Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Region: East & Southeast Asia

Patty Dodd

Volleyball

Served as envoy

  • 2017  –  Marshall Islands
  • 2019  –  Honduras

Patty Dodd was a 2 time ALL- American at UCLA. After competing professionally in Italy and the United States Patty made the transition to beach volleyball. Patty won 15 Opens, including the Manhattan Beach Open. Along with her professional volleyball career, Patty taught Elementary School for 18 years. In 2015, Patty founded MBsand Volleyball Club where the club has earned over 1500 medals in youth Beach Volleyball.

MBsand has won Gold in all the major events, AAU Nationals, USA HP Championships, AVPFirst Nationals, BVCA Nationals, Rise P1440 and CBVA Cal Cup. In 2018 and 2019, MBsand Volleyball club earned Best Club in the country out of 90 clubs at the BVCA Championships in Hermosa Beach, 2018 and 2019.

Patty Dodd is part of USAV BCAP Cadre, Master Coach and Founder of Beach Nation, HP USAV Coach for 9 years and Assistant to the US National Team 2017-2020. Patty lives in Hermosa Beach with her husband of 34 years, Mike Dodd. They have 2 daughters Dalas, Dominique and granddaughter Dustin. She speaks Spanish and Italian.

Playing Career:
Colombian National team 1978, 1979
UCLA 1980-1984, 2 time All-American
USVBA National Champion, Open, 1980
Major League Volleyball, 2-time champion with L.A. Starlites
Italian professional indoor league, 1985
Forum Team Coed Professional Cup, 1987-1988
Professional Beach Volleyball, WPVA and AVP, 16 years
15 Career Beach Open wins, including Manhattan Open, 1989
1997 FIVB World Tour
Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame, 2013 induction.

Heather Brown

Volleyball

Served as envoy

  • 2017  –  Micronesia

Heather Bown is a 3 time member of the United States Olympic Team and Olympic Silver Medalist in the sport of Indoor Volleyball.
She was born and raised in Southern California, however now calls South Florida home.

Heather attended the University of Hawaii on an athletic scholarship where she earned First Team All-American Honors and Conference Player of the Year honors in back to back seasons. She joined the United States National Team in January of 2000 and made her
first Olympic appearance that summer in Sydney, Australia helping the United States Women finish 4th overall, falling to Brazil in the Bronze medal match. She continued with TeamUSA through the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China where the United States Women earned a Silver Medal.

Heather retired from the US National Team in October of 2012 after being named an alternate for the Olympic Games in London, England in August of 2012. In between summers competing with the United States national team Heather enjoyed an adventurous professional career. Beginning in 2000 and spanning 14 years she was fortunate to live and compete in Italy, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, and China.
On the personal side, Heather earned an Undergraduate degree in Psychology, and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing.

She enjoys challenging herself and constantly learning. She continues to do so with many of the organizations that she spends her time working with. (Classroom Champions, Ready, Set, Gold!, ACE Mentor Program, United Way) She is constantly focused on sharing her love for sport, the joys and lessons it brings to life, and a desire for personal growth. Heather enjoys working with youth and helping them realize and maximize their potential in the classroom and on the field of play through coaching and mentoring. After years of living abroad travel and culture are at the top of her To Do List. Heather Speaks both English and Italian and is currently learning French

Eric Hodgson

Volleyball

Served as envoy

  • 2015  –  Philippines
  • 2019  –  Honduras

Eric Hodgson is the Director of Outreach for the Arizona Region of USA Volleyball. He wears many hats as he is also the Coaching Education Director and PR-Marketing Director for the Region. Eric started the Arizona Region’s High Performance Program from its inception until 2012.
Eric also works with Gold Medal Squared doing camps and clinics during the summers. His passion for leading camps and clinics has taken him to several countries including Canada, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands. Eric has recently been a US Embassy Sports Envoy to the Philippine Islands.

His job as Outreach Director takes him to places where there is no volleyball, including inner city schools and Native American Reservations. Eric also works with PE teachers, clubs and parents to help educate and develop programs to grow the sport.

