Chris Branscome is entering his 18th year as the Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is a member state association of the US Soccer Federation and the 4th-largest state association, serving over 120,000 players and 370 member organizations. 

Having spent nearly 35 years working across college athletics, youth and professional soccer. Branscome has held various positions, including Director of Marketing for US Youth Soccer, Director of Operations for the American Professional Soccer League, General Manager of the NPSL Chicago Power and VP of Marketing & Sales for the Philadelphia Kixx also of the NPSL. Branscome has also worked in athletic marketing and operations at St. Joseph’s, Villanova and Towson universities. He’s overseen marketing, sponsorship, broadcasting, event production, ticket operations, and player personnel. Branscome’s first experience in international soccer came in 1994, marketing the Chiquita Cup, the first women’s international soccer tournament held in the United States. 

Branscome spent many years as an accomplished player and coach. He played in his hometown of Philadelphia at La Salle College HS and Villanova University and for multiple amateur teams in PA and Texas. Branscome earned an A license from US Soccer in 1994 and coached with the Olympic Development Program as well as at Miami University, Villanova, St. Joseph’s, Widener and youth clubs in Texas, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. 

Branscome also serves on the sports advisory boards of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. He served on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Union Foundation and was presented with their Civic Leadership award in 2023. He was a member of the Philadelphia Task Force on Sports-Based Youth Development, the US Youth Soccer Strategic Planning Committee, US Soccer Youth Task Force, US Soccer Arbitration Committee, chaired the US Youth Soccer committee on the National Championships and served on multiple working groups in the US Soccer Pathways project. Recently, he was elected as a Commissioner to the US Soccer Youth Council and was appointed as a member at-large to United Soccer Coaches. Since 2017, he has diligently worked to bring the FIFA World Cup to Philadelphia as a member of the bid committee, achieving the goal of host city status in 2022. He continued as a member of Philadelphia Soccer 2026 working in multiple areas to prepare to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 

Kelly Connor serves as Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. Kelly earned both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Sport Business Management from the University of Central Florida’s DeVos Sport Business Management Program, consistently recognized among the nation’s top sport business programs. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Florida State University.

Before joining the organization, Kelly served as Director of Outreach and Communications for Philadelphia Women’s Pro Soccer LLC and worked as a Graduate Assistant in the University of Central Florida Athletic Association’s Compliance Office, where she gained valuable experience in collegiate athletics administration.

At Florida State University, Kelly was a two-time team captain, a First Team NSCAA All-American, and a Hermann Trophy candidate. She finished her collegiate career holding the program record for career starts and was invited to train with the U.S. U-19 and U-21 Women’s National Teams. Her contributions to the game have earned her inductions into the FC Delco Soccer Club Hall of Fame, the Delaware County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame.

Gary Stephenson serves as Technical Director of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, bringing more than three decades of coaching experience and a distinguished career in player development, coaching education, and soccer administration. Since joining the organization in 2011, Gary has held a variety of leadership roles, including Assistant Technical Director, Assistant Director of Coaching, Coaching Education Instructor, ODP Staff Coach, and Director of Soccer Development and Performance. In his current role, he oversees the coaching curriculum for Olympic Development Program (ODP) programming, coaching education courses, and the professional development of coaches and staff throughout the state. He also collaborates with U.S. Soccer and US Youth Soccer on curriculum development, programming, and course delivery.

A native of Durham, England, Gary earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northumbria University and spent eight years as a design engineer and structural analyst with Caterpillar before pursuing his passion for soccer. He began coaching men’s teams in 1994 and continued his coaching career in the United States beginning in 2000. His experience spans the club, collegiate, high school, and U.S. Soccer Development Academy levels. Gary holds a U.S. Soccer A License and is a certified coaching instructor. He has also served as a regional ODP head coach and led the Eastern Pennsylvania ODP U17 Boys team to the 2017 US Youth Soccer ODP National Championship.

A passionate advocate for coach and player development, Gary created The Evolving Game coaching newsletter, which grew to more than 18,000 subscribers. Throughout his career, he has delivered thousands of educational courses, presented at the United Soccer Coaches Convention and US Youth Soccer workshops, conducted U.S. Soccer coaching courses internationally, and contributed to the development of coaching curriculum across a wide range of education programs.

Gary is also a licensed referee and helped establish the Eastern Pennsylvania Developmental Referee Program. Beyond coaching education, he has played a key role in expanding international soccer opportunities for ODP players and families through programs in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Committed to advancing the game at every level, Gary is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for players, coaches, referees, and families to grow through soccer. He resides in York County with his wife and three children.

David (DJ) Jones serves as Director of Competitions for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, bringing more than 40 years of experience as a player, coach, administrator, and leader in the game.

DJ’s soccer journey began in Pitman, New Jersey, where he developed into an All-State player and team captain at Pitman High School before earning First Team All-America honors at Elizabethtown College. A standout player throughout his career, he competed with the United German Hungarians, helping the club reach the 1993 U.S. Open Cup Final, and later played professionally with the Philadelphia Freedom. DJ was inducted into the Pitman High School Sports Hall of Fame, Elizabethtown College Athletics Hall of Fame, Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame, and the South Jersey Soccer Hall of Fame.

