Quan is new NMIVA president

Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association president Somia Quan, seated center, joins the NMIVA board of directors for a group photo after the election of officers late last month. (Contributed Photo)

The Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association board of directors has elected Somia Quan as president.

Joining Quan on the board are vice president Ryan Camacho and directors Tyce Mister, Shawn Davis, Kathy Winkfield, Chris Nelson, and Mychal Omar.

“I am very delighted to be a part of an organization that has deep roots in our sports community and humbled by the board’s confidence in me to lead our team. Former president Laurie Peterka and the NMIVA boards before us have an extensive accomplishments list and we have some big shoes to fill, but I am excited to continue the successes of our national volleyball federation,” Quan said.

The new NMIVA head played for the CNMI (indoor) in the Micronesian Games in 2002 and 2006. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College and received her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is the Corporate Projects Manager in the Business Development Division at J.C. Tenorio Enterprises.

Camacho, just like Quan, also donned the CNMI colors before, having played in the indoor competition in the Micro Games in Yap in 2018.

“I look forward to working with all members of the board and community and supporting our president with the development of volleyball in our community,” Camacho said.

Nelson, another former national team player, expressed the board’s support to the new NMIVA president and vice president

“Both are not just players, but leaders and doers, and they have coaching and teaching experience. Our board is really excited and happy with our choice, and we think the volleyball community is really going to benefit.” Nelson said.

The newly elected NMIVA board has pledged to help continue to grow the sport of volleyball, both indoors and on the beach.

Founded in 2004, the NMIVA is the Northern Marianas Sports Association’s recognized member national federation for the CNMI for beach and indoor volleyball. The association is an accredited member of the Oceania Zonal Volleyball Association, the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), and the Federation Internationale de Volleyball. The NMIVA maintains strong working relationships with the CNMI Public School System interscholastic sports program (PSS), the Commonwealth Coalition of Private Schools, Sports Association (CCOPSSA) and with our neighbors in the south, the Guam Volleyball Association. For more information, email Winkfield at kwinkfield16@gmail.com. (Saipan Tribune)