August 15, 2022

August 9, 2022

August 09, 2022

June 13, 2022

Dr. Odera is a major contributor to Black tennis globally, as a successful coach, administrator and business owner, and a non-profit director. She has risen to the height of the profession as a tennis professional and sports administrator.

Her extraordinary ability won national and international acclaim as demonstrated by the results from the over 16,000 Black children who have passed through her hands as a tennis coach. To date, her influence has grown, and graduates from her tennis program are successfully playing their trade in every continent in the world, including the USA, where many of her proteges played NCAA, NAIA and JC, while others have played ITF, Junior Grand Slams and Davis Cup.

Dr. Odera is an incredibly experienced practitioner in education, recreation and health, and worked in leadership positions for the last 27 years in various capacities, including as Senior Research Officer in a medical institution, Principal at a high school, a non-profit CEO, Director at an award winning sports academy, Head of Department at a junior college and an adjunct university lecturer.

She is a speaker, published in international peer reviewed scientific journals, an author and an avid blogger on personal and organizational development issues, especially in non-profits. It is Liz's aspiration to help develop structure and long and short-term strategic plans, design programs, and frameworks within which staff successfully operate, and provide support towards functioning Boards.

She also believes in the power of sports in changing lives, and is honored to represent many fine individuals and organizations that have influenced their communities positively around the world. "I enjoy mentoring and have experience leading individuals and large teams in change-making sports environments in business and non-profits, including high profile soccer, rugby, basketball professional clubs, WTA players, college teams and country clubs."

Dr. Odera was inducted into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame with the Class of 2021.

Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Okongo Odera, Contributor - Inductee Bio

April 5, 2022

April 05, 2022

Longtime Washington, DC-area resident passed away on March 28, 2022, of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Johnson, an avid tennis player and golfer, lived in Fairfax, VA, at the time of his death. He graduated from The Potomac School, Woodrow Wilson High School, and University of the District of Columbia.Born December 27, 1961, in Washington, DC, Lange was the son of Robert W. and Nerissa L. Johnson. He was the grandson of Dr. Robert W. Johnson, credited with coaching tennis greats Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson. Lange and his siblings were all ranked tennis players in the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He continued to compete in tournaments until shortly before his ALS diagnosis.In 2015, Lange created the Whirlwind Johnson Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the legacy of his grandfather and restoring Dr. Johnson's historic residence and tennis court in Lynchburg, VA.Lange had successful careers as a Vice President at Time Life and at Universal Music Group. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, daughter Zoe, sisters Jolynn J. Smith (Jeffery), Eileen J. Williams, and brother Robert W. Johnson III (Daisy). He is also survived by nieces Alexis and Dylan Williams, NoraJane Conway, and nephew Evan Smith. Lange's loving in-laws, Francis and Virginia Burk, sisters-in-law Alison Shipman (Hunt) Abigail Burk, and Emily Smith (Jason) also mourn his loss. Lange was preceded in death by his brother Julian.Funeral service will be scheduled for a later date. To honor Lange's life and legacy, please consider donating to: whirlwindjohnson.org/donate

Published by The Washington Post on Apr. 4, 2022.