Advisory Board of New York University’s Graphic Communications Management and Technology Program chose Mr. Quinlan to receive its 2011 Prism Award, which recognizes distinguished leadership in the graphic communications media industry.

Mr. Quinlan is active in supporting organizations that focus on literacy, health, and development and serves on the Board of Trustees for Pace University, the YMCA of Greater New York, the American Ireland Fund, and the Army War College Board of Visitors. In 2011, Mr. Quinlan received the AJC’s National Human Relations Award, which honors professional and philanthropic leadership.

President & Founder

Harrison founded Soldiers To Sidelines (STS) and has served as executive director since May 2014. STS evolved from a passion project to a burgeoning nonprofit once Harrison resigned from coaching college and professional football to focus 100% on the STS mission. Harrison was able to attract key advisors and officers to help steward the mission. Since 2018, the board has grown to over 21 leaders in the military, sports, and business, and has built a staff of 9 employees. Harrison led his team to develop key partners and sponsors such as USO, Team RWB, Wounded Warrior Project, Women Veterans Alliance, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, the Randy Walker Legacy Foundation and the NFL NY Jets. In fact, he was awarded the NFL Salute To Service Nomination by the NY Jets for the second time this past year.

Most recently Harrison authored and published “The Everyday Coach: Harnessing the Magic of Influence.” The book is provided free to every STS Soldier Coach and all profits from sales support Soldiers To Sidelines. Harrison also hosts “Harrison Bernstein’s Everyday Coach,” an accompanying podcast that highlights leadership lessons learned from military heroes, business executives, and coaches to steward the craft of coaching in everyday life. In the past, Harrison has coached football and sports performance for several teams in the NFL, NCAA DIV I, II, and III, and at the high school level. While coaching, Harrison taught in the Master’s Program of Exercise Science at George Washington University for seven years. Harrison graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a BA in Economics, was voted captain of the football team, and earned All American honors for three years and Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1997. He lives with his wife, Laura Olenderski, in Denver, CO.

Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Trust and Escrow Services, Truist Bank

Rusty has extensive experience working with financial institutions and advising on capital markets transactions. Prior to joining Truist in 2019, he was a managing director at Promontory Interfinancial Network and a Senior Vice President at FBR & Co. He is a member of the Truist Bank Fiduciary Committee and serves on the President’s Advisory Council at Bridgewater College. An offensive skills specialist, Rusty has had successful assistant football coaching stints at Johns Hopkins University and his alma mater, Bridgewater College. In four years at JHU, he helped lead the Blue Jays to a 39-8 record, three Centennial Conference Champion titles, and two NCAA region titles, including the 2018 team that led the nation in total offense and first downs. At Bridgewater he helped the Eagles to a 17-13 record in three years as an assistant coach, was a member of the Bridgewater football team from 2000-02, and served as a student assistant coach on the 2003 final four team. Additionally, he helped the Eagles to a 45-6 record from 2000-03 and was a member of the 2001 team that finished as the national runner-up. The Eagles claimed three ODAC titles and two NCAA South Region championships during Rusty’s career. Rusty has a JD from George Mason University School of Law and is a member of the Virginia State Bar. He is also a graduate of Bridgewater College with a BS in Economics and minors in Business Administration and Philosophy & Religion.

Director, Army Futures Command, Raytheon Technologies – Missiles & Defense

John is responsible for developing relationships and understanding the capability needs of Army Futures Command in support of Army and Joint modernization efforts. He ensures Army Futures Command has a clear understanding of what industry can provide to help support their mission ranging across a broad portfolio of air and missile defense systems, long range precision weapons, radars, command and control systems, and advanced technologies. John is a retired, 30-year-career field Artillery U.S. Army officer and decorated combat veteran with multiple combat tours and decades of leadership experience. He commanded at every level up to Brigade. He has held multiple assignments in Europe and NATO, as well as in the United States. He has served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a senior advisor to multiple executive level leaders. He also brings invaluable experience from his private practice as a leadership advisor to both executives in the public and private sectors and sports team coaches at the high school through professional levels. John holds a bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy and two master’s degrees.