Throughout his coaching career, DJ has led teams at nearly every level of the game. He served as head coach at Gloucester County College, guiding the program to back-to-back National Championship appearances and a Region XIX title, before joining Temple University, where he coached both the men’s and women’s soccer programs. He has also held leadership positions with Montgomery United Soccer Club, North Penn Soccer Club, Pitman Soccer Association, and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, where he helped coach the 2002 U17 Boys ODP National Championship team.

In addition to his coaching and administrative work, DJ founded SoccerJones LLC, a company that manufactures custom corner flags for organizations across the country, including MLS, USL, NWSL, collegiate, high school, and youth soccer programs. He also founded North Penn Soccer Club, a community-focused organization built around an affordable “pay what you can” model that now serves more than 1,000 players annually.

He and his wife, Heidi, have two children, including son Josh, who plays professionally for Louisville City FC.

Julian “JT” Dorsey serves as the Director of Player Development for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, where he leads initiatives focused on player growth, coach education, and creating inclusive pathways for participation and development throughout the soccer community. A former professional player in the USL Championship, JT brings extensive experience both on and off the field. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of the JT Dorsey Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides access to soccer, education, and wellness opportunities for more than 1,500 youth annually across Pennsylvania.

JT holds a degree in Elementary and Special Education from Loyola University Maryland and has worked closely with schools, districts, and community organizations to advance youth development. His passion for soccer and commitment to equity have earned recognition from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, U.S. Soccer, United Soccer Coaches, the Philadelphia Union Foundation, and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. 

Leo Kelly joined Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association as the Director of Operations in 2023 following a 25-year career in the security industry and event management.

A former soccer and rugby player at Kutztown University, Leo has extensive experience coaching youth and high school soccer and lacrosse. He has coached at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, Colonial Soccer Club, and the Conshohocken Bulldogs. Leo has also been actively involved in community organizations, including serving on the boards of the Philadelphia Swimming Club and the Wissahickon Ski Club. 

Leo lives in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Terri. They have three sons: Ryan, Leo (Jake), and Caleb. 

Meghan serves as the Director of Registration Services, overseeing player registration for direct, intramural, travel, and recreational programs. Managing international clearances for players, as well as rosters for both Indoor and Outdoor State Cup competitions. In addition, she assists clubs, coaches, and families with the use of the GotSport registration system and membership services. 

Petroski graduated from Gwynedd Mercy University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, where she was a four-year member of the women’s soccer program. She continued her coaching career as an Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at Immaculata University in 2023 before returning to Gwynedd Mercy University, where she has served as an Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach since 2024. Before coaching at the collegiate level, she was the Head Junior Varsity Coach at Springside Chestnut Hill from August 2018 through August 2020. 

Catie Branscome serves as the Marketing and Communications Manager for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. She graduated from Penn State University in 2024 with a degree in Public Relations and Advertising. Before joining Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, Branscome worked as a photographer for CommAgency, working with clients such as the Penn State Alumni Association. She also held leadership positions in different clubs and organizations while in college, such as Public Relations Chair for Delta Kappa Alpha, Social Media Chair for Her Campus, and Media Relations Chair for Volé Dance Company.

A lifelong member of the soccer community, Catie began her youth soccer career in Texas, but went on to play at local clubs such as Whitpain Recreation Association, Colonial Soccer Club, and Ukrainian Nationals.

Anna-Kate serves as the Assistant Technical Director and Olympic Development Program Coordinator for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, overseeing programs that support hundreds of players and coaches across the region. She is also the varsity girls’ soccer coach at The Baldwin School and previously led the women’s soccer program at DeSales University. Anna-Kate holds a master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology from Lock Haven University and is a U.S. Soccer Grassroots Coach Educator, U.S. Soccer C-licensed coach (currently pursuing a B License), and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). 

Fernando Carrizo, Assistant Technical Director for USSF Education/Educator. USSF Talent Scout. ODP staff coach since 2008; ODP Region1 staff coach 2014-2020. Moravian Academy Upper School Boys Varsity Assistant Coach since 2011, 3X State Champions. Personal soccer trainer for 28 years. Fernando holds a USSF A-Youth License.  

Mallory O’Riordan is a soccer development professional, coach, educator, and community engagement leader dedicated to expanding access to the game for youth and underserved communities. A lifelong player, she represented Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer clubs FC Revolution and PA Classics before playing forward at Governor Mifflin High School, where she became one of the program’s top goal-scoring alumni and earned All-County, All-Division, and All-County Team Forward honors. She is a U.S. Soccer C-licensed coach (currently pursuing a B License). Mallory holds a degree in Psychology with a focus on youth mental health disorders, bringing a unique perspective on child development and well-being to her work with players, coaches, and communities. She is passionate about using soccer as a vehicle for education, mentorship, and positive youth development.