Changes made to UW Athletics Senior Staff

Katie Ahrens Smith and Jeff Schmidt promoted to University of Wisconsin-Madison's associate athletic director and will join the department’s senior staff. 

Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez announced that chief of staff Walter Dickey assumes new duties as deputy athletic director, while associate athletic directors Marija Pientka, Justin Doherty, Jason King and Doug Tiedt have been promoted to senior associate athletic directors. In addition, associate athletic director for business operations Randy Marnocha has begun a new role with the UW-Madison Division of Business Services. Director of Financial Operations Mario Morris will assume day-to-day oversight of the athletic department’s business operation.

Smith has been with the department’s compliance staff since 1998, including the last five years as the director. In her new role she will continue to oversee compliance while also serving as the department’s liaison to the campus Offices of Student Financial Aid, Housing and Registrar. Smith will also have responsibilities with Big Ten institutional control initiatives, Board of Regents certification, booster organizations, NCAA certification and implementation of NCAA legislation.

Schmidt, most recently the department’s senior assistant athletic director for administration and legal affairs, has been with UW Athletics since 2004. Schmidt will have administrative oversight of camps and clinics and the equipment room, in addition to serving as the department’s liaison to its apparel partner, retail merchandise partner, Badger Sports Properties and the UW Office of Trademark Licensing. He will also have duties with departmental contracts, football scheduling, governmental affairs, legal affair and risk management.

Dickey will oversee the day-to-day operations of the athletic department (including direct oversight of human resources and the business office) in addition to serving as liaison to the UW Athletic Board, Big Ten Conference and UW’s Office of the Chancellor.

Pientka will have oversight of the spirit squad, technical services, video services, University Ridge Golf Course and four sports (men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf) in addition to liaison roles with the UW Athletic Board, UW Marching Band and Big Ten Sport Management Committee. 

Doherty has oversight of athletic communications, marketing, community relations, Web site services and three sports (men’s basketball and men’s and women’s soccer) in addition to serving as liaison to the Badger Basketball Boosters and Big Ten Network. 

King manages facilities and maintenance, event management, food and beverage, guest services and both the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs. He is liaison to the department’s concessionaire, UW Facilities, Planning and Management, UW Transportation Services, UW Recreational Sports and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Tiedt has oversight of academic services, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, student-athlete development and five sports (men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field and wrestling). He is the department’s liaison to the UW Dean of Students Office and the Office of the Provost.

Marnocha’s new role is the result of an inter-divisional employee interchange to facilitate the sharing of specialized knowledge and expertise, strengthen relations between and among campus units, and enhance career development. He has more than 25 years of administrative and financial experience in a university setting. His focus in the Division of Business Services will include reviewing and organizing current policies and procedures to ensure conformance with the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration’s (VCFA) approach to policy management. Additionally, he will have an active role in supporting the Financial Internal Controls Initiative, both by serving on process improvement teams as a team member, and assisting all of the teams draft new policies and procedures.