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Our team

Get to know the team behind Connected Athletics, as well as the Brand Influencers who will be sharing their journey and experiences with the next generation of athletes 
as they network in their space
RAW RAWW Anthony Williams
Co-Founder, CEO

Anthony Williams

Anthony has a long history and strong connection with athletics – he played football at both San Jose City College and San Francisco St. University. He also went back and coached at both of his alma mater’s before coaching his children in youth football, baseball, and softball. He earned his MBA at University of Phoenix and later founded two companies – Texas Football Showcase and ALW Consulting.

He is now using his 25+ years of high-tech software experience, plus his knowledge of sales, marketing, and business development to create a platform that gives athletes a place to start building a personal brand that has the capacity to have success once their sports career comes to an end.

Co-Founder, CEO

Anthony Williams

Anthony has a long history and strong connection with athletics – he played football at both San Jose City College and San Francisco St. University. He also went back and coached at both of his alma mater’s before coaching his children in youth football, baseball, and softball. He earned his MBA at University of Phoenix and later founded two companies – Texas Football Showcase and ALW Consulting.

He is now using his 25+ years of high-tech software experience, plus his knowledge of sales, marketing, and business development to create a platform that gives athletes a place to start building a personal brand that has the capacity to have success once their sports career comes to an end.

RAW Chris Vaughn
Co-Founder, Content Advisor

Chris Vaughn

Chris Vaughn spent his collegiate career playing football at Murray State in Kentucky. Post-grad, Chris continued on the path of an athlete, coaching several collegiate teams, including Texas, Memphis, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Tulsa. He is currently also a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.

As someone who has spent the majority of their life in the athletics space, Chris has a passion for helping student-athletes succeed, and a deep understanding on how to do it.

Co-Founder, Content Advisor

Chris Vaughn

Chris Vaughn spent his collegiate career playing football at Murray State in Kentucky. Post-grad, Chris continued on the path of an athlete, coaching several collegiate teams, including Texas, Memphis, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Tulsa. He is currently also a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.

As someone who has spent the majority of their life in the athletics space, Chris has a passion for helping student-athletes succeed, and a deep understanding on how to do it.

RAW Eric Townsend
CFO

Eric Townsend

Eric is a former North Carolina State track and field student-athlete. Post-grad, he went on to IBM, where he spent 35+ gaining experience in manufacturing, supply chain management, marketing, and international business.

He currently serves as the Chief Finance Officer of ConnectED, helping make the platform one that student-athletes can use to their greatest advantage and build their futures.

CFO

Eric Townsend

Eric is a former North Carolina State track and field student-athlete. Post-grad, he went on to IBM, where he spent 35+ gaining experience in manufacturing, supply chain management, product development, and international business.

He currently serves as the Chief Finance Officer of ConnectED, helping make the platform one that student-athletes can use to their greatest advantage and build their futures.

RAW brad smith
Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder

Brad Smith

Brad Smith’s collegiate career in football was spent at the University of Missouri, where he was the 2002 Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year. Post-grad, Brad was the 104th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He then spent nine years in the NFL, playing for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder

Brad Smith

Brad Smith’s collegiate career in football was spent at the University of Missouri, where he was the 2002 Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year. Post-grad, Brad was the 104th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He then spent nine years in the NFL, playing for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.

RAW brad smith
Strategic Advisor

Brian Davis

Brian is an experienced administrator and manager, with over 34 years leading comprehensive athletic academic programs. He has managed a diverse staff of professionals in assessing the needs of individual student-athletes, and providing thorough advising and counseling support for successful navigation of the college experience.Working closely with all facets of a university, including all areas of student services administration – admissions, financial aid, and advising – as well as academic administrators and faculty gives him a unique view of athletics at all levels.

Strategic Advisor

Brian Davis

Brian is an experienced administrator and manager, with over 34 years leading comprehensive athletic academic programs. He has managed a diverse staff of professionals in assessing the needs of individual student-athletes, and providing thorough advising and counseling support for successful navigation of the college experience.Working closely with all facets of a university, including all areas of student services administration – admissions, financial aid, and advising – as well as academic administrators and faculty gives him a unique view of athletics at all levels.