Danielle Scott-Arruda

Volleyball

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  Fiji
  • 2021  –  United Arab Emirates

Danielle was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is a single mother of her daughter Juliánne. She attended the University of California at Long Beach and graduated with a Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Sociology. After competing in five Olympic Games, she became the USA Indoor Volleyball Olympic appearance record holder, Danielle has now touched and inspired thousands of boys and girls, women and men, teams and corporations around the nation by sharing the same methods she used to win two silver Olympic medals, and become inducted in multiple Halls of Fame. Danielle is also a crusader for financial literacy and helping families make and save money. She has spoken at women’s leadership conferences, empowering girls programs, schools, churches, athletic events and fundraisers. Since 2014, Danielle has been working with USA Volleyball’s High Performance Program.

Dr. Andrea Woodson-Smith

Wheelchair Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2013  –  China
  • 2015  –  Papua New Guinea
  • 2015  –  Australia
  • 2018  –  Botswana

Dr. Andrea Woodson-Smith is a full professor at North Carolina Central University specializing in adapted physical activity and sports and physical education pedagogy. She earned her PhD from Texas Woman’s University specializing in adapted physical education, MS from North Carolina Central University specializing in adapted physical education and a BS from James Madison University, Kinesiology where she also competed as a Division I women’s basketball athlete.

She received an invite to try out for the American Basketball League (ABL) and also tried out for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was a volunteer assistant women’s basketball coach for Texas Woman’s University and an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach for Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, IL, an assistant varsity girls’ basketball coach and JV volleyball coach for East Chapel Hill High School and JV volleyball coach and assistant varsity volleyball coach for Waynesboro High School.

She participated in the 2003 and 2011 ParaPan American Games, 2006 and 2010 and 2012 U.S Paralympic team. She has also participated as the Vice Chair of the Women’s Division, Chair of the Youth Development Committee of the Women’s Division, Committee member of the High Performance Committee and currently member of the ADM and High Performance Committees and serves as a Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State.

During her spare time, she is an advocate for colon cancer, children’s cancer and equality for all girls and women in sports and a 7th grade girls Life Group Leader for New Hope Church

Tiffany Roberts-Sahaydak

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2006  –  Uganda
  • 2007  –  Philippines
  • 2010  –  Thailand
  • 2011  –  Brazil
  • 2014  –  Brazil
  • 2015  –  Indonesia
  • 2017  –  Belarus
  • 2017  –  Albania
  • 2019  –  Egypt

An Olympic gold medalist, World Cup champion and two-time NCAA champion, Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak was named head women’s soccer coach at UCF in May 2013.

A three-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Roberts Sahaydak has wasted no time in putting her stamp on UCF’s successful program. Under her guidance, the Knights have earned four NCAA Tournament bids and four American Athletic Conference championships while boasting 11 conference Player of the Year awards and 38 all-league and tournament selections.

In her first season (2013), she led UCF to a school-record unbeaten streak (18 matches), an NSCAA national standing through much of the year and the program’s first undefeated conference season since 1999. In addition, UCF made history as the first program to win an American Athletic Conference Championship.

Roberts Sahaydak came to Orlando after serving six seasons at VCU alongside her co-head coach, husband and current UCF associate head coach Tim Sahaydak.

Roberts Sahaydak spent a decade with the U.S. National Team from 1994-2004, earning 112 caps (with 60 starts). Her career was highlighted by three women’s World Cups – among them, the unforgettable 1999 championship – and a gold medal with the 1996 Olympic team.

After retiring from the USWNT, she has served as an ambassador for U.S. Soccer with the U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy Program since 2007, promoting the power and benefit of sport internationally. With the program, she has visited Indonesia, Uganda, the Philippines, Thailand, Namibia, Brazil and France. In 2014, she was appointed to President Barack Obama’s Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil at the opening of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She is a native of San Ramon, Calif., and was selected as the 1994 California High School Player of the Year.

