Our Team
Matthew Gioia, Executive Director
Matt Gioia is the Executive Director of Harlem Free Fight Academy, where he leads strategic growth, fundraising, and community programming. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a degree in History, he has built a strong fundraising program and launched partnerships with Quest Nutrition, Adidas, and multiple professional athletes.
Matt started kickboxing at 16 in New York City and found his true passion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, training under Arun Subramanian at Foundations Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Madison, Wisconsin. A purple belt under Rafael Babilonia, he competes, coaches, and writes about the sport, with work published by FloGrappling.
Tim McNamara, Director of Programming and Head Instructor
Tim McNamara is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under Renzo Gracie and Rafael “Sapo” Natan and a Judo Black Belt under Shawn Madden. With over 15 years of coaching experience, he has taught kids, teens, and adults in both sports and has five years of referee experience. A former MMA fighter and academy owner, he won North and South Carolina state championships in Judo.
Before moving to New York City, Tim spent a decade as a teacher and department chair in North Carolina schools, earning Teacher of the Year twice. His work in dropout prevention, alternative schools, and sober living support makes him as committed to developing people off the mat as on it.
Andrew Lee, Striking Coordinator
Andrew began training in 2006 at Arizona Combat Sports in Phoenix, AZ, learning mixed martial arts under UFC veteran Jamie Varner and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under ADCC veteran Gustavo Dantas. He taught his first MMA class in 2012, discovered a passion for coaching, and kept teaching until he moved to New York City in 2019.
When he was introduced to Harlem Free Fight, he was excited by the mission and jumped at the chance to teach kids who normally wouldn’t get the opportunity. Andrew is currently a brown belt under Murilo Santana at Unity School of Jiu Jitsu.
Katie Zhang, Financial Officer
Originally from Shanghai, China, Katie began her athletic journey as a dancer at age four and discovered Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in college. She trains under Murilo Santana at Unity Jiu Jitsu, where she recently earned her blue belt, and has worked part time for an online instructional website and as a sponsored athlete for Al Leone, a sports apparel brand.
Katie is majoring in Economics at NYU with a minor in Business of Entertainment at Stern and has interned in accounting, venture capital, and asset management. She joined Harlem Free Fight in 2024 to help make combat sports more accessible to youth and to put her finance skills to work for the organization.
Xavier Smith, Board Member
Xavier brings over fifteen years of experience in credit risk and project finance, with a career built at the intersection of renewable energy, infrastructure, and financial innovation. He is Director of Portfolio Management in Renewable Energy Project Finance at a major New York bank and has held credit and portfolio roles at other leading banks and a ratings agency. He holds a Master of Public Administration in Public Finance and Policy from New York University.
At Harlem Free Fight Academy, Xavier helps ensure the organization is built on a sound financial foundation, from evaluating funding opportunities and managing risk to planning for long term sustainability and growth.
Jason Patel, Board Member
Jason Patel is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt and the founder of Open Forge AI, a platform of AI agents that helps brands grow their visibility on AI search engines through Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
At Harlem Free Fight Academy, Jason brings an entrepreneurial lens to the organization's growth, helping think through visibility, outreach, and how the Academy positions itself in an increasingly digital world. His experience building a tech platform from the ground up offers a valuable perspective on scaling impact.
Joel Melendez, Board Member
Joel Melendez is a widely respected attorney whose dedication to service has never been confined to the courtroom. With previous board experience and a reputation for sharp legal insight, he brings strategic leadership and a genuine commitment to community empowerment to Harlem Free Fight's mission.
Outside his legal work, Joel is a devoted jiu jitsu competitor and an IBJJF Pan American Champion in the Masters Novice division. He has earned respect across the jiu jitsu community for the same discipline, patience, and preparation that define his work as an attorney.