Keonna Farmer
Birmingham,AL
Summary
Athletic administrator and student-athlete services leader with 3+ years of progressive experience building compliance-aligned athletic programs from the ground up, serving 90+ student-athletes and supervising 13 coaches. Demonstrated expertise in eligibility certification, academic progress oversight, governance policy development, and student-athlete leadership programming. Secured and managed over $2M in grant funding, corporate contracts, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships supporting athletics, education, and community initiatives. Recognized with the Key to the City of Center Point, Alabama, and an official municipal proclamation establishing “Keonna Farmer Day.” Committed to advancing compliance, academic excellence, and holistic student-athlete development.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Athletic Director
i3 Academy High School
Birmingham, AL
01.2024 - Current
- Establish and build a multi-sport athletic program from the ground up, scaling participation to 90+ student-athletes across 8 sports while recruiting, hiring, and supervising 13 head and assistant coaches.
- Implement institutional eligibility certification systems, maintaining 100% compliance with athletic association standards through structured roster verification, academic monitoring, and regulatory documentation.
- Design and enforce departmental governance policies, creating operational infrastructure that results in zero compliance violations.
- Develop and lead academic intervention frameworks in collaboration with faculty, strengthening eligibility oversight and increasing student-athlete retention by 18%.
- Increase athletic participation by 22% through strategic recruitment initiatives, program branding, and community outreach efforts.
- Create and implement comprehensive student-athlete development programming integrating leadership training, NIL education, financial literacy, and post-secondary transition planning.
- Establish student-athlete advocacy and case management protocols addressing academic, behavioral, and wellness needs in coordination with families and administration.
- Institute structured coach evaluation systems and deliver compliance education training for 13 coaches, strengthening documentation accuracy and program accountability.
- Build and manage athletic department budgets and operational systems to ensure sustainable resource allocation and long-term program growth.
- Forge strategic community partnerships and sponsorship relationships, and secured grant support to expand program visibility and financial support.
Campus Coordinator (Contract)
Gibson Education Consulting
Dallas, TX
01.2022 - 01.2022
- Directed a 5-member team in implementing a federally regulated intervention program across 3 campuses
- Ensured adherence to federal compliance requirements and successfully passed audit review
- Developed workflow systems, reporting structures, and compliance tracking tools
Case Manager
Pinson Valley High School
Birmingham, AL
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Managed compliance-driven case management for 30 at-risk students with intellectual disabilities.
- Developed individualized educational and transition plans aligned with state and federal guidelines
- Monitored academic progress, attendance, and welfare indicators
- Collaborated with families, teachers, administrators, and community agencies to ensure regulatory compliance
- Improved documentation processes, ensuring timely submission of required state reports
- Increased literacy performance by 30% (Semester 1) and 45% (Semester 2) through targeted intervention planning
- Conducted interdisciplinary meetings and progress evaluations
Girls Basketball Athlete Support Services & Liaison
Center Point High School
Center Point, AL
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Served as Assistant Coach for Girls Basketball, contributing to a Final Four appearance during a highly successful season.
- Oversaw academic eligibility and ensured compliance with state athletic association standards.
- Coordinated communication between coaches, teachers, administrators, and families to support student-athlete success.
- Tracked academic progress and facilitated timely intervention referrals when needed.
- Managed eligibility documentation and maintained regulatory records.
- Designed and implemented a student-athlete leadership development initiative focused on accountability, character building, goal-setting, and team-based responsibility.
- Trained extensively 20 hours per week for upcoming competitions to perform at top-level.
AmeriCorps Enrollment Support
Jefferson State Community College
Birmingham, AL
01.2019 - 01.2019
- Advised prospective students on admissions and financial aid processes
- Coordinated outreach initiatives increasing enrollment by 10%
- Supported documentation and onboarding processes aligned with institutional standards
Student-Athlete Success Coach (Part-Time)
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
01.2019 - 01.2019
- Supported retention and academic success for 30 student-athletes.
- Assessed academic performance and developed individualized success plans
- Monitored eligibility benchmarks and academic progress
- Delivered financial literacy workshops tailored to student-athletes
- Collaborated with academic advisors and support services to ensure student-athlete persistence
Education
Master of Science - Adult & Continuing Education, Sports Manangement
University of West Alabama
Livingston, AL05.2019
Bachelor of Science - Communication Management
University of Alabama At Birmingham (UAB)
Birmingham, AL12.2016
Skills
- NCAA Governance & Institutional Compliance Oversight
- Eligibility Certification & Academic Progress Monitoring
- Student-Athlete Services & Welfare Administration
- Compliance Auditing, Documentation & Risk Mitigation
- Rules Education & Coach Compliance Training
- Title IX Awareness & Regulatory Alignment
- Policy Development & Enforcement
- Student-Athlete Development & Leadership Programming
- Cross-Functional Collaboration (Academics, Admissions, Financial Aid)
- Data Analytics & Compliance Reporting Systems
- Roster Management & Eligibility Documentation
- Investigative Review & Corrective Action Protocols
- Budget Management & Resource Allocation
- Stakeholder Communication & Family Engagement
- Operational Systems & Process Improvement
Accomplishments
- TEDx Speaker – Presented “The Importance of Accessible Equity for High School-Aged Females,” addressing leadership access and systemic opportunity gaps.
- Key to the City Honoree – Youngest recipient in Center Point history, recognized for community leadership and small business, sports, & youth empowerment impact.
- Official City Proclamation – “Keonna Farmer Day” & "Girl Life Unlimited Day", honoring leadership, advocacy, and service to young women and the broader community.
- Division I Wall of Fame Athlete Inductee – University of North Florida
- Published Author (2021) – Business Credit & Generational Wealth, focused on financial literacy and long-term asset building.
- Contributed as Assistant Coach to a Girls Basketball program that advanced to the Final Four, reinforcing competitive excellence while supporting academic and eligibility standards for student-athletes.
- Appointed Interim Boys Head Basketball Coach during i3 Academy’s inaugural year, achieving the school’s only athletic competition win; strategically recruited and hired two basketball coaches the following year, leading to a program turnaround with a 13–2 boys season and an 8–8 girls season.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive Student-Athlete Handbook standardizing eligibility certification, conduct policies, and governance procedures.
- Secured and managed over $2M in grants, corporate contracts, sponsorships, and partnerships supporting athletics operations, small businesses, student-athlete services, and community & youth initiatives.
- Launched structured student-athlete leadership development programming, integrating accountability training, NIL awareness, financial literacy, and transition planning.
Certification
- Recruiter Lite Certification |LinkedIn 2020
- Project Management Certificate |Google 2020
Timeline
Athletic Director
i3 Academy High School
01.2024 - Current
Campus Coordinator (Contract)
Gibson Education Consulting
01.2022 - 01.2022
Case Manager
Pinson Valley High School
01.2021 - 01.2022
Girls Basketball Athlete Support Services & Liaison
Center Point High School
01.2019 - 01.2020
AmeriCorps Enrollment Support
Jefferson State Community College
01.2019 - 01.2019
Student-Athlete Success Coach (Part-Time)
University of Alabama at Birmingham
01.2019 - 01.2019
Master of Science - Adult & Continuing Education, Sports Manangement
University of West Alabama
Bachelor of Science - Communication Management
University of Alabama At Birmingham (UAB)