She was a three-time Parade High School All-American, a three-time NSCAA All-American and was the two-time National Girl’s High School Player of the Year. She debuted for the Stars and Stripes in 1994 when she was only 16 as one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the National Team. She played in her first FIFA Women’s World Cup a month after her 18th birthday and won Olympic gold before she was out of her teens (USSoccer.com).

As a collegian, Roberts Sahaydak was a standout midfielder for North Carolina (1995-98) as a three-time All-ACC First Team selection. She led the Tar Heels to two NCAA titles (1996, 1997) during her tenure, was voted the 1998 ACC Tournament MVP and finished third in voting for collegiate soccer’s highest honor, the Hermann Trophy.

She still ranks among the top five for career starts in UNC’s record book.She was a two-time captain for the Carolina Courage in the first fully professional U.S. women’s league (Women’s United Soccer Association). She helped the Courage win the 2002 title after finishing last in the team’s inaugural campaign one year prior.

Roberts Sahaydak took over VCU’s program in 2007 and led the Rams to three conference championship game appearances. She was voted as the 2011 Colonial Athletic Association Co-Head Coach of the Year, along with her husband Tim. The duo mentored two CAA Defenders of the Year, one CAA Rookie of the Year and 20 all-conference players, including six first-team honorees.The Sahaydaks reside in Orlando with their two daughters, Layla and Evie.

“It’s been a life changing experience being involved in the Sports Diplomacy Envoys. I have had the good fortune of participating in programs all over the globe, and I’ve worked together with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I am constantly reminded that sport can bring us closer together. We can celebrate our differences and our common interests. Every time we start to play a game we start to connect and the world seems to get a bit smaller.”

Cheryl Bailey

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2012  –  Malaysia

Cheryl Bailey is a former executive director of the National Women’s Soccer League as well as the former general manager of the US women’s national soccer team from 2007 to 2011.

Bailey was appointed as the Athletic Director of Denison University until 1990. During her time there, she oversaw 12 women’s sports and was the head women’s soccer coach. For 15 years, she served in the Athletic Administration at the University of Wisconsin, overseeing 22 different teams. In 2007, she was appointed the general manager of the US Women’s National Soccer Team. She led the support staff for the US team during the 2007 and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2008 Olympics.

Kacey White

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2019  –  Costa Rica
  • 2024  –  Cambodia

White was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team during her playing career. She earned 18 caps with the U.S. WNT from 2006-2010 and was an alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. She had a six year professional career that took her to play professionally in Sweden with Balinge and AIK, where she was named Uppland Forward of the Year. White was also a 1st round draft pick of the WPS and played for Sky Blue FC, Magic Jack and Atlanta Beat during her time in the league where she won a WPS Championship in 2009. White was an two-time All-American who won three (3) ACC Titles and one (1) NCAA National Championship in her career at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

White currently works as a TV broadcaster and color analyst for the National Women’s Soccer League, USL Championship and ESPN. She also currently owns her own business K21 Sports Consulting where she not only mentors elite youth, collegiate and professional athletes throughout their careers but also aides former collegiate and professional athletes as they navigate their transition from elite athletics into the professional work force.

White was formerly the Head Coach of the USA U16 Girls National Team, as well as, working extensively as an assistant for the USA’s U14, U15 and U17 World Cup National Teams from 2014-2018. She has also served as an assistant coach and video analyst with the US Virgin Islands Men’s Senior National Team. White had collegiate head coaching stints as Head Coach of Xavier University and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, while also serving as an Assistant at the University of Oklahoma and Texas Tech. White currently holds her USSF A-Senior coaching license and her UEFA B License from the Welsh Association.

Lauren Gregg

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2006  –  Nigeria
  • 2008  –  Nigeria
  • 2012  –  Argentina
  • 2016  –  China

A long-time assistant coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Lauren Gregg was a member of the coaching staff for the U.S. at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China, the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sweden and the 1996 Olympic Games in the USA.
During her tenure as assistant coach, from 1989-2000, Gregg also served as U.S. U-21 Women’s National Team head coach, leading the team to Nordic Cup titles in the 1997 and 1999 editions of the tournament and second place in the 1998 Nordic Cup.

