Friday, November 5, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Theresa Hanson, who is in her seventh year as the senior director, athletics and recreation, at Simon Fraser University, has been selected as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s next representative to the NCAA Division II Management Council.

“I am truly honored and grateful for this opportunity to serve on the NCAA Division II Management Council, representing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference,” Hanson said. “My philosophy of athletics is simple. If we can make a positive difference in the lives of our student-athletes, we have done our job well. I am looking forward to my appointment and contributing in a positive and meaningful way.”

Hanson will serve a four-year term on the council beginning in January 2023. She will replace Seattle Pacific deputy athletic director Amy Foster, who will be concluding a five-year appointment at that time.

Hanson will be the sixth all-time Management Council representative from the GNAC and the third athletic director to represent the conference. She also becomes the first individual from a non-U.S. institution to hold a spot on one of the NCAA’s top governance committees. Simon Fraser is the only international institution that is a member of the NCAA.

The Management Council is one of the primary governance bodies for Division II. Reporting directly to the Presidents Council, the Management Council is charged with recommending administrative policy and regulations that govern the division. The Management Council reviews and acts on recommendations from the Division II committee structure and from Division II representatives to committees with association-wide structures.

The Division II Management Council is comprised of 28 members representing each Division II multisport conference, one administrator or representative of Division II independent institutions, two representatives from the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and two at-large representatives. The Council must include at least four directors of athletics, four senior woman administrators, four faculty athletics representatives, two SAAC representatives and one conference administrator.

Hanson has been involved in athletics administration for over 25 years. Prior to being hired at Simon Fraser in 2015, Hanson was the director of athletics, operations and student-athlete services at the University of British Columbia. In her 10 years at UBC, Hanson played a key role in the NCAA ultimately opening its door to Canadian institutions.

While at UBC, Hanson held a number of leadership roles within Canadian University sport, including a three-year term on the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) Board of Directors and as vice president, sport for the Canada West Conference.

Past GNAC representatives to the Division II Management Council include Alaska Anchorage senior woman administrator Dede Allen (2001-05), Saint Martin’s faculty athletic representative Darrell Axtell (2006-09), Seattle Pacific athletic director Erin O’Connell (2010-13), Alaska athletic director Gary Gray (2014-17) and Foster.