Meet the 2025-2026 USTA Florida Board of Directors
At the 2024 USTA Florida Annual Meeting, the organization welcomed a new Board of Director’s for 2025-2026. Chuck Gill takes over as President, with Phil Girardi, the immediate Past-President, moving into a delegate role. Let’s take a deeper dive into the 2025-2026 Board of Directors, which welcomes five ladies to the board.
Chuck Gill, President
Chuck Gill was born in Richmond, Virginia, but moved quite often, finding himself in Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and Vermont. Chuck first got involved with tennis when he was 16, stringing rackets and helping run lessons for junior players. He has worked in tennis ever since and currently is the Director of Tennis at Wellington Tennis Center. He got involved as a volunteer by joining different boards and national committees. He joined the USTA Florida Board as a Director at Large because he loves the people on the board and being a part of helping to grow tennis.
Chuck will step into the role of President. He is a past president of USPTA Florida, USPTA and will continue to serve as Chair of USTA Florida’s Tennis Management Advisory Team. In his free time, Chuck loves to golf and read books. Chuck has been serving on the Board of Directors for more than 5 years!
Marcelo Gouts, President-Elect
Marcelo has been volunteering with USTA Florida for 30 years and has had many roles within the tennis community. He has been managing public tennis parks in Orange County and currently is the Director of Tennis at Lake Cane. He will serve as a President-Elect in 2025-2026 and has previously served as a Director, Treasurer, and Secretary on the USTA Florida Section Board of Directors.
He likes to serve on the board because he can share his 30 years of experience in the industry with other members and staff who love to promote and support the game of tennis. In 2024, he won the Merit Award for his dedication to tennis and growing the game across all levels.
Marcelo was instrumental in the organization’s Hispanic Outreach Initiative (Tenis Para Todos) and is a vocal advocate for growing tennis in public parks. In his free time, Marcelo loves to travel around the world.
Phil Girardi, Delegate
Phil has been involved with tennis for the greater portion of his life and has been volunteering with USTA Florida for over 20 years. He served as President on the board during the 2023-2024 USTA Florida Board of Directors President, replacing Dana Andrews. He likes to serve on the board because it’s a fantastic visionary group for tennis and he feels everyone should play tennis and get the benefit from the sport.
He will serve as the section Delegate this term. He also is the Director of Tennis at Treasure Bay and head coach for St. Petersburg College. He is certified by the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and has a passion for Junior Team Tennis and collegiate programs and play.
Jane Wahl, Secretary
Jane Wahl joins the board for the first time. She is a native of Jacksonville, who learned to play tennis after college. She didn’t really consider herself a tennis player until someone invited her to join a team in 2005, and she has been enjoying the sport ever since.
Jane earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Florida. She worked with State Farm Insurance Companies for 37 years, in a variety of roles. She earned her CPCU designation during that time and was President and Chair of the CPCU Society Leadership Council, an international insurance organization. In addition to other Insurance and Quality designations, she is an ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt.
A member of the first USTA Florida Leadership Academy, Jane has volunteered as part of the USTA Florida Leagues Committee for four years. She appreciates the sportsmanship element of tennis as much as the game itself. She is a volunteer instructor with a Lifelong Learning group, and an avid Gator fan.
Lezita Davis, Treasurer
Lezita Davis is also joining the board for her first time and will serve as Treasurer. She was also born in Jacksonville and has been an avid tennis player and fan for most of her adult life. As a director of operations and process management, Lezita has delivered meaningful results throughout her career. She received her Bachelor of Science and master’s in business administration from Jacksonville University.
Lezita’s passion for community collaboration aligns with her love for tennis. She has served on various boards and local committees including past Board Chair for the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation; past flight coordinator for the Jacksonville Working Women Tennis League Board and an Adult League tennis captain for multiple teams. As a new USTA Board member, Lezita is looking forward to making a positive impact on growing the game of tennis. In her free time, she enjoys playing league tennis, spending time with her family, and traveling the world.
Trishna Patel, Director at Large
Trishna Patel joins the USTA Florida Board of Directors as a Director at Large. She is an USPTA Certified Tennis Professional, USTA Net Generation verified coach, and a Certified Cardio Tennis™ instructor. Utilizing over 30 years of personal experience and knowledge of the game, she shares her love of tennis by inspiring and coaching young athletes.
