ARTHUR ASHE YOUTH TENNIS AND EDUCATION

NAMES TINA THARP NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PHILADELPHIA , PA , Oct. 18, 2007 – Tina Tharp was named Executive Director of Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education in Philadelphia , one of America 's premier public youth tennis programs; it was announced today by Jerry L. Johnson, AAYTE Board Chairman.

Formerly AAYTE Operations Manager, Tharp was selected for the post after an extensive national search to replace former Executive Director Scott Tharp .

“ Tina Tharp for the past four years has put her heart and soul into the growth of Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education. She has helped create strong, effective and appealing tennis and education programs that are relevant to the lives and futures of at-risk boys and girls living in the Philadelphia area,” Johnson said. “I know she will do an excellent job in overseeing operations, as well as expanding corporate and business participation in AAYTE activities.”

Prior to joining AAYTE in 2003, she was Head Professional at the Cleveland Country Club in Shelby, NC, Head Professional at Overbrook Golf Club in Bryn Mawr, PA, Head Women's Tennis Coach at Eastern University, Wayne, PA, and Head Coach at Notre Dame Academy, Villanova, PA. Before receiving Professional certification, Tharp was Administrative Director of the Ebel Philadelphia Indoor, a prestigious ATP championship event.

Tharp serves the Professional Tennis Registry as an International Clinician and is the Chairperson of the PTR Women's Committee. She is an executive member of PTR's National Tester Committee. She was recently appointed as a Committee Member of the United States Tennis Association's National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) National Committee.

She first joined the AAYTE staff as a teaching tennis Professional in 1989 and upon her return to Philadelphia was named Operations Manager in 2003. She served as a Site Manager of AAYTE's NJTL summer program from 1987 to 1989. She graduated from Penn State University in 1989 with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science.

Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education ( www.ashetennis.org ) is a national model for imaginative, public youth tennis and educational enrichment programs. Providing new opportunities to an at-risk and diverse population, AAYTE delivers first-class tennis instruction, fitness, health and nutrition training, equipment, tutoring, computer science, library services, along with its nationally acclaimed life skills curriculum to more than 10,500 young people ages 4 to 18, mostly coming from underserved, low-income communities. The new $12.5 million AAYTE Center at 4842 Ridge Ave. in East Fairmount Park, is dedicated exclusively to serve children, the only facility of its type in the country. AAYTE's principal sponsor is Advanta. Additional support comes from foundations, corporate, public and private resources.