ESTEVES FIRST ELECTED FEMALE OFFICER TO GFA

PRESS RELEASE – Guam Football Association Congress members voted in Tina Esteves as the organization’s first elected female officer in a special election for Vice President held Monday evening at the 2022 GFA Ordinary Congress at the Lotte Hotel Guam.

Esteves’ term begins immediately and through to the next Executive election in 2025. Esteves takes over the position vacated by Joe Cepeda, who accepted an appointment as General Secretary in January this year.

“I would like to thank all representatives of GFA’s Member Clubs who exercised their right to vote at the special election during the Ordinary Congress and for their confidence in me to continue contributing to the leadership of the organization in my new role,” Esteves said. “It has been an honor to serve GFA as an Executive Committee member over the years, and now as Vice President, I will continue to bring the energy and passion in living out GFA’s Vision, Mission, and Values through my contributions to GFA. I look forward to continuing collaborations with stakeholders and supporting GFA in reaching its goals and objectives for Guam’s continued success in the sport.”

Esteves won the special Vice Presidential election after garnering eight out of 12 valid votes cast during the Congress. Jason Cunliffe, Esteves’ lone opponent in the election after GFA Executive Committee Member Gian Tenorio rescinded his candidacy, earned the remaining four votes.

Esteves, President of Southern Heat, one of GFA’s Member Clubs, was formerly a GFA Executive Committee Member for close to nine years, winning a seat for the first time on April 29, 2014 and later was re-elected on February 5, 2019. Esteves now joins GFA President Valentino San Gil and GFA Senior Vice President George Lai as GFA’s Executive Officers.

Following Esteves’ election, 76/Circle K Dededo Soccer Club President Kelley Barnhart won a separate conditional election that was held to fill the subsequent vacancy in the GFA Executive Committee. Barnhart won the conditional election 8-5 over Cunliffe. Barnhart’s term begins immediately and through to the next election for five of the six Executive Committee seats set for 2023. Barnhart now joins Fred Alig II, Duane Pahl, Joe Roberto, Gian Tenorio, and Craig Wade in the GFA Executive Committee.

During the Congress, members also unanimously confirmed Kyle Legozzie for one of two vacancies in the GFA Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.

The special elections and committee confirmation covered the final portion of the GFA Ordinary Congress event’s agenda, with the first part dedicated mostly to the unveiling of the December 2022 – December 2026 GFA Strategic Plan, “Growth Planning for the Next Generation” by GFA President Valentino San Gil.

San Gil also welcomed the Hon. Lou Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam, Hon. Joshua Tenorio, Lieutenant Governor of Guam, and Speaker Therese Terlaje, Speaker of the 36th Guam Legislature, to the podium to address Congress attendees. Each VIP guest also was presented an official GFA pennant by San Gil.

Special video messages from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, and GFA Strategic Plan external consultant Geoff Wilson also were presented to event attendees.

The event was attended virtually by FIFA and AFC representatives, as well as Wilson, via Internet Live Stream.