NAHL Announces Staff for 2025-26 Season

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced its Staff and Executive Committee for the 2025-26 season. The staff operates the NAHL, the NA3HL, the NAPHL, and all of the league-wide events. This includes league showcases, tournaments, championships, and combines.

​The North American Hockey League has grown since its inception in 1975. With over 50 years of history and dedication to development, the NAHL has become a stepping stone for athletes in reaching their NCAA aspirations.

​Commissioner and President of the North American Hockey League, Mark Frankenfeld, enters his 19th year of leading the League of Opportunity. During his tenure, the NAHL has experienced stability and growth under his guidance. Thanks to the ownership support and dedication, the league has grown coast-to-coast with 34 teams across 19 states. Alongside the growth of the league, Frankenfeld is responsible for being a driving force of now cornerstone NAHL events like the NAHL Showcase and NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. These unique league-wide events have become recruiting grounds for scouts. 

​Frankenfeld is joined by tenured and experienced staff in the league office. Deputy Commissioner of the NAHL, Denny Scanlon, brings years of experience and knowledge from all levels of hockey. He has served in the Deputy Commissioner role since 2022, after serving as the Vice President of Hockey Operations for the NAHL from 2009-2018. He plays a critical role in all aspects of hockey operations and helps to continue the mission of the NAHL.

​Heading into her 11th season working for the NAHL, Shannon Smith is the Vice President of Marketing and Finance. Under her leadership, she oversees the corporate sales, day-to-day financial operations, marketing, and media of the NAHL, NA3HL, and NAPHL. Her guidance has played a major role in helping the stability and growth that the league has seen over the past decade.

Alongside the tenured staff, the league has cultivated new staff members over the past couple of years. Moving into her fourth season with the league, Tiffany Levesque serves as the Director of Administration. Levesque is instrumental in planning and executing all events across the league. Joining Levesque in their fourth season with the league, Tyler Giwerowski will continue to serve as the Director of Hockey Operations and Deputy Commissioner of the NA3HL. Working alongside Giwerowski, David Dunkleberger serves as the Manager of Hockey Operations. Both are responsible for the hockey operations of both the NAHL and NA3HL. They oversee the roster management, reports, game operations, and serve as a liaison for the teams.

Director of Player Personnel and Director of the NAPHL, Dennis Vickers oversees the NAPHL and all player personnel and scouting initiatives for the NAHL and NA3HL. He is responsible for facilitating communications between the league and NCAA coaches.

With the NAHL since 2017, Vinnie Perricelli serves as the Director of Streaming and Broadcasting. He has been instrumental in the development and launch of NATV and oversees the operation of the streaming platform. Christian Larson enters his fourth season as the Manager of Digital Media & Design. Larson is the lead video editor and oversees the league’s graphic design. He has been instrumental in the evolution of the league’s social media channels. Recent newcomers to the NAHL, Brittany Hart serves as the Manager of NA3HL Digital Media & Communications. She serves as the lead and host of the NA3HL and NAPHL media efforts. Joining her is Ava Cruchon, the Manager of NAHL Media & Communication. Cruchon serves as the host for NAHL’s weekly series and is responsible for communications for the NAHL.

​Keith Kaval, Director of Officiating, joined the league in the summer of 2018. Kaval after 12 seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) as an on-ice official Keith bringing his vast experience to the NAHL to help mentor and develop NAHL officials. Working alongside Kaval, Kendall Hanley is the Manager of Officiating. Hanley has spearheaded the development of the NAHL Next Shift initiative and the NAHL Officiating Exposure Camps since joining the league in 2022. The most recent additions to the Officiating department are Erika Grennen and Melanie Gotsdiner. They assist Kaval and Hanley throughout the season.

Mark Faucette is the Director of Player Safety for the NAHL. He has led the charge since 2015, and his past experiences of serving as an on-ice official in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 17 seasons have equipped him to review and ensure the safety of all players in the NAHL. Faucette reviews all major incidents and provides the necessary resources to players, coaches, and officials on the NAHL Code of Conduct.

​Director of NCAA Compliance and Education, Craig Barnett provides NCAA education and compliance resources for the NAHL, NA3HL, and NAPHL. Barnett's experience and relationships in the college hockey world provide a unique perspective to coaches and players in the NAHL family of leagues looking to gain opportunities at the next level.

Finally, named the fifth Kim Cannon Intern, Zoe Lohrei joined the league office in August of 2025. Lohrei is a recent graduate from Adrian College, where she spent three and a half years as a member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Ice Hockey program. While working in the league office, Lohrei will gain experience in hockey operations, player personnel, and sales and marketing. 

The NAHL Executive Committee is composed of members chosen by their respective division and every division in the NAHL is represented on this committee. Their primary responsibility is to support the Commissioner's office by always putting the league first, the division second, and their teams third. They invest countless hours above and beyond what it takes to operate a team. Their commitment has been extremely valuable to the success of the NAHL and its brand over the years. 

Serving as the Chairman of the Board since 2013, Bill McCoshen has been a driving force on the executive team. As the Founder and President of the Janesville Jets, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the NAHL Executive Committee. The Jets joined the League of Opportunity in 2008 and have continued to grow as an organization in the Janesville community ever since. They most recently moved into their new facility, The Woodman’s Center, and have provided athletes with top-tier player experience and development opportunities.

​A long-time owner in the NAHL and NA3HL, Don Stone has served as the Vice-Chairman of the NAHL Executive Committee since 2013. With 16 years of ownership under his belt, Stone brings a deep understanding and experience of both leagues. Joining him as members are Bryan Erikson and Greg Odde. Over the last 10 years, Erikson and the Generals have played a crucial role in helping to expand the NAHL eastward. Odde is one of the newest additions to the NAHL Executive Committee, joining as the Central Division representative last year. Odde enters his 16th season owning the Aberdeen Wings. Under his leadership, the Wings have become a staple in the Aberdeen community while being one of the top teams in their division. With all of the Executive Committee’s love and dedication to the sport of hockey, the NAHL has continued to elevate season after season.