RENO, Nev. – Nevada Athletics Director Doug Knuth has been selected as one of five veteran athletics administrators who will serve on the oversight committee of the LEAD1 Association's newly-created "LEAD1 Diversity Fellowship Program."

The new program is a year-long opportunity for each class of people of color and female administrators to better prepare to assume the athletics director position. Participants will be paired with an FBS athletics director, who will provide mentorship and professional development.

"This is an important program and demonstrates LEAD1's intentionality in developing future leaders in our profession," Knuth said. "I'm thrilled to play a role in this program and represent the University of Nevada, Reno and the Mountain West Conference in our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion."

The program's oversight committee selected the inaugural class, and matches those members with athletics directors. The LEAD1 Association represents athletics directors of the 130 member schools of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Along with Knuth, the oversight committee is comprised of Dan Guerrero, the president of the U.S. International University Sports Federation, and former UCLA athletics director, Northern Illinois Athletics Director Sean Frazier, North Carolina State Athletics Director Emerita Debbie Yow, and Denver Broncos Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion China Jude.