NASO is guided by a board of directors comprised of sports officials and others in sports and athletic positions throughout the U.S. and Canada. The board is representative of a variety of sports and levels.
The current NASO board of directors includes:
Dean Blandino
Santa Monica, California
NCAA National Coordinator of Instant Replay; Fox Sports Officiating Analyst for NFL and college football broadcasts. Previously served as the NFL’s Vice President of Officiating from 2013 to 2017 and as coordinator of officials for the XFL.
Lisa Jones
Salt Lake City, Utah
Women’s Division I college basketball referee for more than 20 years, including 11 Final Four assignments. Former WNBA official. Retired Deputy Chief of the Phoenix Fire Department and retired Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at the Phoenix office.
Paul LaRosa
Metairie, Louisiana
Louisiana High School Officials Association past president and current executive committee member; former Louisiana high school football official for more than 40 years; Greater New Orleans Football Officials Association member; previously served as game officials’ sideline liaison for Tulane University football and for the New Orleans Saints.
Jason Nickleby
Lake Elmo, Minnesota
Minnesota State High School League Assistant Director and Coordinator of Officiating. Big Ten conference football center judge. Previously officiated high school and small college basketball and baseball. Officiated volleyball softball. Former assigner and local association leader.
Dana Pappas
Lebanon, Indiana
After 24 years with the New Mexico Activities Association, serving as Deputy Director since 2012, Dana has joined the NFHS as Director of Officiating Services. She served on the Referee Magazine editorial board from January 2010 to December 2012. Under Dana’s direction, the New Mexico Officials Association served as host of the 2014 NASO Summit in Albuquerque.
Sandra Serafini
Yachats, Oregon
Serafini is a retired FIFA, men’s/women’s professional, and collegiate soccer referee, whose officiating brought her to multiple NCAA Final Fours and international events across North America, Europe, and Asia. She currently serves as a consultant for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and was previously the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation. She is a National Referee-Coach for USSF and Elite Assessor for CONCACAF, and served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) in 2017. She also continues to serve within the Duke University Medical Center’s Department of Neurosurgery as an Adjunct Assistant Professor.
Bill Topp
Racine, Wisconsin
Chief operating officer and executive editor at Referee Magazine; has worked for Referee and NASO since 1990; former high school and small college football and basketball official; former major college baseball umpire. Multiple state tournament and postseason collegiate assignments. Former high school conference commissioner and assigner. He is also a member of the Officiating Development Alliance.
Ron Torbert
Hanover, Maryland
An NFL referee who first joined the NFL officiating staff in 2010 after working in the Big Ten Conference. He worked Super Bowl LVI (Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals) in Los Angeles in 2022. Away from the field, he serves as a public speaker after a lengthy career as vice president and general counsel for the Barton Malow Company, a large construction and contracting firm.
Mark Uyl
DeWitt, Michigan
Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Executive Director; former MHSAA Assistant Director responsible for officiating programs (2004-2018); NCAA D-I baseball umpire; umpired the 2014 and 2017 NCAA College World Series and the 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil; former NASO chair (2015) and board member (2011-15). Current ODA member.
Rob Wigod
Los Alamitos, California
Retired Commissioner of athletics for the California Interscholastic Federation – Southern Section. Responsible for athletic administration, character development, committee management and membership. Former high school football and baseball coach and athletic director. Works closely with the California Basketball Officials Association, an NASO partner.
Gary Zielinski
South Jordan, Utah
NBA Referee Operations Department, Youth and Amateur Officiating Development Lead. Retired NBA referee, having officiated more than 1,000 regular season games and 18 playoff games. Clinician, camp coordinator and public speaker.
Non-Director Officers and Special Advisers
Barry Mano
Racine, Wisconsin
Referee chief strategy officer; Referee magazine founder (1975) and publisher; National Association of Sports Officials founder (1980) and past president; former 23-year basketball official, who worked nine seasons at the NCAAM D-I level; a renowned public speaker and media guest on issues important to the officiating industry; Officiating Development Alliance (ODA) and Officiating Commentators Alliance (OCA) member.
Ron Foxcroft
Hamilton, Ontario
Fox 40 International founder and chief executive officer; chief executive officer and owner of one of North America’s largest trucking logistics companies; current Honorary Colonel of Argyll and Sutherland Army Regiment, appointed by the Prime Minister of Canada; Canadian Entrepreneur of the Decade by Profit magazine; former NCAA D-I and international men’s basketball official; officiated the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal championship basketball game; former NBA officials observer; inducted into several halls of fame; NASO Education Partner; former Officiating Development Alliance member; 2004 Mel Narol Medallion Award recipient; proud charter member of NASO and three-decade sponsor; 2016 NASO Gold Whistle Award recipient.
