President & CEO
GinaMarie has dedicated her life to working with non-profit youth organizations; remembering the positive influences these organizations had in her life while growing up in the inner-city of Boston.
While working for Federal Express and attending college, GinaMarie’s non-profit career started as a volunteer for numerous Phoenix based youth organizations, which included the A.C. Green Foundation, founded by L.A. Laker A.C. Green. Predicated on her dedication and hard work as a volunteer, she was eventually hired as the Assistant Program Coordinator, ultimately working her way up as the Foundation’s Executive Director.
After almost 9 years with the A.C. Green Foundation, GinaMarie would embark on a new opportunity and passion by co-founding the NABI (Native American Basketball Invitational) Foundation in 2002, alongside Mark West, Vice President of Player Programs of the Phoenix Suns; and the late Scott Podleski of the Arizona Rattlers. The mission of NABI is to use basketball as a tool to create college scholarship opportunities for Native American High School athletes through the implementation of programs that serve Native American youth.
In 2007, GinaMarie was directly responsible for encouraging the NCAA to change the NCAA legislation and governing rules to allow Native American athletes the opportunity to compete in NCAA certified tournaments as sovereign nations. Accordingly, this led to the exemption of tribal tournaments adhering to the NCAA same state rule – opening the door for many talented Native-athletes to be scouted by Division 1 & 2 colleges – setting historical precedence by becoming the first all Native American tournament certified by the NCAA. By 2010, Gina would fulfill her passion of establishing the NABI Foundation as a not-for-profit Organization.
As President & CEO of the NABI Foundation, Gina is directly responsible for donor & sponsorship development, partnership and board development, and working with the COO to ensure the NABI Foundation’s mission and goals are the Foundation’s main priority.
In addition to her work with NABI, Gina served as a board member on the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs for 5 years. During this time, she developed and established the Chasing the Suns 5K & Pow Wow and the Phoenix 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.
In 2015, GinaMarie discovered through a DNA test she is 24% Native American (maternal), bringing her connection, passion and love for Native Country – the youth and communities she is dedicated to serving – full circle.GinaMarie currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband Ralph Marchetta, two sons Vincent and Alexander, and grandson Antonio.
