US Chess Staff

Meet the people who keep all the pieces moving. Please click on the staff member’s photo to learn more about them.

US Chess
P.O. Box 775308
St. Louis, MO 63177

Phone: 1-800-903-8723 or 314.661.9500

To download a directory of departments and responsibilities, please click here.

To see the directory of departments and responsibilities as a web page, please click here.

Press Inquiries: See Daniel Lucas below.

Ron has been making sure that all the moves in our magazines are correct since June 1994.

IM Ron Burnett

Technical Editor

Mike Buss was part of the “Fischer boom” of chess in the early 1970’s. Mike attended Iowa State University on a full-ride four-year Navy ROTC scholarship. He graduated in November 1978 with degrees in journalism and history and commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy, putting his chess… Read More »

Michael Buss

Correspondence Chess Coordinator

michael.buss@uschess.org

Laird has been engaged with gaming communities his entire adult life. He appreciates how love for the game can bring people together and looks forward to helping that community grow. The 2009 Missouri State Champion in cursive handwriting, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing a variety of… Read More »

Laird Davis

Member Services Associate

laird.davis@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x141

Working as both a chess coach and graphic designer, Nicole has seen that the chess community is full to the brim with fantastic people all with different skill levels but all connected through the game. She likes to keep busy with projects and hobbies such as writing/Illustrating a kids book,… Read More »

Nico Esaltare

Graphics Assistant

nico.esaltare@uschess.org

Chris has been with US Chess since June 2017, helping make sure that all membership information is up to date. New to chess, she has found that “chess means so many different things to people for a variety of reasons. Working in membership allows me to interact with many of our members. Very often… Read More »

Chris Green

Membership Associate

chris.green@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x138

Although he was only hired in February 2019, John has been writing for Chess Life as a freelancer since 2013. His answer to, “What do you like about chess?” is simple: “Everything! People ask if chess is art, science, or sport. My answer is that it’s all three. There are awe-inducing moments of… Read More »

John Hartmann

Chess Life/Chess Life Online Editor

john.hartmann@uschess.org

Geoff has been with US Chess since October 2018, building our Development Department from the ground up. He has been attracted to chess for most of his life, because of, as he puts it, "The endless possibilities!" He came to us after working as a development professional in healthcare and higher… Read More »

Geoffrey Isaak

Director Of Development

geoff.isaak@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x143

Pete has been at US Chess since April 2018, although he has been involved in the game most of his life. “I enjoy the challenge and the focus associated with playing a tournament game. I also love the community that the game immerses you in. Many of my best lifelong friends are chess players. At its… Read More »

Pete Karagianis

Assistant Director Of Events

pete.karagianis@uschess.org

931.200.9477

Korey joined the US Chess staff full time in March 2021 after having served a few prior terms over the years in both the Tournament Director Certification & Ratings departments. He has been involved in the chess industry for most of his professional career, because he believes that “Chess is an… Read More »

Korey Kormick

Director of Member Services

korey.kormick@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x136

JJ has been an active chess player since his teen years and rediscovered his love of the game during the later stages of his Ph.D. program. Since 2018, he has been teaching, writing, and podcasting about chess and its emotional strain on the psyche. Outside of chess, JJ enjoys cooking, watching… Read More »

JJ Lang

Digital Assistant

jjlang@uschess.org

Joshua has been an active tournament player since he was 12 years old. He has achieved a 2100+ rating. He loves chess because of its unforgiving nature and because igt makes you think outside of the box. Critical moments are faced when critical decisions must be made and one bad move can nullify… Read More »

Joshua Lawson

Member Services Associate

joshua.lawson@uschess.org

Dan has worked for US Chess since 2005, starting as the Director of Publications. In that role, he also served as editor of Chess Life, ultimately becoming the second-longest serving editor of our flagship publication. In May 2018 he was promoted to his current position as Senior Director of… Read More »

Daniel Lucas

Senior Director Of Strategic Communication

dlucas@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x142

Emanuel taught himself to play chess as a child in order to be able to understand a weekly column in his local newspaper and in the process fell in love with the game. Chess became the core of most of his friendships throughout high school and college and now, decades later, it continues to be a… Read More »

Emanuel London

IT Project Manager/Developer

emanuel.london@uschess.org

Melinda joined US Chess in April 2017 as an Assistant Editor. In her current position, she is the editor of all of our print publications besides Chess Life. She served as the second female editor for Chess Life before stepping down in 2020 and has been a freelance writer for both CLO and Chess… Read More »

Melinda Matthews

Publications Editor

mmatthews@uschess.org

Rose works alongside Jennifer Pearson in a job-sharing arrangement. She most recently worked as an Editorial Assistant for an academic journal. Prior to moving to the United States, Rose worked as a museum curator and research officer in Denbighshire Heritage Service. In this role, Rose managed and… Read More »

Rose McMahon

Governance Coordinator

rose.mcmahon@uschess.org

931-248-6064

Carol Meyer started at US Chess in October 2017. Before coming on board, she spent more than a decade in leadership for a NASA and NOAA-funded community of earth scientists and technology professionals. “Much like US Chess, this community both challenged and rewarded me with professional growth and… Read More »

Carol Meyer

Executive Director

Cmeyer@uschess.org

314.661.9500

Jennifer worked in publications as an editorial assistant for nine years, took a break, then came back to us in 2018 to handle our governance matters. Her favorite thing about chess? “That it brings people of different ages, cultures, and economic backgrounds together.” Outside of work, she enjoys… Read More »

Jennifer Pearson

Governance Coordinator

governance@uschess.org

931.787.1234

The man who works to make sure our events come off without a hitch started with US Chess in 2016. He likes the game because “chess is perhaps the last true meritocracy left.” Outside of chess, he enjoys cooking, working out, and sleeping.

Boyd Reed

Director Of Events

boyd.reed@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x146

Natasha, who started at US Chess in November 2015, was promoted to Art Director in January 2022. Prior to that, she was our Graphics Assistant and then Creative Content Coordinator. She came to us after working at The Boys and Girls Club in Bloomington, Indiana and the Indiana Daily Student at… Read More »

Natasha Roberts

Art Director

nroberts@uschess.org

Debra has been making sure the numbers add up at US Chess since 2014 after an accounting/controlling career that has always involved the manufacturing industry. She likes that chess offers camaraderie between players, whether they know each other or not, and how young children can go from running… Read More »

Debra Robison

Senior Accountant

debra.robison@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x130

Jennifer was hired in 2006 as our Digital Editor and was promoted in 2018 to her current position. A two-time U.S. Women’s Champion and board member of the World Chess Hall of Fame, she says she loves “the ability of chess to connect people from different cultures, ages and backgrounds. Chess is… Read More »

Jennifer Shahade

Women's Program Director

jshahade@uschess.org

Brian has been involved in all aspects of chess: from playing the game to organizing and directing local tournaments in Kansas. Brian looks forward to providing service to players and arbiters for FIDE Events both within the United States and aboard across the world.

Brian Yang

FIDE Events Manager

brian.yang@uschess.org

314.661.9500 x147

US Chess Staff

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