Meet our fantastic team.
We’re a talented group of creative individuals interested in fencing, community, sport, Durham, and all niches in between. Get to know us and what we can do for you!
Our Board Members are Annette Moore, Jen Oldham, Jacki Silar, Allison Coovadia, James Dobbins, Will Clark, Cathleen Randall, and Caroline Dikibo
Caroline Dikibo
Board Member
Caroline began fencing at Cypress Falls High School in Houston, TX and then fenced varsity epee at the University of Notre Dame. As a member of the Notre Dame team, she won the 2011 NCAA Championship and was named the NAACP’s Image Award Athlete of the Year. Caroline has coached in Houston, Loudon County, Durham, and Citizens Schools.
Jacki Silar
Board Member
A member of the Duke Athletics staff since 1979, Jacki Silar serves as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator. On December 12, 2019, Silar announced her retirement from Duke, effective June 30, 2020. Read more here.
Cathleen Randall
Board Member
Cathleen applies her experience as a competitive fencer, fencing coach, classroom teacher, instructional technologist, museum educator, and professional development provider at Forge Fencing Academy and Club, on the board of WFencing, Inc., and here at Forge Teams, Inc.
Annette Moore
Board Member
Coming Soon!
James Dobbins
Board Member
James has been a charter member of the Forge Fencing community since its inception. He is a vet fencer and unofficial tactics coach. While he is a practicing attorney with over 30 years of experience, both as a corporate general counsel and litigator, he also brings skills in corporate strategy and human resource issues. Supposedly semi-retired, he sits on several for-profit and nonprofit boards, actively consults on corporate and legal issues, and is a certified mediator in the North Carolina Superior Courts. In the past, he has served on the board of a nonprofit preschool organization as well as the advisory school board for a public elementary school, and coached as a certified youth soccer coach. James received his BA from Drew University and law degree from Fordham University.
Jen Oldham
Board Member
Jen is a Fencing Master, Sport Entrepreneur and Coach. She was worked locally and internationally in fencing in Durham beginning in 2007.
Allison Coovadia
Board Member
As a Durham native, Allison applies her experience as an event coordinator, career advisor, extensive travel, and a lifetime of volunteer work with organizations like Family Connects Durham, Durham Public Schools, Expedition School, Girls on the Run, and the YMCA at the Forge Foundation.
Will Clark
Board Member
Coming Soon!
Committees
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Governance
The Governance Committee shall nominate officers and directors for election and shall be responsible for ongoing review and recommendations to enhance the policies, participation, performance, and future viability of the Board of Directors. The Governance Committee will consist solely of members of the Board of Directors and shall not include the Chair or Vice Chair of the Board; one or more designated staff members may serve as staff to the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee members shall be elected at the annual Board of Directors’ meeting. The members of the Governance Committee shall choose their own chair by majority vote.
Development
The Resource Development Committee shall have the responsibility of seeking funds necessary for the operation and maintenance of Forge Teams. This function may be accomplished by seeking funds through governmental budgets, grants, corporate sponsors, personal contributions, in-kind services, special fundraising events and similar resources. A member of the Board shall serve as Chair and voting member of this committee.
Finance
The Finance Committee shall review all financial statements and reports, approve decisions to obtain bank loans, interact with the outside auditors, assure adequate insurances are in place to protect the Corporation, its Employees, Officers and Directors, and monitor preparation of all financial plans and forecasts. The Finance Committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer. Three Board of Directors will compose this committee.
Leadership
This committee’s function is to advise the Board of Directors with programmatic objectives for leadership initiatives. This committee shall provide guidance and input on the creation of events and programs and work with the Equity Modeling Committee on measurements and outcomes.
Equity Modeling
This committee’s function is to advise the Board of Directors with programmatic objectives relating to equity. They will operationalize and evaluate what it means to approach sports from an equity mindset.
Audit
The Audit Committee shall review and analyze the financial statements and audit for the previous year and submit their findings and recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer may not serve on the Audit Committee. Each year, the Board Chair shall select three (3) or more persons to serve on an Audit Committee and designate one of them as the Chair