
• Independent assessment
• Proactive guidance
• Safer athletic programs
Our mission is to safeguard the integrity of interscholastic athletics by identifying and mitigating potential hazards before they impact student-athletes or programs.

Deanna Morris is the founder of Athletic Risk Advisory Group and a highly accomplished leader in Interscholastic Athletics and Physical Education. She holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education and Sports Administration, a Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), and an Accredited Interscholastic Coach with National Federation of State High School Association. Deanna served 31 years in secondary education as a Health and Physical Education teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director. Deanna was the first women to serve on the Legal Team for the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association’s Leadership Training Institute, where she taught NIAAA courses addressing coaches’ legal duties, Title IX, sexual harassment prevention, and hazing. Deanna has also provided sustained leadership to professional organizations, including service on the North Carolina Association for Athletic Education (NCAAE) and four years on the NCSHAPE Executive Committee—serving as President-Elect, President, and Past President. She received the 2020 NCSHAPE Honor Award, the association’s highest honor. Since 2015 Deanna has coordinated the Middle School Monday professional development room—sponsored by the NC Coaches Association and NCSHAPE’s NCAAE—at the annual North Carolina Coaches Clinic. These experiences ultimately led Deanna to establish Athletic Risk Advisory Group—bringing together education, athletic leadership, risk prevention, and independent validation to help school districts move from good intentions to demonstrable preventive action.
Deanna Morris, MA, CMAA
Founder & President
Lead Athletic Risk Advisor
Athletic Risk Advisory Group was built from decades of firsthand experience in education, athletics, leadership, risk management, and organizational accountability.
Experience Behind Safer Athletics
Our Vision
To help establish a trusted standard where student-athletes are supported by safe, accountable, and integrity-driven athletic programs.
Bret Morris
Senior Advisor,
Operations &
Risk Management
Bret Morris brings more than two decades of executive leadership in operations, risk management, compliance, and organizational accountability. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for creating safe, efficient, and high-performing organizations by strengthening operational systems, improving internal controls, and leading teams with integrity. Bret served for more than a decade as a General Manager and Regional Manager for Sam's Club, where he was responsible for multi-million-dollar operations, strategic planning, financial performance, personnel development, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. His leadership focused on building strong organizational cultures while ensuring operational excellence across multiple locations. Bret spent over a decade as a Loss Prevention Manager with Lowe's Home Improvement, specializing in auditing, inventory control, risk assessment, investigations, and internal compliance. He worked closely with leadership teams to develop systems that minimized organizational risk, strengthened accountability, protected company assets, and promoted safe working environments. His experience also included oversight of hiring practices, employee accountability, workplace safety initiatives, policy enforcement, and misconduct prevention. Bret's expertise includes: Risk assessment and organizational auditing Internal controls and compliance monitoring Operational and inventory management Workplace safety and injury prevention Human resources collaboration and personnel accountability Policy implementation and procedural development Leadership development and team management Strategic planning and continuous process improvement Investigations and incident analysis Organizational culture and ethical leadership At the Athletic Risk Advisory Group, Bret applies his extensive background in auditing, compliance, and operational leadership to help school districts identify vulnerabilities, strengthen internal processes, and implement best practices that reduce risk while fostering safe, accountable athletic environments. His disciplined, systems-based approach complements the organization's mission of helping schools build cultures of integrity, transparency, and student protection. His commitment to operational excellence and proactive risk management makes him a valuable resource for educational leaders seeking to strengthen compliance and demonstrate due diligence in protecting students, coaches, staff, and their communities.
