What is Pro Athletes Alumni? PAA was created in 2011 by The Matta Family in partnering with NFL player Travis Wilson. With over 17 years of experience in fundraising in the Dallas area, they have raised over $2,000,000 for various non-profit organizations. Some of these organizations consist of The N.F.L. Alumni Dallas Chapter, Easter Seals of Greater Dallas, and National Marrow Donor Program at Carter Bloodcare and The University of Texas at Arlington. Travis Wilson is a former Cleveland Brown and Dallas Cowboy player. Prior to his NFL career, Travis was a four year starting wide receiver, at the University of Oklahoma. Travis now has a desire to make an impact with our local youth to better their lives in various capacities. Travis has been able to use his NFL experience to his advantage in fundraising efforts. Travis joined PAA to work with local youth organizations and schools to better their programs and help non-profits raise money. Rick Matta brings over 20 years of experience in management at the Executive level to the team. He presently serves in the healthcare industry, which he has been a part of since 1994. He has also served on various non-profit and city athletic boards since 1994. Currently, you can find Rick coaching in the Prestonwood Baptist Church PSO sports league in Plano, Texas or coaching a local high school baseball team in Richardson. Rick’s introduction into fundraising came to be in a different way. Unfortunately, his son was diagnosed with Leukemia at the tender age of eight. After a four year battle and intense chemotherapy, his son lost his battle with cancer. Since this tragic loss, Rick has been driven to help children in the arena of cancer research, children with disabilities and children’s groups in general. He is committed to carrying the torch that his son left behind, especially when it comes to helping youth. As you can see for over seventeen years, these two individuals have spearheaded numerous volunteer efforts and have made a tremendous impact in our community. Aside from the numerous awards they both have received over the years for their community efforts, they are still committed to supporting various programs in the future.
