Allan King, Jr. is a seasoned leader in athletics, coaching, and professional development, bringing a wealth of experience in building winning cultures, developing leaders, and fostering student-athlete success. As the current athletic director at Allen East Local Schools and former head women's basketball coach at Defiance College for 4 years, Allan has dedicated his career to mentoring coaches, administrators, and student-athletes in reaching their full potential.
With a coaching career spanning collegiate and high school athletics, Allan understands the

challenges and opportunities that come with leading teams, managing programs, and developing a strong personal and professional brand. His experience includes seven seasons as an assistant women's basketball Coach at Wilmington College, where he played a pivotal role in shaping a nationally competitive program, 2 seasons as head women’s basketball coach at University of Pitt-Bradford, 1 season as assistant women’s basketball coach at Capital University, where he was part of an OAC championship team, and a head coaching tenure at Russia High School, where he led his team to a historic district title and a deep postseason run.
Allan’s passion for leadership, career growth, and personal development is at the core of his work. Drawing from his years in athletic administration, team leadership, and culture-building, he now helps coaches and athletic professionals develop the skills, vision, and mindset needed to excel in their careers and impact the lives of those they lead. Whether it’s coaching teams, mentoring coaches, or working with athletic departments, Allan is committed to helping individuals and organizations execute, evaluate, and elevate—transforming potential into sustained success.
Allan graduated from Bluffton University where he obtained a degree in Sport Management before attending the University of Heidelberg where he garnered a Master of Arts degree in Education. He and his wife Maria have five children: Lily (16), Trey (15), Si (12), Grace (9), and Hadley (7).

Kirk Jones is a dedicated educator, coach, and leadership development expert with a passion for helping individuals and teams reach their full potential. With a career spanning education, professional development, and athletics, Kirk brings a unique blend of experience in leadership training, culture-building, and personal growth.
Kirk currently serves as Enterprise Program Manager for BetterLesson, where he leads

professional development implementation for some of the largest education organizations and school districts in the country. Prior to that, Kirk served as Vice President of Professional Learning for Wildfire Leadership and Senior Customer Success Manager at 7 Mindsets, where he worked with schools, athletic programs, and organizations to implement transformational leadership and mindset strategies. His expertise in coaching, team dynamics, and professional learning has helped countless leaders develop stronger cultures, clearer purpose, and lasting impact.
Before stepping into professional development, Kirk spent 15+ years in education and athletics, serving as a middle school principal and athletic director at Ayersville Local Schools and as varsity girls’ basketball coach at Defiance High School, leading the largest win-loss turnaround in the state of Ohio from the 2013-14 to 2014-15 seasons. His leadership on and off the court has empowered educators and students to thrive in competitive and ever-changing environments.
Kirk’s approach to leadership and career development is rooted in helping individuals execute, evaluate, and elevate their skills and impact. With a deep understanding of the demands of education, he is committed to equipping district leaders, school administrators, teachers, and student leadership teams with the tools, mindset, and strategies needed to achieve sustained success.
Kirk graduated from Defiance College where he obtained degrees in Marketing & Management before earning his teacher certification from North Georgia College & State University and then garnering a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Tricia have three children: Avery (17), Alex (14), and Abbott (11).