Meet Our Team
We’re a growing team united by a love for tennis and a mission to make the sport accessible, inclusive, and transformative.
Aaron Mullennix, our Board Chair, is the 2020 North Carolina Tennis Pro of the Year, a native Charlottean with over 20 years of tennis teaching experience. As Director at Charlotte City Tennis, he’s shaped the sport across public parks and clubs around the country. Click here to hear from Aaron.
Hunter Bishop is a construction executive and burgeoning tennis professional who credits tennis with transforming his life. Serving as a Board Member of the Charlotte Public Tennis Foundation will allow him to give back to this game that has already done so much for him. He is dedicated to expanding access to affordable public tennis, and especially helping new players find their way in the sport.
Don Abernathy is retired from a long career as a Tower Operations Coordinator (CLT Hub) for American Airlines. Beyond his professional achievements, Don has dedicated over 16 years to volunteering as a High School tennis coach and instructor, introducing the sport to hundreds of
students "new to tennis". Don has long been an advocate for improving
public tennis at parks, schools and rec centers, and has tried to
support efforts of existing programs as well lending support to others
wishing to start programs in those places.
Sheena Pickett is the founder of AlphaMale Nail Care Services and a dedicated advocate for community wellness. As a board member of the Charlotte Public Tennis Foundation, she is passionate about expanding access to tennis in underserved communities and believes the sport is a powerful vehicle for health, opportunity, confidence, and lifelong connection. She is committed to helping grow the game by creating pathways for more youth and families to experience the benefits of tennis.
Dale Mullennix is a retired Executive Director of The Urban Ministry Center (now Roof Above) that was committed to housing people experiencing homelessness. While housing was the highest priority of the organization, under Dale’s leadership, it also focused on enriching the lives of clients through creating programs like street soccer, an art studio, and a running club. He sees tennis as having the same life enhancing impact on the lives of people served by The Charlotte Public Tennis Foundation.
Gisele Firmino, our Executive Director, has called Charlotte home for over six years. Both she and her son have thrived in public tennis programs, experiencing firsthand how the sport builds community. As a Program Manager at Queens University of Charlotte, she has a proven record of building programs and fostering connections, driven by her commitment to diversity, accessibility, and impact. Click here to hear from Gisele.
We are in the process of building our board of directors, and can't wait to introduce our entire team of passionate leaders. Please stay tuned for more information soon!