CHRISTINE "C.C." COLWELL

Rising Star Award
Assistant Director of Enforcement, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

Christine “C.C.” Colwell is an Assistant Director of Enforcement at the NCAA. She was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. C.C. is a licensed attorney and joined the NCAA national office in June of 2022 as a post graduate intern in enforcement after working in private practice for several years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she focused primarily on health care regulatory and compliance matters and helped develop the firm’s sports law practice. C.C. became an assistant director of enforcement in January of 2023.

C.C. attended New Mexico State, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and entrepreneurship, with a minor in sports marketing. C.C. worked all four years in the athletic department, was president of her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and was active in student government. After graduation from New Mexico State, C.C. attended Louisiana State, and she earned a master’s degree in kinesiology with a specialization in sports management. C.C. worked for the Tiger Athletic Foundation and was helping manage the premium seating areas at LSU athletic events.

After completing her master’s degree, C.C. pursued a juris doctor from Louisiana State. In 2019, she received her J.D. and a diploma of comparative law, cum laude. While in law school, C.C. was president of the Sports, Entertainment, and Media Law Society, executive secretary of the Student Bar Association, served as an article’s editor of the Louisiana Law Review, interned in the University of Louisiana Lafayette athletic compliance office, and worked at a private law firm focusing on collegiate sports matters.

JANA' BOYD

Promising Professional Award
Assistant Director for Creative Services and Digital Content, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)

Jana’ Boyd was promoted to the title of Assistant Director for Creative Services and Digital Content on June 1st, 2022 at the CIAA. Jana’ is directly responsible for managing the digital and social media strategy for the conference and generating exposure through live and on-demand content. In addition, she is responsible for managing all media assets, including digital, video, and photography archives. Boyd will continue in this role while adding responsibilities that includes serving as primary media contact for select Olympic sports.

Jana’ was named the Coordinator of Creative Services and Digital Content on July 1, 2021 after serving as a digital and social media liaison for the conference over the previous year. Prior to that, she worked as both a Graduate Assistant, working across multiple departments, and as an intern within the conference’s communications department.

Before joining the CIAA, Jana’ worked as a Digital Media Content Producer and Photography intern for the sports information department at her alma mater, Elizabeth City State University, as well as a Marketing & Promotions intern for the school’s radio station, WRVS 88.9. As a student, she was a member of the ECSU bowling team, where she earned All-CIAA honors twice throughout her career and was named CIAA Player of the Year in 2017.

A native of Charlotte, NC, Jana’ earned a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Elizabeth City State University in 2018 and is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

JASHELL MITCHELL

Commitment Award
Chief of Staff for Football Operations Jackson State University

Jashell Mitchell is the Chief of Staff, Football Operations, at Jackson State University. Jashell is a Flint, Michigan native and graduate of Flint Northern High School where she was a member of the Back to Back Girls Basketball State Championship, and their 2016 induction into the Greater Flint Sports Hall of Fame. She attended Bethune-Cookman University as she obtained her bachelors degree in Physical Education/Recreation and was inducted into the BCU 40 under 40 in 2016. She obtained her masters degree from University of Memphis in 2013.

An advocate for the student-athlete experience, she has served in various capacities within collegiate and professional sports. In previous career experience she served in the following roles: Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Arizona, Athletic Academic Advisor at Bethune-Cookman University, Athletic Administration at the University of Memphis, Assistant AD for Football Operations at NC Central University, Assistant AD for Internal Operations/Asst. SWA at NC Central University, Manager of DEI/HBCU Relations at the National Football League, Manager of Player Engagement Operations at the National Football League, and Senior University Relations Manager (HBCU’s) at Rocket Companies.

Some of Jashell’s professional development includes the Emerging AD Academy, NCAA - Life Skills Symposium, Women Leaders in College Sports Women’s Leadership Symposium and Institute for Advancement, and the NFL Business Academy.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, and Flint community supporter of Invisible Giants Legacy & Leadership Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that provides City of Flint youth and adults with education, recreation, sports and professional development resources.