Trishna’s tennis journey began with a wooden racquet on the community courts in Mumbai, India where she discovered her love for the game almost instantaneously. Trishna’s tennis game grew to match her desire to play competitive tennis around the world. Coach Trishna trained at IMG Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida throughout high school, where she traveled to compete in tournaments earning national and international rankings. With the commitment and support of family and friends, Trishna was able to travel for national and international tournaments earning rankings in both circuits.
Coach Trishna is a former NCAA Division I singles and doubles player for Brown University and led her team to the IVY Championship, a title that was only previously won once in the school’s history. In 2022 she was inducted into Brown Athletic Hall of Fame and holds the record for most singles and doubles wins in a single season.
In 2023 she was awarded USPTA Florida Region 4 Pro of the Year. Since 2022, Trishna has been the head Boys & Girls tennis coach for Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach where she runs a no-cut high school program with the help of parent volunteers. In 2024, the City of Ormond Beach awarded Trishna the bid to manage and operate its 8-clay court Here, Trishna along with her talented staff, serve the local and tourist communities by offering programs for all ages in an engaging and fun environment.
Meika Ashby, Director at Large
Joining as a Director at Large is Meika Ashby, a seasoned tennis professional with over 8 years of experience as an RSPA (formerly USPTA) professional. She played Division 1 college tennis at Western Michigan University, where she honed her competitive skills and developed a deeper love and connection for the sport. Currently, Meika serves as the Assistant Director of Racquet Sports at The Oaks at Boca Raton, overseeing the tennis and pickleball programs. In this role, she focuses on growing participation, enhancing player development, and creating vibrant, engaging experiences for the community’s racquet sports enthusiasts.
In addition to her professional achievements, Meika has a long history of volunteering and serving in key leadership roles within the tennis community. She has actively contributed to USTA Florida as a member of the Awards Committee, recognizing excellence and achievement in tennis across the state. While in college, Meika served as a USTA Umpire, gaining unique insights into the rules and officiating side of the game. Her leadership extends to her work with RSPA Florida, where she has served on the nominating committee and chaired the committee, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of the organization.
Meika’s dedication to tennis goes beyond just her professional duties. She is passionate about giving back to tennis and ensuring its growth for future generations. Whether through her volunteer efforts or her work at The Oaks, she continuously strives to inspire others and create opportunities for players of all levels to enjoy the game. Meika’s commitment to fostering a love for tennis and her proactive involvement in the industry reflect her unwavering belief in the power of sport to bring communities together.
Tracy Singian, Director at Large
Another Director at Large joining the board is Tracy Almeda-Singian. She is a global marketing professional that has worked for iconic brands like Wilson Sporting Goods, Red Bull, Citi, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the NBA New Orleans Pelicans.
She has won an Emmy Award, two Comms Art awards, and has raised over half a million dollars for local charitable organizations in Brevard County. Tracy also has a deep background in tennis.
As a former WTA Tour player, Tracy is passionate about giving back to the sport that provided her with the opportunities of a lifetime.
Adam Ross, Director at Large
Finally, staying on the USTA Florida Board of Directors is Adam Ross. Originally from Nyack, New York, Adam grew up over in Long Island, where he first started to enjoy tennis at the age of 13. He loved to spend time with his family and even made some trips to the U.S. Open. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law with a Juris Doctor and was also admitted to the Florida Bar.
Adam, who first joined the Board as a Director at Large in 2019 and served as Secretary in 2021-2022 and Treasurer in the 2023-2024 term, will continue helping the game of tennis grow in his role a Director. Currently, he is an attorney based in Parkland, an avid tennis fan and player, and has served for a number of years on various section committees. He likes to serve on the board because he loves collaborating with USTA Florida members to ensure that tennis is promoted to all throughout the state.
In his free time, Adam loves to play tennis, read about tennis history, and watch tennis, whether in person or on TV. He also has a tennis memorabilia collection and is the Vice-President of The Tennis Collectors of America. They love to study and preserve tennis history. You can also find Adam traveling with his wife, Robin and going to as many Major events with her as possible.
To learn more about the USTA Florida Board of Directors, visit ustaflorida.com/board.