PRESIDENT OF BOARD

Peter Henry is the Class of 1984 Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, senior fellow at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and dean emeritus of New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1969, Henry became a US citizen in 1986. Henry received his PhD in economics from MIT and bachelor’s degrees from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead-Cain Scholar, a member of Phi Beta Kappa, a reserve wide receiver on the football team, and a finalist in the 1991 campuswide slam dunk competition. He lives in Stanford and Düsseldorf with his wife and four sons.

In addition to TBFC, Peter serves on the board of Nike, Citigroup, and GE. He is also Principal Investigator of the Ph.D. Excellence Initiative, a fellowship program for minority scholars seeking admission to economics doctoral programs. Additionally, he led the economics advisory group for then-Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008 and was later appointed by Obama to the President's Commission on White House Fellowships. Peter knows firsthand the value of a good mentor and is proud to serve the next generation of young soccer players coming through the doors of Two Bridges FC.

CO-FOUNDER & BOARD MEMBER

An avid soccer player, Brian previously played professionally with Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C (Israel) and The New York Cosmos after graduating with honors from Cornell University. There, he earned Academic All-American Distinction and Ivy-League Team of the Year and was a member of the U-18 US National Team Pool in 2004.

A tireless worker, Ironman, and Marathoner, Brian also speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Mandarin while working over 90 hours a week. He also holds a Masters in Educational Leadership as well as a specialization in Performance Enhancement for Athletes from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He taught himself piano and guitar. Brian is a big believer in hard work achieving results. His grueling fitness sessions bring dismay in the moment, but the resulting mental fortitude is unparalleled.

BOARD MEMBER

Tom Costanzo is a Brooklyn native who has played soccer all his life, including collegiately as a goalkeeper at Yale University. From there, Tom went on to become the VP of acquisitions at Vornado Trust before moving into a similar role at Callahan Capital and then finally into his current role at Fosun Hive. Fosun is a multi-format and full-strategy global landscape group with 130 projects managed/owned across 4 continents. Tom continues to show his dedication to growing the beautiful game through his work with Two Bridges FC.

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Born in Dortmund but raised in NYC, Max has played and coached in both the US and Europe. Playing in Germany at the U19 Bundesliga level before heading back to the states to pursue his studies at Columbia and then later Cornell University.

Upon graduating with a degree in economics, Max spent a few years in the corporate world before launching The Fussball Project, a company dedicated to helping domestic players land pro soccer opportunities in Europe. Later, he launched New Amsterdam Football Club (NAFC), a pro soccer team competing in the US 3rd division (NISA). He served as sporting director at NAFC, managing day-to-day sporting and business operations before co-founding Two Bridges FC. He currently holds his UEFA B license.

CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

With an innate sense to capture the grit behind NYC’s skyscrapers, Michael leads TBFC’s Communications and Media team with a diverse background in Music, Advertising, and NYC Real Estate. Michael was part of the founding team at New Amsterdam FC, and when the TBFC opportunity came about, Michael didn’t think twice. The ability to capture the story of TBFC’s birth through the lens of someone who’s seen the ups and downs of this great city. The players, culture and future fans are deeply woven into the organization.

CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF STRATEGY

Growing up in New York, Arik would watch football every weekend with his father and brother. Having experienced working across 5 continents, Arik has been inspired to dedicate his career to using football as a means for social change. His experiences with streetfootballworld, professional clubs Maccabi Tel Aviv and Accra Hearts of Oak, and working within European fan-culture at UEFA funded SD Europe, have shaped his path to being a part of Two Bridges FC. Arik is responsible for developing the strategic infrastructure of Two Bridges FC and expanding the possibilities for program participants.

DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING

Kelly has more than 25 years of experience in developing corporate philanthropy and fundraising programs with corporations and nonprofits across the U.S. and globally. Her expertise includes strategic planning, partnership development, fundraising strategies and communications integration. Kelly has worked with clients in many industries including retail, luxury, consumer packaged goods, education and social services. She has helped build corporate philanthropy platforms from the ground up, executed high profile cause marketing programs, global events and multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns. Kelly is a graduate of Columbia University and resides in New York City with three children from elementary school to college who are avid soccer players. Kelly is deeply committed to changing and improving the soccer landscape in the U.S. to give equitable access to children and teens from under-resourced communities, using soccer as a means to teach vital life skills, and enabling more student athletes to have the opportunity to pursue soccer in college and beyond.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER

Kim comes to you with 15 years of educational experience.  Including, Program Director in NYC youth programming, managing over 500 students.  Designed and implemented programming, including arts, academics, and sports. Currently, working in special education with students with learning disabilities at an independent K-12 school.   Prior to her career in education, Kim was an entrepreneur and investor,  she successfully started and sold her own retail business.  She looks forward to sharing her knowledge and experience to help guide the student-athletes toward success.

