CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Two new staff members have been hired in key leadership positions at the Virginia Athletics Foundation.   

Allie Ware has been added as the new chief of staff, and Dr. Stuart Sutton will assume the role of chief operating officer, the school announced. Ware’s tenure has begun as of Monday; Sutton will begin work on Aug. 4.

“Their combined experience across 10 institutions will be invaluable as we navigate the evolving college athletics landscape and strive to position VAF as the premier athletics fundraising organization in the country, ensuring we can meet the rising demands and costs of competing in this new era,” UVA director of athletics Carla Williams said in a release.

Ware, a University of Richmond alum, comes to UVA from her previous role as Deputy Athletic Director for Development at Georgia Southern University.  She has 10 years of experience in Collegiate Athletic Development, including creating the Women’s Athletic Endowment at Mercer, and co-founded the Women’s Athletic Foundation at Yale.   

Sutton takes over for Todd Kersey as COO of the VAF.  served in the COO role for 11 years. Sutton has a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi in higher education and brings 15 years of experience in collegiate athletics to his new role.  He has held similar positions at Ole Miss, Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin Athletics, where he oversaw two major capital campaigns in Football that totaled 350 million dollars, and one in Basketball that touched 40 million dollars.  

The 2025-26 Virginia Sports Season begins tomorrow with the commencement of training camp for Virginia Football.