The Team
Who We Are
Allen Thigpen
National Director & Co-Founder
Allen co-founded We Are G.A.M.E., Inc. as a life-long dream to help young, gifted athletes reach their potential. Since the program began in 2008, he continues to receive calls from We Are G.A.M.E. alumni, parents and student-athletes with referrals.
Allen knows the challenges of youth and has overcome obstacles to success. He graduated from Plainfield High School, New Jersey, where he was the first African-American Student Body President. He then went on to graduate from Widener University (formerly Penn. Military College) and was commissioned in the U.S. Army. Allen became the youngest and first African-American Vice President and Sales Manager for William George Company. He quickly worked from sales representative to Regional Sales Manager for Glenmore Distilleries. Former owner of Sir Speedy Printing, Marina del Rey, Allen continues to work in the government and education sector of the copier industry.
Joyce Thigpen
Director of Academics
J.J. Thigpen earned letters in basketball and tennis and was a graduation orator in high school, Wilmington, DE. Joyce graduated with a B.A. in English and Fine Arts from the University of Delaware. She received a Master’s Degree in College Counseling and Student Development, and a post-graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Cal State Long Beach. Joyce formerly owned The Gallery Tanner and co-owned Sir Speedy Printing. She has been a counselor at the University of Rhode Island, UCLA, Cal State Long Beach and Cerritos College.
Karen Rogers
Administrator/Travel & Event Coordinator
Karen was on tennis travel teams in both high school and college. She owned and operated Regal Travel for 11 years, specializing in group travel, leading one group of 120 to China, the South Pacific and Europe. Karen recently retired after 25 years as Executive Assistant to the President/CEO of a national non-profit organization. She is a Southern California native and her two sons, Andy and Matt, were former student-athletes.