Board Of Directors

Provides leadership and oversight for the board, ensuring that CheckRock’s mission, values, and long-term goals remain at the forefront. Works closely with the Executive Director to guide strategy, partnerships, and community relationships.

Muhammad is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over 16 years of experience in banking, management, and strategic product development. Recognized as a Delaware Business Times Top 40 under 40 honoree, Muhammad has a proven track record of driving change and operational excellence in large organizations. He is passionate about championing diversity, empowering teams, and delivering customer-centric solutions. Muhammad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Wilmington University and brings a wealth of expertise in agile project management, process improvement, and community engagement to the CheckRock initiative.

Paris S. Dupree brings a lifelong connection to sports, leadership, and youth development to the CheckRock Foundation Board. She is a lawyer and currently serves as Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs at OneTeam Partners, a sports licensing and media company that works closely with professional athletes and players associations across multiple leagues. Her professional background spans sports, business, and governance, with a focus on building sustainable programs and partnerships that create long-term impact.

A proud Brown University graduate, Paris was a Division I dual-sport athlete, captain of the Women’s Lacrosse Team, and a member of the U.S. National Women’s Lacrosse Team. She remains deeply connected to education and youth development through her service on Brown University’s President’s Advisory Council on Athletics & Recreation and the Board of Trustees at Sanford School in Delaware, where she supports strategic planning and community engagement.

Founder of CheckRock, established in 2015, Lamar has over a decade of experience in youth sports development, athlete mentorship, and community programming. He has trained and guided numerous athletes who’ve advanced to collegiate and professional levels. Lamar leads the organization’s strategic vision, partnerships, and community initiatives, ensuring CheckRock continues to elevate youth both on and off the court. 

Lamar Mason is the founder and driving force behind CheckRock, a brand built on passion, discipline, and belief in untapped potential. Rooted in competition, development, and community, Lamar created CheckRock to give athletes and competitors a real platform to grow, be seen, and reach the next level.

From the beginning, Lamar’s vision was clear: talent deserves opportunity, structure, and respect. Too often, skill goes unnoticed without the right environment to showcase it. CheckRock was created to change that—to bridge the gap between preparation and performance, between where athletes are and where they want to be.

Anthony brings over 14 years of experience in the banking industry, with a strong background in financial management, compliance, and project leadership. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Accounting and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Goldey-Beacom College.

With six years of experience in regulatory compliance, Anthony has developed expertise in risk management, internal controls, and governance best practices. In addition, he has led and supported complex initiatives through five years of project management experience.

Responsible for financial oversight, budgeting, and fiscal compliance. Works closely with the Executive Director to ensure responsible management of sponsorship funding, grants, and community event resources.

Rob Nicholson, a Wilmington, De native - is a seasoned sports and business professional with over 11 years of experience driving revenue growth, business development, and community engagement across the Philadelphia region. He currently serves as a Premium Client Services Manager for the Philadelphia 76ers, where he manages a multi-million dollar client portfolio and consistently delivers six-figure annual growth through strategic relationship management, business value alignment, and premium experience innovation.

A Cum Laude graduate of Hampton University, Rob is excited to bring a mission-aligned, results-driven approach to his role as Director of Sponsorship and Fundraising for CheckRock, leveraging strategic partnerships, donor engagement, and authentic community relationships to advance sustainable growth and meaningful impact for both CheckRock and its partners.

Dr. Mariam Dukuray has over a decade of experience working in education, specializing in secondary education and educational leadership. She has a strong passion for helping kids navigate post secondary opportunities using athletics and believes in developing a student athlete holistically. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Dukuray has experience in non-profit operations and customer service. 

As the secretary of CheckRock Initiative Association, Dr. Dukuray will maintain official records, meeting minutes, and compliance documents. She will also ensures transparency and accountability across all board activities.

Brent Ferguson is a creative consultant and operations-focused leader with a professional background across marketing, entertainment, tourism, and live event production. With more than 15 years of experience rooted in marketing and brand strategy, he currently serves as Director of Membership at the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau, where he works with hotels, venues, attractions, and local businesses to strengthen partnerships and support economic growth across New Castle County.

Brent has contributed to campaigns and projects connected to nationally recognized brands, record labels, and media platforms, including work tied to ESPN, Under Armour, Coca-Cola, SoundCloud, and Sony Music.

Manages media exposure, marketing campaigns, and community storytelling. Works to highlight athlete success stories and event impact through CheckRock’s digital and local presence.

With more than a decade of experience in controlling the creative direction of CheckRock. Saheem Ross has been an integral part of the growth and exposure of CheckRock as a whole with his work in the community highlighting athletes as well as growing the digital footprint of the corporation.

Julian Brinkley is a community and sports industry strategist with experience in supporting organizations, and stakeholders through managing youth sports programming, event operations, and community-driven initiatives. 

Julian has an expertise in strategic planning, partnership development, operational oversight, and brand strategy, with an emphasis on accountability, sustainability, and measurable community impact.

Andrea Valentine is the Founder of the Delaware Youth Sports Coalition (DYSC), where she draws on deep leadership and business experience to build a strong statewide backbone organization. Previously, she served as Executive Director of Strive: How You Lead Matters, leading a successful rebrand, program expansion, and funding diversification. 

A former President/COO of Teaching Strategies, she forged partnerships with Highlights for Children, Hatch, and Sesame Workshop. Andrea is a Tower Hill and Haverford College graduate with deep Delaware roots.

Trevor Cooney is a Sales Agent / Property Manager at DSM Commercial. Trevor graduated from Sanford School where he is the all-time leading scorer, leading them to two state basketball championships in 2010 & 2011. Trevor went on to play basketball at Syracuse University where he started for 3 years and was a part of 2 final 4 teams (2013 & 2016). 

Trevor played professionally for 2 years, spending time in Spain, Germany and the G-league. Trevor is on the board of the SL24 Foundation, holds a DE Real Estate License and is a member of the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame.

Darrell Comer is a Senior Vice President of Talent Representation at CSE Talent, where he leads and launched CSE Athletes, the firm’s first athlete representation division in its 39 year history. He has represented more than 60 professional and collegiate basketball players across the NBA, NBA G League, and international leagues, negotiating over $40 million in contracts and major endorsement and NIL agreements. 

Raised in Indiana, Comer is a graduate of Morehouse College and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and is known for his commitment to ethical advocacy, long-term career sustainability, and expanding access and opportunity within professional sports.