board of directors

A graduate of Harvard University, Adam brings to us over 15 years of professional baseball experience. Prior to joining 78 Youth Sports in 2018, Adam spent time as a Coordinator of Amateur Scouting, Senior Director of Baseball Operations and Assistant General Manager with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. In addition to his time in the front office, Adam appeared frequently as a SportsNet New York (“SNY”) panelist on Baseball Night in New York, the Mets Pre-and Post- Game Shows, and Mets Hot Stove.

Ed Kohler is a Principal and Chief Financial Officer of The Pegasus Group, a New York City-based real estate firm that specializes in the development of large, urban, multifamily projects. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ed has been coaching and teaching clinics since 2015. As a Board member, Ed is proud to support our dedicated staff and volunteers, as they develop the next generation of baseball players.

Jon Margolis is a Managing Director specializing in proprietary trading and new business development at Nomura Securities, the largest investment bank in Japan. He graduated from Emory University. Jon has been coaching various youth sports since 2019, mostly in 78 baseball and softball. He has been a 78 board member since January 2024.

Bryan is the Chief Revenue Officer at Newsela, the leading K-12 supplemental content platform. He graduated from the University of Virginia and later earned an MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU. Bryan has has been supporting and coaching 78th Youth Sports teams for over 10 years - he has 3 boys, ages 9, 14 and 16.

Jim Crews serves as Director of Marketing and Technology for his family's John Deere construction dealership. Additionally, he brings over 10 years of financial services experience from TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab. A graduate from the University of Oklahoma and former adjunct professor, he combines business leadership with academic expertise. Jim and his family are active in the community, participating in softball, basketball, baseball, and bowling.

Julia Friedman is the Assistant Director of Early Childhood and Kindergarten admissions at Brooklyn Friends School, an independent Quaker school in Downtown Brooklyn. Julia graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in sociology. As a Park Slope native, Julia’s family grew up supporting community and cheering on her brother and his friends in 78 Youth Sports activities, programs, experiences for children and families.