
aboutus
Casey Kroll
Founder & CEO
As the Founder and CEO of the Big Man Foundation, Casey Kroll leads with a deep commitment to supporting athletic coaches and their families through hardship, health and wellness, and advocacy. He oversees the organization’s strategy, programs, and growth, ensuring that every initiative reflects BMF’s mission to walk alongside coaches in meaningful ways.
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professional background
A former student-athlete at James Madison University (2011–2015), Casey excelled both on and off the field. He was a CAA Academic All-Conference honoree, a member of the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society, and an Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. As a self-proclaimed “blue collar scholar,” he went on to earn a Master of Public Administration at JMU, focusing on nonprofit studies (under the mentorship of BMF's eventual Co-Founder, Dr. Jennifer Taylor) and later a Master’s in Liberal Studies from SMU, where he concentrated on organizational dynamics.
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Before launching BMF, Casey spent four seasons coaching college football, serving on staffs at Southern Methodist University (2018–2020), Lamar University (2017), and James Madison University, including their 2016–2017 FCS National Championship season.
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In 2020, after encouragement from his former college roommate and future BMF co-founder, Lou Chiccehitto, to think bigger than a one-time GoFundMe, Casey founded the Big Man Foundation in honor of his late mentor, Coach Jamal Powell. What began as what he affectionately refers to as the “BMF lemonade stand phase” — a grassroots start-up funded completely out of pocket — has since grown into a nationally recognized nonprofit with a footprint across the country. With no loans, no seed money, and no one bankrolling the operation, Casey and his team have “built the plane as they’ve flown it,” growing BMF into an established organization with sustainable funding, credible partnerships, and national impact.
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Casey acknowledges the lasting impact of BMF’s founding board of directors, whose early guidance, belief in BMF’s mission, and belief in Casey's potential to lead it, laid the foundation for the organization’s growth. Casey also recognizes the influence of his professional mentors such as Melissa German, Rich Von Gersdorff, and Rob Marino, whose wisdom and investment in his development have helped him grow into a proven nonprofit executive.
Inspiration for BMF
Casey’s vision for BMF was shaped by his late mentor, Coach Jamal Powell, whose battle with a rare and aggressive cancer inspired Casey to create an organization that serves coaches and their families during life’s toughest challenges. Coach Powell’s legacy remains the heart of BMF’s mission.
Personal
When he’s not championing BMF’s mission, you can find Casey enjoying the quiet charm of rural Virginia with his wife, Hailey, their son, Sam, their daughter, Riley, and their loyal canine companion — and BMF’s morale officer — Coach the Labrador retreiver.
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