During the annual Spring meeting of the Little League® International Board of Directors on April 30, Kelly Dine of Hudson, Ohio, was elected as its newest at-large member.
Mrs. Dine, a registered nurse, biomedical science teacher at North High School (Akron, Ohio), and a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, has been a Little League volunteer for more than a decade. In 2019, she made history as the sixth female umpire to serve at the Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS) and only the second to serve as crew chief and home plate umpire for the LLBWS Championship Game.
“On behalf of the entire Little League International Board of Directors, it is an absolute honor to welcome Kelly as our newest member,” said Hugh E. Tanner, Board Chairman. “Kelly’s commitment to the Little League experience as not only an umpire who volunteers her service, but as a mother of three sons will play an important role as we look ahead to this next chapter in the Little League story. We look forward to the many contributions that Kelly will provide to our board based on her Little League background, science and medical education, and distinguished service experience and are thankful to have her.”
After playing youth baseball, Mrs. Dine began her service as a volunteer 14 years ago when she signed up as a head coach for her son’s Little League team. From there, she fell in love with the program and went on to serve as a Minor League Coordinator, umpire, announcer, and general volunteer supporter, jumping in to help with anything the league needed to be done. During her volunteer tenure, Mrs. Dine has spent time as an umpire at the local, district, state, region, and World Series level of the Little League program.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve on the Little League International Board of Directors,” said Mrs. Dine. “I’m fortunate to have performed a variety of Little League roles over the last 14 years. It is my hope that those experiences, and my work as a Little League, NFHS, and collegiate umpire, as well as my careers in education and healthcare, add value to the board and benefit all in the Little League community.”
Throughout her personal and professional career, Mrs. Dine has always been dedicated to teaching, inspiring, and helping others, and since her time on the big stage in the 2019 LLBWS, she has continued those efforts with Little League International through a series of digital contributions including a first-person letter and detailed conversations with Little League staff. Joining as a volunteer member of the Little League International Board of Directors is the next step in her Little League journey.
The Little League International Board of Directors serves an important role in providing governance, expertise, and guidance to Little League’s global program by setting the direction for the organization’s future. Each of the members of the Little League International Board of Directors are volunteers and receive no compensation for their dedicated work on behalf of the world’s largest youth sports organization.