ELA / ACADEMIC OFFICER

Jenny currently works as a Supervising Aide at a public middle school in Brooklyn, NY where she manages a large support staff and the daily operations of 1700 students. She holds a Bachelors in English Literature and Political Science from New York University. As an all-around communicator with a deep love of narrative, she is also a private writing coach who firmly believes in a growth-minded mentorship approach to guide students through their adventures in writing. She is a devotee of compassionate editing that amplifies a writer's strengths and seeks to balance her own sensibilities with attention to the problem areas her students have identified in their work. Her specialties include college essay mentoring, where she has guided many students through the stressful essay process, helping them craft writing pieces to access their highest college aspirations. She is excited to support Two Bridges FC student athletes as an academic resource.

PRESIDENT OF ASSOCIATE BOARD

Andrew Borts is a Multi-Asset Portfolio Manager within the Outsourced Chief Investment Office at Morgan Stanley responsible for developing investment strategies, constructing portfolios, and selecting investment managers on behalf of endowment, foundation, and corporate trust clients. Prior to his current role he served as an investment strategist within the Global Investment Office at Morgan Stanley.

Prior to joining Morgan Stanley Andrew spent time at UBS, S&P Global and a boutique asset management firm with a focus on equity research and portfolio construction.

Andrew received a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Sacred Heart University where he captained the school’s division one men’s soccer team. He also received an M.Sc. in Finance from Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon, Portugal.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Ashton Miller graduated from Duke with a degree in Psychology and Business. Throughout her time there as a student-athlete and captain of the Duke Women’s Soccer team she gained experience working in the consumer insight space at Nike. She was also heavily involved in the policy and advocacy for athletes’ mental health as she held a three-year position on the NCAA Student Athletic Advisory Committee. She went on to play professional soccer domestically and internationally where she also worked at a Czech street fashion brand.

Since retiring from soccer she has worked for creative agencies SS+K and Edelman, where she has executed 360 marketing campaigns for everything from start ups to corporate giants. Namely she has worked for the NCAA, Google, eBay, Whatsapp, Imagine Learning, Wells Fargo and a THC seltzer start up. She has also dove into freelance photography, shooting everything from portraits to events to art photography.

Outside of work, she is focused on using soccer as a tool to push the world forward. She recently completed a short film around the Women’s World Cup with a focus on the USWNT and also curated and produced a gallery at Art Basel Miami focused on growing soccer culture in America.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Adam Lassner currently serves as Vice President of Global Sports Sponsorships at Citi. His small team shapes Citi’s global sports sponsorship portfolio and currently manages the firm’s high-profile sponsorships with properties like the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team, PARASPORT, over 20 National Paralympic Committees, and over 30 Paralympic athletes.

Adam is also an entrepreneur as the founder of Adam Benedict, a wristwatch brand which promotes mindful breathing and the present moment. The brand launched with a full feature in The New York Times in early 2022.

As a Fulbright Scholar in 2021, he conducted research at the University of Valencia on Spanish soccer fans' perspectives on the commercialization and globalization of their sport. Adam graduated Magna Cum Laude New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. He was the Undergraduate Convocation Student Speaker, a Dean's List honoree for multiple years, and received the Founders' Day Award.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Born in Bangkok and raised in the states, Matthew has played soccer all his life including collegiately as a goalkeeper at the University of Virginia. From there, Matthew has built a career in advertising, with an ongoing 7+ year tenure at Google within their Media & Entertainment vertical. He is heavily involved in the NYC soccer community, having trained young goalkeepers and still plays multiple times a week. He continues to be committed to evolving the soccer landscape in the U.S. to provide more equitable access to kids from all communities, allowing them the chance to play the beautiful game in youth and beyond.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Growing up in Chicago, Tobi discovered his love for soccer at an early age, playing with friends and local kids in the neighborhood whenever he could. He went on to play collegiate soccer at the University of Pennsylvania, captaining the team during his senior year. While building a successful career in finance and strategy, Tobi's passion for soccer has always remained steadfast. Beyond the field, he believes in soccer's unique ability to create structure, foster community, and cultivate lifelong relationships.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Omer is a dynamic professional thriving at the intersection of arts and sciences. Born in Israel and raised in Sunnyvale, California, he connects diverse worlds with excitement. A dedicated Manchester United fan from a family steeped in football tradition, with one grandfather a former professional player and another a professional agent. Omer has played since age four, captained his Earthquakes club team, and trained with UCLA after an ACL reconstruction.

