Don McPherson is the National Director of the Mentors in Violence (MVP) Prevention Program. MVP is a unique gender violence prevention program designed to empower men to take a proactive position in the effort to stop men�s violence against women. McPherson also serves as the Associate Director of Members Services of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). He oversees implementation of all NCAS programs, including MVP and and the TEAMWORK Leadership Institute (TLI). TLI provides diversity training services to professional and college staffs, at all levels of the organizations.

Created in 1985 by Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, the NCAS unites a growing network of more than 179 institutions of higher education in an efforet to keep the "student" in student-athlete.

McPherson joined Sport in Society in November of 1995, as Co-Director of Athletes in Service to America. Athletes in Service addresses violence prevention issues and provides academic tutoring to young people from the elementary level through high school. AIS employs former college student-athletes to provide outreach to young people in surrounding communities.

A native of West Hempstead (Long Island), New York, McPherson was a two sport High School All-American athlete (football, track). Don attended Syracuse University from 1983-88. While at Syracuse, McPherson played quarterback and compiled 22 school records. In 1987, he led the nation in passing and Syracuse University to an undefeated record. A consensus All-America selection and winner of 18 national player of the year honors including the Maxwell Award (as the nation�s top collegiate player), the Davey O'Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Award (nation's outstanding quarterback), and was runner-up to Tim Brown of Notre Dame in the Heisman Trophy voting. McPherson spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. In 1990, he was traded to the Houston Oilers, only to return to Philadelphia following that season. He headed north to Canada, joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1991-93) and Ottawa Rough-Riders (1994).

During his seven year pro career, McPherson remained active within every community for which he played. During the off-season, McPherson was Program Coordinator for a community-based, non-profit organization called Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA), based in Long Island, NY. He coordinated all training and presentations for AHA's Student-Athlete Leadership Program and was coordinator for the Nassau County Athletes Against Drunk Driving program. McPherson also founded Athletes Helping Athletes, Canada, Inc. and currently serves as the International Chairman for both organizations. The Student-Athlete Leadership Program, now in its twelfth year, has trained thousands of high school student-athletes (through motivational speaking and group work dynamics) and mobilized them in the community to address self-esteem, substance abuse, violence prevention and academic success issues faced by young people. By using sports as a metaphor, athletes learn to teach, using their personal experience as a motivating example for young people. AHA is in over 48 schools in New York, Connecticut and Canada. McPherson has conducted leadership training programs in the Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. The program is designed to create peer leadership among inmates and encourage involvement in pro-active programs and positive community involvement. McPherson was recently named Director of the Nassau County Sports Commission on Long Island.

McPherson has been a spokesperson for a variety of causes both in Canada and the U.S. He has appeared on ABC's Nightline and other nationwide telecasts to discuss "athletes and domestic violence" and racism in professional football, and in 1997 was part of a Congressional committee studying violent crimes on college campuses.