SSC Staff
Jay Jones, Commissioner
jjones@sunshinestateconference.com
Jay Jones was named as commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference on August 19, 2009. Prior to joining the Sunshine State Conference, Jones served as a Director of Academic and Membership Affairs at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jones joined the NCAA staff in 2003, and while there, he served as a governance liaison to the Divisions II and III Management and Presidents Councils.
Prior to his time with the NCAA, Jones worked in the compliance office at the University of South Florida and served as director of compliance at Saint Louis University. While in St. Louis, Jones also served as an adjunct professor of business law at Fontbonne University. Jones earned his bachelor's degree in Sport Management from the University of Tennessee where he served as a student employee in the events management area of the athletics department. He obtained his masters of business administration and juris doctor degrees from Stetson University, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Jones grew up in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Jones has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys hiking, scuba diving and playing golf. Jones and his wife, Maritza, have two sons, Alexander and Nicholas.
Kelly Harrison, Assistant Commissioner (Communications)
kharrison@sunshinestateconference.com
With the 2012-13 academic year, Kelly Harrison begins her tenth year of service in the Sunshine State Conference. In July 2007, Harrison was named Assistant Commissioner. She also carries the Senior Woman Administrator designation for the conference office.
A native of Greeneville, Tennessee, Harrison first joined the SSC staff for the 2002-03 academic year after spending the previous year as the assistant sports information director at Rollins College, a charter member of the SSC.
After spending three years as the SSC's information coordinator, Harrison returned to her hometown of Greeneville, where she served as assistant sports information director at Tusculum College for the 2005-06 academic year. In October 2006, she returned to Orlando for her second tour of duty with the SSC.
A 2001 graduate of the University of Tennessee, Harrison previously worked as a student assistant in Tennessee’s sports information office and also served internships with the Greater Knoxville Sports Corporation and The Greeneville Sun newspaper.
Among her responsibilities with the SSC, Harrison coordinates all phases of media relations, including all press releases, maintenance of the conference website, and coordination of all team statistics and all-conference balloting.
In her free time, Harrison is an avid follower of University of Tennessee athletics, and in particular, Lady Vols basketball. A self-confessed "reality TV junkie," she also enjoys playing fantasy football.
Maryanne Simkulak, Assistant Commissioner (Membership Services)
msimkulak@sunshinestateconference.com
Maryanne Simkulak began her duties as the SSC Assistant Commissioner for Membership Services on Jan. 4, 2010.
In her role as assistant commissioner, Simkulak’s primary duties include oversight of the conference’s NCAA rules compliance program. Her daily responsibilities include providing rules interpretations and reviewing various eligibility paperwork submitted by member institutions. She also coordinates the National Letter of Intent and NCAA Coaches Certification programs. In addition to her compliance tasks, Simkulak serve as a liaison to the SSC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and helps promote and encourage community engagement activities on the campuses of the league’s nine member institutions.
Simkulak came to the SSC office after working in various roles at SSC member Barry University from August 2003 - December 2009. Beginning her tenure as an administrative graduate assistant, she was serving as an assistant director of athletics at the time of her departure to join the conference staff. As an assistant AD, she managed all facets of Barry’s compliance program, coordinated NCAA and SSC waivers, conducted rules education sessions with coaches, and processed all National Letters of Intent. She also served as advisor of Barry’s extremely active SAAC and coordinated athletic department special events such as the annual student-athlete banquet and National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Simkulak resides in Orlando with her husband, Brian, and stepchildren Brittany, Brian, and Destiny.
Sunshine State Conference President
Dr. Kevin M. Ross
SSC Assignors of Officials
John Magnusson, Baseball
JB Caldwell, Men's Basketball
Mark McClenney, Women's Basketball
Tom Wilde, Soccer
Mike McDermott, Softball
James Phillips, Volleyball
SSC Contact Information
400 South Park Avenue
Suite 150
Winter Park, FL 32789
Phone: 321-972-1803
Fax: 321-972-1805