RAW RAWW Anthony Williams
FOUNDER & CEO

Anthony Williams

Anthony has a long history and strong connection with athletics – he played football at both San Jose City College and San Francisco St. University. He also went back and coached at both of his alma mater’s before coaching his children in youth football, baseball and softball. He earned his MBA at University of Phoenix and later founded two companies, Texas Football Showcase and ALW Consulting.
 
He is now using his 25+ years of high-tech software experience, plus his knowledge of sales, marketing, and business development to create a platform that gives athletes a place to start building a personal brand that has the capacity to have success once their sports career comes to an end.
RAW Joshua Williams
Strategic Advisor

Brian Davis

Brian is an experienced administrator and manager, with over 34 years leading comprehensive athletic academic programs. He has managed a diverse staff of professionals in assessing the needs of individual student-athletes, and providing thorough advising and counseling support for successful navigation of the college experience.

Working closely with all facets of a university, including all areas of student services administration – admissions, financial aid, and advising – as well as academic administrators and faculty gives him a unique view of athletics at all levels.

RAW Chris Vaughn
Co-Founder, Content Advisor

Chris Vaughn

Chris Vaughn spent his collegiate career playing football at Murray State in Kentucky. Post-grad, Chris continued on the path of an athlete, coaching several collegiate teams, including Texas, Memphis, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Tulsa. He is currently also a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.

As someone who has spent the majority of their life in the athletics space, Chris has a passion for helping student-athletes succeed, and a deep understanding on how to do it.

RAW Eric Townsend
CFO

Eric Townsend

Eric is a former North Carolina State track and field student-athlete. Post-grad, he went on to IBM, where he spent 35+ gaining experience in manufacturing, supply chain management, marketing, and international business.

He currently serves as the Chief Finance Officer of ConnectED, helping make the platform one that student-athletes can use to their greatest advantage and build their futures.

RAW brad smith
Strategic Partnerships, Co-Founder

Brad Smith

Brad Smith’s collegiate career in football was spent at the University of Missouri, where he was the 2002 Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year. Post-grad, Brad was the 104th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He then spent nine years in the NFL, playing for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.

BRAND INFLUENCERS

Aaron Williams

Football (DB)

Juliann Faucette-Johnson

Volleyball (National Team)

Deuce Vaughn

Football (RB)

Our purpose is helping athletes build their personal brand

Connected Athletics leverages The Spotlight Podcast, and the ConnectED app (coming soon) as avenues for athletes to create connections that will help them succeed.
Football, DB

Aaron Williams

Aaron Williams is a former student-athlete – he played football at the University of Texas at Austin. After college athletics, Aaron transitioned to pro athletics, being picked 34th overall in the 2011 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, where he played from 2011-2016.

Aaron has also founded the Ballhawk Academy, a training service focused on creating the best DBs in the sport. He is joining the RAWW influencer team to mentor student-athletes on the platform, assisting them with building the right brand and successfully transitioning from high school, to college, to pro athletics.

Volleyball, U.S. National Team

Juliann Faucette-Johnson

Juliann Faucette-Johnson has made waves in the volleyball world – she is a former student-athlete and Hall of Honor member at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was recognized as Big 12 Athlete of the Year. Post-grad, she spent eight years playing for the U.S. National Volleyball Team, during which time she won Female Athlete of the Year.

Juliann now runs the volleyball program at a local Austin high school, and is eager to help young athletes find success throughout their life and career.

Football, RB

Deuce Vaughn

Deuce Vaughn is a former student-athlete at Kansas State Univ and current running back for the Dallas Cowboys.
 
In his time at Kansas State, Deuce has received several honors, including 2020 Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year, 2021 Consensus All-American, Big 12 Player of the Year, and Academic All-Conference.