Servant Leadership:

Josh believes it's essential to identify your core values. These are faith, service, gratitude, growth, and family for him. These values led Josh to create Collective Uplift with some of his teammates and Dr. Joseph Cooper. Collective Uplift’s mission to empower, educate, & inspire athletes at UConn continued when he transferred to Old Dominion University. Josh also served as the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) president, where he learned more about sports business. While in college, Josh worked two jobs in leadership development for his father's church to set strategic goals to help people overcome challenges. He also worked part-time at Student-Athlete Development to acquire new skills and continue learning. Josh always had an approach of "birth by fire," exposing himself to new challenges and working with great people who taught him how to succeed. He didn't try to network, instead he always tried to serve people where he worked. After football, his approach remained the same, and he hustled to acquire the right skill sets for the right opportunities. During his time at Old Dominion, Josh obtained his master's degree in public administration to enhance his ability to serve people and give back to society further.

Serve Where You Are:

In 2019, the Miami Dolphins were looking for a Player Engagement assistant. Although he never expected to work in the NFL, he eventually landed a position and gained valuable skills later in his career. Josh chose the Dolphins because of Kaleb Thornhill, a family man with a service-oriented approach. During the COVID season in June 2020, Josh was promoted to Player Engagement Coordinator, despite the uncertainty of the NFL having a football season due to the pandemic. He worked with the scouting department, video department, and athletic training to ensure the team continued progressing. Josh's goal was to "help move the ship forward" during a challenging time in professional sports. After the 2020 season, Kaleb encouraged Josh to start interviewing for Director jobs, and even though Josh was unsure, Kaleb confirmed he was ready. Then, the GM of the Dolphins, Chris Grier, informed him that there was an opportunity with the Cardinals, and Josh earned the Director of Player Engagement job in 2021. Josh has spent the last three seasons with the Cardinals, where he aims to help athletes with their personal and professional development. He strives to create tailored programs and opportunities that enable players to thrive on and off the field, building skills and mindsets for a fulfilling life beyond football.

Be on the Ready:

Josh is a dedicated team member who strives to make everyone's lives easier. He shows up every day and puts in his best effort. He aims to find out how his department fits into other departments' workloads and assist them in every way possible. He takes on tasks such as preparing, building, assisting, and developing the needs of others to showcase his skills. By doing so, he learned various aspects of the organization. Josh focused on serving others rather than networking, leading to the development of genuine relationships. Josh suggests that you take initiative and be accountable for your work and growth to succeed. It is essential to understand oneself well to be an effective sounding board for others seeking advice. Continuous learning and improving verbal communication, networking, and presentation skills are also crucial.

What’s Happening in Sports

The Texans, Chiefs, Packers, Lions, Bills, and Buccaneers have all advanced after the NFL Wild Card Round weekend.

Caitlin Clark scored 30 points as the 3rd-ranked Iowa team easily defeated the 14th-ranked Indiana team.

The bottom two teams in the NBA, the Pistons (3-36) and Wizards (7-31), trade Marvin Bagley III, Isaiah Livers, and two draft picks for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.

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