Prior to becoming an assistant coach with U.S. Soccer, Gregg led the University of Virginia to the NCAA Final Four in 1991 and seven straight NCAA tournaments, from 1988-94. Gregg was named NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1990 and was the first woman to lead a team to the NCAA Division I Final Four.

Gregg holds a U.S. Soccer “A” coaching license and earned one cap for the U.S. Women’s National Team in 1986.

Brandi Chastain

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2013  –  Brazil
  • 2023  –  Australia
  • 2024  –  Portugal

U.S. National Team: A reserve forward during the first incarnation of her national team career, she earned 173 of her 192 caps primarily at defender from 1996-2004 … A consistent starter from 1996-2004, she became one of the best-known female athletes in the United States, and the world, after her 1999 Women’s World Cup heroics … Ended her career sixth on the all-time U.S. caps lists, but sits ninth in 2013 … 2004: Played in 20 matches, starting 13 … Didn’t play in the first three matches of the Olympics, but started and played the last three critical knockout games to help the USA win the gold medal … Had the assist on the first goal to Lindsay Tarpley in the Olympic gold medal match and helped set up Kristine Lilly’s goal against Germany in the semifinal … 2003: One of the most active players for the USA in 2003 before the Women’s World Cup, she broke a bone in her right foot in the first half of the first game of the tournament and missed the rest of the Women’s World Cup … Played in 14 matches overall in 2003, starting 13, spanning 1080 minutes, but just 45 minutes in the WWC … She had one goal and one assist, scoring on a penalty kick against Mexico at her hometown Spartan Stadium in the last match before the Women’s World Cup … Moved past Carla Overbeck and into sixth place on the U.S. all-time caps list … Her goal in 2003 was the 30th of her international career … 2002: Played in 15 matches for the USA, starting 14 and scored four goals … Three of her goals came from the penalty spot, one each in the three Nike U.S. Women’s Cup games … Was a member of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup Team that qualified the USA for the 2003 Women’s World Cup … 2001: Played in three matches for the USA during a limited schedule for the national team … 2000: Played in 34 matches and started 32, tied for first on the team … Scored four goals with three assists, including a penalty kick to defeat Norway, 1-0, in the Algarve Cup Final … Also scored a brilliant goal off a free-kick against Japan in the Pacific Cup and a fantastic volley against Nigeria in the Olympics … Helped the USA to six tournament titles before the Olympics … 1999: Provided one of the greatest moments in the history of women’s sports with her 1999 Women’s World Cup-clinching penalty kick on the USA’s fifth shot in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final on July 10, 1999 at the Rose Bowl … Graced the cover of Time, Newsweek, People, and Sports Illustrated after she peeled her jersey off in celebration following her winning kick … Had one of the most eventful games in Women’s World Cup history, scoring an own goal against Germany in just the fifth minute of the USA’s Women’s World Cup quarterfinal match, then gloriously redeeming herself with a second half goal that tied the game at 2 2 … Named to the 1999 Women’s World Cup All Star Team … Played in 27 games for the USA in 1999, scoring five goals with five assists … Played in her 100th career game for the USA against Brazil in the semifinal of the Women’s World Cup at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, not far from her hometown of San Jose, Calif. … 1998: Was third on the team in minutes played with 1,894 … Scored five goals, four on penalty kicks, and had five assists … Saw considerable action in midfield after playing defense since rejoining the national team in 1996 … Helped the USA to the first ever Goodwill Games gold medal in the Summer of ’98 … 1996: Member of the gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s National Team at the 1996 Olympic Games … Started and played every minute of the USA’s five matches at the ’96 Olympics, despite suffering a serious knee injury in the semifinal against Norway … Called into training camp with the national team in September 1995 after spending more than two years away from the program … A forward for her entire youth, college and national team career, she converted to defender and started in the back for the USA on January 14, 1996, against Russia in Brazil, after having not appeared for the WNT since August 8, 1993 … Made a seamless transition from striker to defender during the first part of 1996 and earned a starting spot on the Olympic Team … Pre-1993: Was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in China in 1991, seeing action in two games, starting one … Holds the distinction of coming on as a substitute and scoring a record five consecutive goals in the USA’s 12 0 victory over Mexico in CONCACAF qualifying for the 1991 World Cup, her first international goals … Finished the CONCACAF tournament with seven goals … First Appearance: June 1, 1988, vs. Japan … First Goal: April 18, 1991, vs. Mexico (scored five goals).

