Meet Our Team
Co-Founders
Griffin Taylor
As CEO of The Program NYC, Griffin is responsible for spearheading the company’s vision, strategy and day-to-day operations.
At the corporate level, Griffin has spent a decade executing brand partnerships between NBA superstars and Fortune 500 companies, while spearheading strategy and business development for multiple startups in the tech & commerce space.
At the grassroots level, Griffin Taylor has a decade of experience working within basketball culture, assembling teams in major NYC (Rucker Park, Dyckman, Gersh) and national (2022 GM of the Year, The Basketball Tournament on ESPN) tournaments.
Griffin is a lifelong New Yorker, who grew up the proud son of a mom in the Blues Hall of Fame. He is a St. Bernard's School and Bronx High School of Science alum, who went on to play basketball at the NCAA Division III level.
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Jared Effron
Jared Effron brings more than a decade of sports business experience to the team as well as an extensive and dynamic network. Jared has successfully raised over $20M for new ventures in his career across the Real Estate, Technology, and E-Commerce sectors.
He is a die-hard Knicks fan and native New Yorker who graduated from The University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. Jared currently resides in Manhattan with his wife, newborn baby girl, and dog.
Jared was a multiple time high school all-star basketball player in New York City growing up, and still plays the game recreationally on a weekly basis.
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Carmelo Anthony
A 10-time NBA All-Star, ninth leading scorer in NBA history, entrepreneur and philanthropist, we are thrilled to have Carmelo on our board as an advisor.
A leader and pioneer on the basketball court, Carmelo’s incredible career has paved the way for his many other brands, business ventures, and philanthropic efforts on a global platform. He is a leading voice at the forefront of the ongoing fight for social justice, championing actionable change that pushes society and the next generation forward.
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Sue Bird
After a championed career spanning three decades and regarded as the world’s premier point guard, Sue Bird has left her mark on the WNBA and the world of women’s sports. Bird has won five Olympic Gold Medals, four FIBA World Championships, two NCAA Championships, four WNBA Championships among numerous other basketball accolades. Since her retirement in 2022, Sue has quickly established herself as a true trailblazer as a former athlete segueing into the mainstream media business with an unparalleled perspective. She is a co-founder of the women’s sports media commerce company Togethxr; co-founder of the production company, A Touch More, with fiancé and soccer legend Megan Rapinoe; and co-owner of the Seattle Storm. Bird is an outspoken and visible activist advocating for Black Lives, LGBTQ+ rights, equality, health, and wellness and expanding opportunities for girls and all marginalized people.
ROC NATION
Miles “Deuce” McBride
Entering his 5th NBA season as a member of the New York Knicks, Miles is a strategic investor, advisor, and partner in The Program NYC. Miles is a constant at Program NYC special events, and will be a consistent presence at our facility in Greenpoint (when he isn't starring for the hometown team at MSG!).
Chris Mullin
Louis Xifaras
The Basketball Team
John Carroll
Basketball
During a decorated 25-year prep coaching career, John Carroll has established himself as the leader in both academics and athletics. Carroll’s teams set the standard for combining elite-level basketball with rigorous academics, earning the recognition as the best combination of academics and basketball in the United States.
As a head coach, Carroll has amassed an impressive 370 career wins. Under his leadership, his teams have been ranked #1 nationally four times and maintained a spot in the top 5 for 12 consecutive seasons. His programs have claimed four New England Championships and competed in five National Prep Championship games, capturing the national title in 2013.
Carroll’s impact extends far beyond the scoreboard. He has mentored over 100 Division I athletes, including more than 50 who went on to play in the Ivy League, while dozens have progressed to professional basketball careers. His alumni have not only excelled on the court but have gone on to captain over 40 NCAA teams.
In June 2022, Carroll embraced a new challenge at The Newman School (MA), rebuilding the program from scratch. Remarkably, in just three years, Carroll transformed Newman from having no players on the roster to a #2 national ranking and a New England Championship in 2025. The Newman Class of 2026 already boasts three Ivy League commits (Columbia, Brown, and Princeton), as well as two players ranked among the national top 50.
Carroll’s achievements have earned him induction into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame as a prep player, college player and prep coach and the Assumption University Hall of Fame.
Ross Burns
Basketball
Ross is the Co-Founder and Owner of Pro Hoops, one of the premier youth skill development organizations in the Tri-State area and nationally. With a career spanning over two decades as a trainer, Ross has worked with hundreds of NBA and NCAA standouts, and many more youth athletes who have gone on to excel in high school, collegiately, and professionally.
Prior to Pro Hoops, Ross spent time on multiple NCAA Division I coaching staffs, and was a Division I athlete on the Men's Basketball Team at University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Brian Harrington
Performance
Brian Harrington is the owner and head performance coach of Harrington Sports Performance. He has been working in the industry for the past 13 years. Over the past 13 years Brian has had the pleasure of working with hundreds of athletes helping them achieve their athletic potential. Along with the help of his performance team, Brian has created a systematic training program that is both progressive and results driven. His program is designed to fully develop an athlete in all aspects of
performance; movement (speed, agility, multidirectional movement), plyometrics (jumping and landing), stability and mobility (injury prevention), strength and power (explosiveness and force production), and conditioning (aerobic and work capacity). Over the past 13 years Brian’s sports performance program has grown to be recognized as the best athletic development program in Westchester.
