Project GOAL

Darius Shirzadi, Executive Director/Co-Founder 

Global Accounts Manager, Cooley Group, Pawtucket, RI

Darius is the former director of Latino and Cape Verdean Community Affairs with the New England Revolution professional soccer team in Foxboro, Massachusetts. A former professional, college soccer player, coach, scout, and general manager, Darius is fluent in Spanish. He has coached soccer in the middle schools and high schools of Providence and Pawtucket and is well known by Rhode Island’s minority communities, as well as by businesses and the media. Darius is responsible for overall management of Project GOAL’s business affairs.  Darius is a co-founder and involved since 2002.  

Peter Whealton – Chairman of the Board/Co-Founder 
CEO/Chairman, CORE Business Technologies, East Providence, RI

Former president and COO of Compressent Corporation, a publicly held firm, Peter has been active on many committees including development, finance, consulting in business affairs. Peter is a co-founder of Project GOAL and has been involved with planning and executing the program since 2002. 

Javier Centeno, Director of Soccer/Co-Founder
Youth Supervisor, Central Falls School Department

​Inducted into the New England Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015, Javier is a former professional soccer player and was recently named RI Boys Youth Soccer Coach of the Year. Javier is fluent in Spanish, some Portuguese and Creole, he is a member of the Central Falls Athletic Hall of Fame and is the former assistant men’s soccer coach at Providence College. A native of Colombia, Javier grew up in Central Falls and knows firsthand the difficulties and challenges Project GOAL participants face in the public school system. Javier has been involved since 2002 and is a Co-Founder of Project GOAL. 
 

James Diossa, Treasurer for State of RI, Former Mayor Central Falls

​Treasurer Diossa has been a friend and supporter of Project GOAL since entering into office.  He has been a keynote speaker and participant in Project GOAL fundraising events and is a key link between the program, city, and school department.  In 2019, the Mayor honored the program hosting "Project GOAL Day" at City Hall.

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Antone Botelho, Owner Antone Botelho Photography, Attleboro, MA

​Antone has been the programs photographer for all of its activities and events since 2010.  Antone has been there to take photos of classroom instruction, field practice, tournaments, and fundraising events documenting the program's progress and the many students who have come through the program.