REDHAWK ADMINISTRATORS, GRIFFIN AND VILLANUEVA NAMED TO NAIA LEADERSHIP ROLES

Griffin earns At-Large seat on NAIA-SIDA Board; Villanueva joins NAIA R.I.S.E. Committee

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has named two Indiana University Northwest (IU Northwest) athletics administrators to prominent national leadership positions.

Robyn Griffin, Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications, has been selected as an At-Large member of the NAIA-SIDA (Sports Information Directors of America) Executive Board, and Anna Villanueva, Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Women Leader, has been appointed to the NAIA R.I.S.E. (Respect, Inclusivity, Support and Education) Committee. Both appointments take effect July 2026.

The NAIA administers programs and championships in 27 sports across more than 250 member institutions.

Griffin Appointed At-Large Member of NAIA-SIDA Executive Board

Griffin’s appointment to the NAIA-SIDA At-Large Board seat recognizes her as a rising leader in collegiate athletics communications. The NAIA-SIDA Executive Board works to develop agendas, policies, and professional standards for sports information directors across all NAIA member institutions.

A Chicago native, Griffin returned to her alma mater in June 2025 when she was named Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications at IU Northwest, where she played volleyball on scholarship beginning in 2016. As a RedHawk, she was a member of the program’s historic 2018 squad—the first in school history to reach the NAIA National Tournament—and was named to the All-Tournament Team that season. Griffin also competed in women’s golf and women’s soccer during her undergraduate career.

Prior to returning to IU Northwest, Griffin served as Director of Sports Information and Senior Woman Leader at Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she led communications for four NAIA programs. She was recognized by College Sports Communicators (CSC) as part of its 30 Under 30 Class of 2025, which honors rising professionals in collegiate athletics communications. Griffin earned her master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Indianapolis in 2023.

“Being selected to the NAIA-SIDA Executive Board is an incredible honor, and I’m ready to bring a fresh perspective to the table,” said Griffin. “The way we tell stories in collegiate athletics is evolving fast and I want to assist NAIA sports information professionals not just keep up but lead the way. Our student-athletes deserve that kind of visibility, and I’m excited to help build the tools and community to make it happen.”

Villanueva Named to NAIA R.I.S.E. Committee

Villanueva brings more than two decades of institutional experience to the R.I.S.E. Committee, which oversees the NAIA’s efforts to create a welcoming and supportive environment for diverse and underrepresented student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and staff. The committee is committed to ensuring that individuals, regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, have equal opportunities to participate, excel, and advance within NAIA athletics.

A proud RedHawk and IU Northwest Hall of Famer, Villanueva has served as Associate Director of Athletics since 2022 and has held various roles within the Student Activities and Athletics Office since 2002. As a student-athlete, she was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball and a three-year letter winner in basketball. She went on to serve as an assistant coach with the IU Northwest women’s volleyball program for six seasons. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from IU Northwest, a Master of Sports Management from Southern New Hampshire University, a Graduate Certificate in Business Management, and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising from IU Bloomington.

“I am honored to serve on the NAIA R.I.S.E. Committee and look forward to contributing to efforts that advance equity and inclusion across collegiate athletics,” said Villanueva. “IU Northwest has always been a very diverse campus where different perspectives help foster change and I am excited to help carry those perspectives forward onto the national level.”