July 19, 2006
Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky announced the hiring of two new employees to the league's staff on Wednesday along with four promotions and a pair of title changes. Robert Philippi will fill the newly created role of Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Academics, while Tod Meisner will fill the vacated role of Assistant Director of Media Relations.
The organization's promotions include Courtney Morrison-Archer to Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs, Keisha Dunlap to Director of Sports Services, Ryan Powell to Associate Director of Media Relations and Emily Agler to Associate Director of Marketing and Events. Russell Anderson moves from Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations to Assistant Commissioner for Football and Baseball Operations, while Monay Wallin takes on the new title of Director of Events.
Philippi joins the C-USA staff from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he held the titles of Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services from 2004-06, NCAA Compliance Specialist from 2002-04, Director of NCAA Compliance and Student Services from 1996-99 and Athletic Academic Advisor from 1995-96. In between his two stints at UNLV, Philippi worked on the NCAA staff in Indianapolis, Ind., as a Membership Services Representative from 1999-2002.
Philippi holds two degrees and is currently a doctoral student working towards his Ph.D. in Higher Education at UNLV. His degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in Management Information Systems from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Arts in Physical Education - Sports Administration from Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Meisner joins the league from the Missouri Valley Conference where he spent six months as the Valley's Assistant Director of Communications. While in St. Louis, he served as the primary contact for volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field and softball. Meisner will provide coverage for several of those same sports at C-USA.
Meisner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication from Illinois State University. Following graduation, he spent a year and a half in the SMU Athletic Department as a media relations assistant in the Mustangs' Athletic Media Relations office. During his first stint in the Metroplex, the Illinois native also served as a Public Relations Intern for the Dallas Cowboys.
