Women's History Month Spotlight: Honoring Contributions to NorCal Tennis

In tribute to Women's History Month, March is devoted to recognizing the extraordinary women influencing our tennis community at USTA NorCal. We sought to highlight the exceptional women supporting our local Community Tennis Associations and Parks and Recreation departments, inviting nominations from our members to honor their impactful contributions. Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals who have been nominated for their remarkable work.

Betsy Kemp | Cheri King  |  Kristina Lencesova  |  Pearl S. Leung  |  Lisa McKenna  |  Cindy Porath

Betsy Kemp: General Manager of the 2023 USTA Elite Facility of the Year, the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Tennis Center

Nominated by: Joe Noth

“Betsy Kemp is the General Manager of the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Tennis Center in San Francisco.  As the General Manager she is responsible for day to day operations and works with the city, players, patrons and coaches to ensure that all participants and patrons at the Goldman Tennis Center have a safe and positive experience.

Betsy brings a rich blend of expertise in customer service, marketing, and hospitality to her role, ensuring the Goldman Center continues to be a leader in community tennis. An avid USTA League Tennis and pickleball player herself, Betsy understands how important a vibrant tennis facility is to the community. Under her direction, the facility was named USTA Facility of the Year in 2023. Betsy is excited to use her unique skills to help ensure the Goldman Center continues to be a beacon of fun, health, and memories in the community. ”

Cheri King: Representing Operation Pride

Nominated by: Irvin James

“Cheri has revitalized San Pablo Park in Berkeley, increasing its popularity and use over her 10 years of service. She hosts, most if not all, green and orange ball tournaments in the Berkeley area. She does so much for the junior scene. Despite facing so much opposition and harassment from Berkeley's municipality, she continues to deliver excellent experiences to players of all ages.”

Kristina Lencesova: New Frontier Tennis

Nominated by: Calvin M. McCullough Jr.

“Kristina has an impressive background in tennis instruction and entrepreneurship. She started working as a tennis instructor in high school and continued this path through college. She attended Cal State East Bay as a full-time student and worked as a full-time instructor to pay her tuition and she graduated debt-free. After college, she became a USPTA-certified instructor and contractor with New Frontier Tennis, working across 11 different cities and teaching around 150 hours per month.

Recently, Kristina attended a tournament director's seminar qualifying her to host USTA junior and adult tournaments. She is also pursuing a certification to become a tournament official. Along with her tennis commitments, she holds a part-time position at the Concord Community Center, where she assists the program coordinator, engages with the public and manages events. Kristina's dedication to teaching tennis, entrepreneurial spirit, and community involvement truly make her a remarkable woman.”

Pearl S. Leung: Laney Tennis Association

Nominated by: Daniel Chin

“Pearl Leong has an impressive tennis history with USTA and Laney Tennis Association. With records going back to 1998, she has captained or co-captained 21 teams to NorCal championships and has played 1,231 matches. And, she's still playing! Pearl's first team at Laney was in 2002 and when she found out that Henry and Connie Chang were retiring at the end of 2023, she stepped up to the plate and helped form the first Laney Tennis Association Board. Pearl is Laney's Tennis’s first women's director and team scheduler, and she has played an essential role in continuing Henry and Connie Chang's legacy for Laney Tennis Association.”

Lisa McKenna: San Carlos Tennis Club

Nominated by: Alistair Jeffs

“Lisa leads the San Carlos Tennis Club, a USTA NorCal Community Tennis Association, as the president, along with having been a USTA team captain. Lisa drives the club to be an organized entity while also pushing through new initiatives and concepts for member-players to enjoy their time as members. Lisa is a volunteer for the club.”

Cindy Porath: Sierra Junior Tennis Association

Nominated by: Kristine Wymore

“Cindy is our go-to person for Sierra Junior Tennis Association's two biggest community programs. She oversees our Tennis Buddies Program serving individuals with developmental disabilities of all ages. Just this past winter she spearheaded an indoor pickleball program for the Tennis Buddies, keeping them engaged and warm inside.

Cindy also champions our in-school tennis programs. Working with local elementary and middle schools, she successfully, and more importantly, patiently, manages up to 60 students in local school gyms. Cindy brings enthusiasm, commands respect and earns the affection of everyone she engages with. Sierra Junior Tennis Association is incredibly grateful to Cindy for her tireless contributions and appreciates the opportunity to share her commitment and have other people outside our organization recognize her gift.”