Our Team

Cara was born and raised in Maryland – she moved to North New Jersey in 2016 to start a new venture. Sports have been Cara’s life since she was a little girl – she has played almost every sport you can think of - from lacrosse to rugby to crew. She loves being outdoors whether it is hiking, going to the beach or cliff jumping. Aquatics and swimming have been a huge part of her life since she was 6 months old when her mom put her in swim lessons. Cara attended Frostburg State University and graduated with a B.S degree in Recreation and Parks Management. Before she moved to New Jersey, Cara was the Aquatics/Summer Camp Director at Merritt Athletic Clubs. Cara has also worked at an outdoor education center teaching environmental literacy to school aged children and working with aquatic life. Cara loves working with children, especially when it comes to teaching them new skill sets. She is very excited to be working with such a great organization like Kids in the Game and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Frances developed a passion for dance, music, and recreation at a young age. Her early passions led her to become a certified teacher in physical education, health, and music. In addition to her duties as Kids in the Game's Program Manager, Frances has been instrumental in the expansion of the company's dance and fitness offerings. A professionally certified Zumba instructor, Frances teaches step and hip-hop dance classes as part of KinG's after-school program. Always quick with a song to brighten the days of her students, Frances has mastered the art of fusing music with movement. A lover of all things musical, Frances enjoys attending concerts, recitals, and operas in New York City. When she's not singing and dancing, Frances enjoys cheering for her beloved Boston Red Sox baseball club and hunting down the best BBQ joints in the city. Last summer, Frances earned her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Collaborative Piano from the University of Memphis.

Matt Murphy is the CEO of Kids in the Game, a certified b-corporation and one of the most impactful sports based youth development organizations in the country, working with over 20,000 youth and 60+ schools annually. Kids in the Game has been named a Real Leaders Top 100 Most Impactful Companies in 2020 and 2021. In 2018, New York University awarded Matt with the Lalia Rach Profile in Excellence Award for his commitment and innovation within NYC's communities. Matt is active in the social impact and entrepreneurial circles as both a contributor and council member of Nationswell, Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC), and Echoing Green Direct Impact. Matt's work has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Inc, and Huffington Post and has been named one of the 'Top 48 Entrepreneurs to Watch in NYC'. Under Matt's leadership, Kids in the Game was named to the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list for three consecutive years (2018, 2019, 2020). Matt serves on the board of New Media Advocacy Project, a human rights organization, acting as Finance Chair. Prior to Kids in the Game, Matt spent several years in corporate and investment banking and working on other start up ventures. Outside of work, Matt is active playing basketball, beach volleyball, skiing, and checking out live music somewhere in Brooklyn where he lives. You can reach him at matt@kidsinthegame.com.

Michael has dedicated his life to teaching sports and physical education to the youth of New York City. A former college basketball coach at Columbia University and SUNY Geneseo, Michael has over 15 years of experience in the field of physical education, athletics, and recreation. In 2003, Michael founded Kids in the Game to help improve the quality of athletic and recreational opportunities for children in the greater New York City metropolitan area.  Prior to Kids in the Game, Michael held senior positions at Asphalt Green and other NYC-based sports organizations. Michael holds a BA in Philosophy from Hamilton College as well as a Masters in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University.

Sheryl joined Kids in the Game in November 2015 for a year of AmeriCorps VISTA service. She provides support in marketing, social media, public relations, community development and human resources. She has an extensive dance background in hip-hop, modern and jazz. In 2008, she was chosen to be in the New York All-State mixed choir and played soccer for a local travel team. Before joining Kids in the Game, Sheryl was Marketing Coordinator for a Long Island tax law firm. A lover of music and movement, Sheryl enjoys trying different types of fitness classes, seeing Broadway shows, and travelling. Sheryl holds a B.A. in Public Relations from SUNY New Paltz.

Native of Corinth, Mississippi, Stennett is a writer and journalist with a deep love for storytelling. After graduating from the University of Mississippi, more lovingly known as Ole Miss, Stennett moved to Cape Town, South Africa to work on the marketing team with a non-profit soccer academy called Ubuntu Football. After a year and some change in Cape Town, she moved back to the US and followed her passion for storytelling to NYC. Ultimately, Stennett wants to use the power of words and sport to make a positive impact in the world. You can find her playing tennis, scribbling in her field notes, or searching for the best carnitas tacos in town.

Joining Kids in the Game in 2015, Wilson brings a unique outlook to the concept of sports-based youth development. Since graduating from the University of Rochester in 2011 he has held various position in the field of developmental psychology. Working with urban youth has always been a driving interest of his and he is excited to be working on bringing quality programming to the youth of New York City. Wilson is very passionate about sports. After playing basketball at the University of Rochester, he has continued to stay close to the sport through recreational play as well as refereeing. He is also an avid cyclist who enjoys both distance rides in the country and exploring the city’s streets on weekends. Helping kids stay active and improving their overall health and wellbeing is something Wilson hopes to help Kids in the Game spread throughout New York City schools and beyond!