Professional / Club: One of the WUSA’s founding players, she was allocated to her hometown San Jose CyberRays for the 2001 inaugural season … 2003: Played in 15 games, starting them all, but missed several games at the end of the season with a leg injury … Scored one goal with four assists and was named to the All-WUSA Second Team … Voted as a starter to the WUSA All-Star Team, and scored a goal in the game … 2002: Played in 18 matches for San Jose, playing forward at times, and scored four goals with three assists … Named to the All-WUSA Second Team … Voted as a starter on the WUSA North All-Star Team, receiving the most votes of any player … 2001: Led her club to the first-ever WUSA championship … A member of the All-WUSA First Team … Played in 19 regular season games for the CyberRays, scoring two goals with five assists … Etc.: Played professionally in Japan for Skiroki Serena in 1993, earning team MVP honors and was the only foreigner to be selected as one of the league’s top 11 players in 1993 … Played women’s club soccer for the Sacramento Storm, the 1997 Western Regional Champions.

College / High School: Finished her college career at Santa Clara University in 1990, leading the Broncos to two Final Four appearances … Was named a First Team NSCAA All American in 1990 and All Far West selection in 1989 … Attended the University of California Berkeley in 1986, earning Soccer America Freshman of the Year honors while partnering with U.S. teammate Joy Fawcett … Sat out the 1987 and 1988 college seasons after having anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery on both of her knees before transferring to Santa Clara for her final two seasons … Scored 32 goals and added eight assists in three college seasons … Attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, where she led the team to three straight state championships.

Personal: Full name is Brandi Denise Chastain … Always up for a pick-up game … Was a full-time assistant coach at Santa Clara for two seasons and then a volunteer assistant … Is married to Santa Clara head women’s soccer coach Jerry Smith … Earned a degree in Television and Communications at Santa Clara … Should be noted that in her years as a college player, Chastain never lost to Julie Foudy of Stanford … Named as one of People Magazine’s 25 Most Intriguing People of 1999 … Also #97 on Street & Smith’s 100 Most Powerful People in Sports for 1999 … Appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” before and after the ’99 Women’s World Cup and several times since … Threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium following the Women’s World Cup victory, and did so at Wrigley Field in 2001 … Appeared with FIFA President Sepp Blatter, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and Pele at a New York City press conference in November of 2001 as FIFA announced the dedication of the 2002 World Cup … Enjoys reading, running with her dogs and playing scrabble on her computer (in which she is still undefeated and looking for a challenger) … Aspires to create a rap duo with LaKeysia Beene and tour the world … Also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, having BBQs and baking parties … Appeared on “Jeopardy!” in January of 2001, donating half her winnings to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund … Realized her childhood dream of playing professional soccer in Spartan Stadium (home of the CyberRays), where she was a NASL season ticket holder and grew to love soccer … Created a cheering section at CyberRays home games in honor of her late mother, Lark, because she was the greatest cheerleader in the world … … Participated in the preliminary draw for the 2006 World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany at the end of 2003 … Serving as the sideline reporter for ESPN’s MLS broadcasts during the 2005 season … A correspondent for Fox’s “NFL Under the Helmet” where she goes on the road to do features on NFL players … New hobby is sewing and knitting sewing and knitting which may yield a new line of goodies for women and men who aren’t afraid to be bold … Is now up to speed with the 21st century and got wireless Internet, but is still a big believer in hand-written letters.