Plan Director, NFL Player Benefits

Michael has been overseeing the NFL Player Benefits Office since 2013. This office administers the Retirement Plan and other plans that provide benefits to current and former NFL Players, with total assets of over $9.5 billion. The other plans are the NFL Player Disability & Neurocognitive Benefit Plan, NFL Player Second Career Savings Plan, NFL Player Capital Accumulation Plan, NFL Player Annuity Program (which includes the NFL Player Tax-Qualified Annuity Plan), 88 Plan, and the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan. Previously, Michael was an associate partner at Aon Hewitt, a publicly traded Fortune 500 company. During his twelve years there, he was responsible for managing the local defined contribution record-keeping practice and providing stewardship to numerous retirement plans and investment trusts of the National Football League, its member clubs, and collectively bargained benefits of NFL Players. Michael earned his Master of Health Sciences degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as well as his undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. He holds the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation through the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). Michael is an active volunteer in his professional and local communities. As a committed member of the IFEBP, he regularly moderates and speaks at IFEBP national conferences. In his local community, Michael motivates his office staff to enhance the lives of underserved areas of Baltimore City by volunteering with Junior Achievement and Our Daily Bread.

Assistant Athletic Director and Head Lacrosse Coach, Georgetown College Preparatory School

Prior to becoming the head coach of Prep’s varsity lacrosse team, Scott was the University of the District of Columbia’s first-ever head men’s lacrosse coach. This followed 11 years as an assistant coach at Georgetown University where he served as the offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and man-up coach, and helped 24 players earn All-American accolades. Before his time at Georgetown, Urick spent one season as an assistant coach at Cornell University. Before coaching, Scott played professionally in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) for nine seasons with the New Jersey Pride and the Chesapeake Bayhawks. He retired as the third all-time leading goal scorer in MLL history, a four-time all-star selection, and Most Valuable Player of the 2002 MLL All-Star Game. In 2006, Scott led team USA to a silver medal in the World Lacrosse Championships and was the team’s leading scorer. Scott attended Georgetown University, where he graduated with a BA in Government and a minor in Theology, and was one of the most decorated players in the school’s lacrosse history. He was Georgetown’s all-time leading goal scorer with 144 goals, as well as a captain and All-American selection in both his junior and senior years. Scott is a member of the Potomac Chapter of the US Lacrosse, James W. Robinson High School, and Georgetown University Athletic halls of fame. He was selected to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Board of Directors in 2015. The son of coaching legend David Urick, Scott is the proud father of two sons, Parker and Ryan, and resides with them in Bethesda, MD.

CEO, Gameday in the USA

Marnie Schneider is CEO of the nonprofit Gameday and author of the book series “Gameday in the USA.” She is also an inspirational speaker and philanthropist whose activities exemplify her passion for sports and helping others achieve their own victories. Marnie’s focus on football and philanthropy is part of her family heritage. She is the granddaughter of Leonard Tose, former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles and founder of the Ronald McDonald House, and the daughter of Susan Tose Spencer, the first female GM of an NFL team as well as legal counsel and VP for the Eagles.

A Philadelphia native, Marnie graduated from Penn State with a journalism degree and now lives in Charlotte, NC.

Military Leadership Advisor

After the privilege of serving 34 years in the U.S. Army, Major General (ret.) Tim McGuire has leveraged his expertise and experience to help organizations and individuals excel. An Infantry officer, Tim led Airborne, Armored, Light, and Ranger units from the platoon level to three-star command with multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Diplomatic and Strategic History from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He received a Masters of Arts in International Studies from the Universidad de Chile in Santiago as an Olmsted Scholar and a Masters in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He is a member of the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), The Flag and General Officer Network (TFGON), and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).