Zamal Nixon
Basketball
Zamal has been a fixture with The Program NYC since its inception, helping lead many of our most successful camps and clinics.
Zamal played four years collegiately at the University of Houston, and over a decade professionally overseas in France, Greece and Germany.
Post playing career, Zamal has been a coach at the New Heights AAU program (both EYBL and 3SSB), and an Assistant Dean at the Brooklyn Lab Charter School.
Juwan Staten
Basketball
As a player, Juwan was a Top-50 ranked high school player nationally, 2x All-Big 12 performer and 1,500 point scorer at West Virginia University, and went on to play professionally overseas in Belgium, France, Finland, and Hungary.
Post-playing career, Juwan has become one of the most respected youth trainers in the Ohio/West Virginia area, while building a successful AAU program (WV Gold) and serving as the go-to offseason trainer for multiple pros, including New York Knicks star Miles "Deuce" McBride.
Tim Burns
Basketball
One of the respected trainers in New York City, Tim works with dozens of NBA, WNBA and overseas professional players. Tim is a fixture at the NBPA's Top 100 camp, and a trusted skill development coach to many of the most promising high school prospects in the Tri-State area. A former NCAA Division I athlete at George Mason University, we are thrilled to have Tim with The Program NYC.
Luke Bolster
X Pro Hoops
After training with Pro Hoops for over ten years as a player, Luke has joined the team as a professional basketball trainer following the conclusion of his collegiate playing career. He played for five seasons at Columbia University under Jim Engles and served as a team captain for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Luke earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in American Studies from Columbia while making eight appearances on the dean’s list as an undergrad.
Born and raised in Manhattan, NYC, Luke attended the Trinity School, where he was a four-year starter and scored over 1,000 points. He was named first team all-conference as a junior and senior and earned first team all-state for B-division high schools as a senior.
Will Engelhardt
X Pro Hoops
Will has joined the Pro Hoops team as a professional basketball trainer following the conclusion of his collegiate playing career. He began his college career at Niagara University in 2019 before transferring to St. Lawrence University in 2021 for his final two seasons.
After graduating in May of 2023, Will shifted his focus from playing to coaching, beginning his work as a trainer, specializing in helping players improve their shooting. Since then he has experience working with players from the highest levels (NBA, G League, ACC, A10, etc.) all the way down to elementary schoolers.
Will graduated Cum Laude from St. Lawrence University with BA’s in Sociology and Business earning Conference All-Academic Team four years, NABC Honors Court and Sociology National Honors Society.
Will brings playing experience at many different levels throughout his career including high school, prep school, division 1, and division 3. High school accomplishments include All NEPSAC AA honors, 1,000 point scorer, Top 10 in State, and multiple scholarship offers.
His playing career culminated by winning the first Liberty League title for his school in over a decade. In the championship game Will led the team in scoring and rebounding with 17 pts and 10 reb. During his career he posted Top 15 seasons in the Liberty League in ppg, 3pt, 3pt%, fg%, ft, reb and stls.
Aryn McClure
X Pro Hoops
Aryn is a former star and 1,000-point scorer at Division I Quinnipiac University who led her team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a historic Sweet Sixteen run in 2017. After playing professionally in Ireland, where she earned a Master’s in International Business and worked with UNICEF, Aryn continued her journey in Costa Rica, playing professionally, fostering social impact initiatives, and helping student-athletes secure collegiate basketball scholarships. Now based in NYC, she builds bold, iconic campaigns while running Globally Known, a platform dedicated to helping athletes achieve their dreams.
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Aaliyah Lewis
X Pro Hoops
Lewis had a stellar career for the Johnnies from 2013-2017, appearing in 134 games, which ranks second all-time in program history. The 2017 BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year was a stellar point guard under Tartamella and an integral part of the BIG EAST Tournament Championship run in 2016.
As part of our partnership with the Pro Hoops team, Aaliyah brings a wealth of experience to The Program NYC including playing professional basketball overseas, working on a Division I women's basketball staff, teaching high school physical education, working for successful AAU organizations, and running her own skill development academy.
The Business Team
Jackie Nunes
Operations
Bobby Barry
Revenue Strategy
Bobby has been a fixture at LinkedIn for over a decade, beginning as an account executive and progressing to leading revenue and go-to-market strategies at LinkedIn's Enterprise Sales division.
On the basketball side, Bobby is a volunteer coach for the Level Up (Long Island) 4th and 5th grade national teams.
Bobby also played NCAA Division III basketball at Alfred University, where he was a co-captain of the team.
Carol Yurkovic
Finance
Carol is a profit growth expert with her main strength in building rigorous processes and organizational structures to optimize profit margins in both middle market businesses and Fortune 500 multinational companies. She has over 30 years of experience as an accountant and has spent much of her career as a trusted advisor to executive stakeholders in the interpretation of data-driven trends and opportunities to shape future strategic business decisions.
Specializing in continuous improvement strategies, Carol consistently identifies new opportunities to enhance workforce experience, control costs, improve profit margins, and foster accountability through financial systems and processes.
