Stephen Alli
Board Member
Dr. Stephen Alli enters his second season with Florida Football in GatorMade as the Director of Professional Development. In this role, Stephen directs programming and create opportunities to enhance the personal and professional growth of football student-athletes through internships, and professional skills workshops, and mental health advocacy. Stephen also oversees growing the network of professional partners and serve as a connection for Gator football alumni.
A Canadian native, Stephen played Wide Receiver at Florida from 2009 to 2013. After career-ending injuries in football, his goal was to work with athletes on the mental aspect of the game, to increase their performance, manage life outside of the game, and help athletes with their transition out of sports. Stephen pursued his graduate studies in mental health counseling, education, as well as business management. He eventually finished his schooling by earning his Ph.D. in Counseling with a specialty area in Athlete Development.
Motivated to assist athletes in managing life beyond sports, Stephen landed a role in the Former Player Department of the NFL Players Association. At the NFLPA, he provided valuable support to NFL alumni, current players on injury reserve, and players in the process of transitioning out of the league.
After his stint with the NFLPA, Stephen took on a position at Clemson Athletics as the assistant director of Student-Athlete Development. His primary role was assisting athletes in their personal and professional development, as well as supporting athlete wellness programs
Stephen's eventually moved into professional basketball, where he joined the Philadelphia 76ers from 2019 to 2022 as the Player Development and Mental Performance Manager. In this capacity, he provided player-related operational support, assisted in helping players transition into the league, provided off-court programming, and enhanced developmental players' on-court performance through holistic mental performance support.
Most recently, Stephen embraced the world of professional soccer with Sacramento Republic FC. In his dual role as Director of Operations and Cognitive Performance, he managed the team’s day-to-day and gameday operations, as well as established mental performance programming for players.
Outside of his professional life, Stephen is married to his wife, Rebekah Alli. He enjoys cooking, staying active, and … Quote: “Transitions in life, and especially in sports are inevitable. I believe a strong athlete development program looks at the full life cycle of the athlete both on and off the field. In our work with the student-athletes we prioritize meeting them where they are, to help improve their athletic and academic performance, and also development skills and resources to leverage their careers well beyond their years at Florida.”