He holds a BS in Neuroscience with a Minor in Theater from UCLA, where he was the graduation speaker, and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. With experience as a growth strategist in experiential education, tech, and management consulting, Omer now works at Arch Capital Group managing performance at the intersection of IT and the Business. Additionally, he is an IsraeliFood Tour Guide in NYC and produces charity fundraiser shows through Hit Production Co. Finally, Omer maintains a 100% coaching record with one Beach Soccer Tournament coached and won in 2016.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Adam leads Sports Sponsorships at TelevisaUnivision - helping drive commercial partnerships for Liga MX, the most-watched soccer league in North America. Prior to TelevisaUnivision, Adam's career includes roles at both Turner Sports and NBC Sports, where he has experience working on a variety of sports properties. Adam is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and serves as an ambassador for the annual Michigan Sports Business Conference, the largest student-led conference of its kind.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Thomas Strackhouse is currently a First Vice President at Morgan Stanley where he recently merged his wealth management practice with the KZR Private Wealth team. He has been in this space since 2011 and has spent time at Merrill Lynch and Equitable Advisors.

Thomas keeps to his soccer roots by competing in the NYC Bowery league and was the be captain of the New York Athletic club. He graduated from Boston University where he played for the men’s soccer team and had playing stints in Italy and Switzerland before he decided to pursue a career in finance. Like many washed up athletes, he has recently picked up golf as an obsessive hobby.

Thomas currently resides in Hoboken with his wife Laura, his stepdaughter Victoria, and dog Jordan.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Ali was born and raised in Allentown, PA to an Iranian immigrant father and American mother. His love for the beautiful game came naturally thanks to his father who had been involved in the sport, in some capacity, from a young age. Ali attended and played all 4 years at Lehigh University, where he was an all-conference player and captain. During the summers, while still in school, he played for FC Sonic Lehigh Valley who competed in the NPSL and was an integral part of the team that won the national championship in 2012. During his junior and senior years he spent time coaching and training with Perfect Touch Soccer, which he would join full time after graduating in 2015. He moved to NYC in 2017 to pursue a career in finance and currently works at Ares Management LLC, which he joined in 2021 after several years at Barclays. Since moving to the city he’s competed in the Bowery Premier League, where he was introduced to Mack Mansfield and Brian Kuritzky, who would both become friends and mentors for Ali. He joins the Two Bridges associate board with a wealth of experience and is excited to help grow the club alongside other members of the board.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Originally from Milan (Italy) Tommaso left it all behind at 18 y/o to pursue his very own American Dream. Recruited with a scholarship to play soccer in college, Tommaso graduated from St. John's University with a Bachelor Degree in Sports Administration and Business, prior to deepening his knowledge and network by pursuing a Master's at New York University.

Passionate and empathic with great trilingual communication skills, Tommaso now works as Strategy Manager for Capelli Sport, one of the fastest sport brands in North America.

Avid sport fan and practitioner, Tommaso ran the NYC Marathon with the aim to support a charity cause with Soccer Without Borders, showing particular interest in promoting soccer and sports as a motor for change.

ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER

Henry is a Corporate Vice President & Actuary at New York Life and is a member of the Retail Annuities Projections team. This team specializes in forward-looking calculations and analysis of critical financial metrics including profitability and capital generation. Additionally, his experience spans Financial Planning & Analysis, domestic and international actuarial regulation, and Group Life insurance products. Henry is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Henry graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kenyon College in 2018. He majored in Mathematics and Economics with a minor in Physics. He was a Men's Soccer team captain, All-American, and was honored with the college's Sportsmanship Award.

In addition to his professional work, Henry contributes as a Teacher's Assistant in the Enterprise Risk Management program at Columbia University.

Henry and his partner, Naomi, live in Brooklyn with their cat, Seymour, where they love participating in recreational and competitive soccer events together.