McCormack Sport Management Dept. Welcomes New Faculty

The Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management welcomed three new faculty members to UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management in fall 2024. Joining McCormack are: Anne Dietrich, PhD, as a lecturer; Ahjani Keaton, PhD, as a tenure track assistant professor; and Calvin Nite, PhD, as a tenure track associate professor. 

“We are pleased to welcome Drs. Dietrich, Keaton and Nite to our outstanding group of full-time faculty,” said McCormack Department Chair Nicole Melton, PhD. “Each brings an area of expertise and a desire to advance diverse perspectives in the sport industry. Our students will benefit from their rich experiences and engagement in and out of the classroom.”

ANNE DIETRICH

Anne Dietrich joins McCormack as a full-time lecturer. She recently obtained her PhD from Texas A&M University, where she taught courses on sports entrepreneurship, Olympic studies, and sport facility and event management. Her research focuses on environmental sustainability in sport. Specifically, she focuses on strategic sustainability management through stakeholder involvement and contextual analysis to create suitable and value-adding sustainability strategies. Dietrich is a member of the German-based think tank sportainable and an ambassador for Sports for Future e.V.

“My passion is everything regarding environmental sustainability and how we can create resilient sport organizations for the future,” said Dietrich.” One part of that is educating our future leaders. So, for my teaching, I try to remember what it was like being a student, juggling multiple assignments and life outside of the classroom, while also encouraging the students to think critically and make informed decisions.”

Before getting her PhD, Dietrich worked as an innovation consultant at the European-based PNO Consultancy, as solar energy expert at Tesla Inc., for Parley for the Oceans, and other organizations in the sustainability space. Her passion for sport and sustainability stems from her long participation in sport and love for nature. As a long-time rower, Dietrich competed for the German U19 and U23 National Rowing teams, winning medals at three world championships.

During her time at the Ohio State University, where Dietrich received a full athletic scholarship, she and her team won two NCAA Championship titles and four Big Ten championships. She received her Master of Science from Leipzig and Utrecht University in Sustainable Development in 2020 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS) from the Ohio State University.

AJHANAI KEATON

Ajhanai “AJ” Keaton joins the department as a tenure-track assistant professor. Keaton earned her PhD in Learning, Leadership, and Educational Policy with a focus in Sport from the University of Connecticut in 2020, a Master of Education from University of Texas at Austin in 2017, and her Bachelor of Science in sociology from Colorado State University in 2015. Prior to joining McCormack, she was an assistant professor at the University of Louisville.

Keaton studies how race and gender (in)equity shape organizational behavior, media discourses in the sporting realm, and the influence of social politics upon organizational behavior. She has published some of her academic research in the Journal of Sport Management, Sociology of Sport Journal, European Sport Management Quarterly, and the Journal of Intercollegiate Athletic Issues. Keaton was awarded the first Emerging Scholar Award by the College Sport Research Institute in 2023.

On what she brings to McCormack, Keaton said, “My work lies at the nexus of sociology and management, and I am excited to continue to finalize research projects that unpack the complexity of race and gender dynamics in organizations, how Black culture is an asset to the creation of Black women athlete’s perceived marketability, and the influence of white supremacy upon organizational behavior.”

Keaton is an executive board member of DIECE (Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Council of Excellence), a collective of practitioners and college sport researchers who provide tangible solutions that drive intentional growth toward increased diversity and inclusive excellence within college athletics. She is also a member of the Wasserman Collective Think Tank, a group of industry and sport management scholars who provide solutions for addressing inequities in women’s sports.

CALVIN NITE

Calvin Nite received his PhD in kinesiology (sport management emphasis) from Texas A&M University in 2011. Prior to joining McCormack, he was an associate professor of sport management at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on understanding the processes and consequences of institutionalization within sport settings. Nite has consistently published his work in top sport management journals and presented at numerous national and international conferences. He has served on multiple editorial boards and is former book review editor for Journal of Sport Management. Nite is a North American Society for Sport Management Research Fellow. 

On what drew him to McCormack, Nite said: “From industry connections to research activity, McCormack is the best in the field. The opportunity to continue teaching and researching alongside some of the brightest minds in the field is a perfect fit for my family and me.”

Nite was recently honored as one of the nine fellows in the inaugural cohort of 2024 SMAANZ  (Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand) Fellows. This fellowship “honors research excellence and dedicated service, celebrating those who have shown a long-term commitment to advancing the organization and its mission.”

Matthew Katz, PhD, associate department chair and associate professor, is thrilled to have Dietrich, Keaton and Nite join the McCormack team. 

“What a great moment for the McCormack department,” said Katz. “We are so fortunate to have Drs. Dietrich, Keaton, and Nite joining the team here. I’m excited to see all their contributions—as teachers, scholars, colleagues, and all-around wonderful people—as they help the McCormack department continue to grow as a leader in sport management education and research.

“All our students, alumni, and faculty will benefit from the added expertise of Drs. Dietrich, Keaton and Nite,” added Katz. “It’s a great day for the McCormack Department of Sport Management, the Isenberg School of Management, and UMass Amherst to welcome these three wonderful new faculty members.