Hurricane Club Announces Staff Promotions and Hires
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami Athletics’ Hurricane Club announced several staff promotions and new hires Tuesday.
Jon Gombinski and Parker Poliakoff have each been promoted to Assistant Athletic Director of Development. In addition, Mat Bernstein and Da’Ron Brown have each been hired as Director of Development.
“We are excited to announce the promotion of Jon and Parker to Assistant Athletic Director,” Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development Chris Cohen said. “They have both played critical roles in advancing the support of our student-athletes and coaches for several years here in UM Athletics. Mat and Da’Ron bring great experience from their previous institutions. We look forward to our supporters having the opportunity to engage and connect with them.”
Gombinski has been with the Hurricane Club since 2012 and oversees development operations, external communications and branding, and VIP hospitality for the Hurricane Club. He is also the lead fundraiser for the Building Women’s Champions Campaign and a member of the major gifts team. In 2011, he began working for the Hurricane Ticket Office as a ticketing assistant.
Poliakoff joined the Hurricane Club in 2019 and oversees the major giving team. Before joining the Hurricane Club, Poliakoff was the Associate Director of Development at The Wooden Athletic Fund with UCLA Athletics.
Bernstein comes to the Hurricane Club after spending the previous four years at UCF working in multiple roles, including Coordinator for Athletics Development & Donor Relations before being elevated to Assistant Director of Development for Major Gifts in 2020. Prior to UCF, Bernstein was a Hurricane Club intern in the fall of 2017.
Before arriving in Coral Gables, Brown served as Director of Resource Development with the Baylor Bear Foundation of Baylor Athletics. Prior to Baylor, Brown spent four years with the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation, originally as a Development Assistant before being promoted to Assistant Director of Development.
The Hurricane Club strengthens the University of Miami’s commitment to student-athlete excellence in competition, in the classroom and in life by providing the scholarship and operational funding vital for all student-athletes. The generosity of UM donors furthers the philanthropic endeavors of UM, giving student-athletes the opportunity to become better citizens and leaders through their experiences in sport, on campus and as a part of The U.
