Cory Neal was hired to lead the JWU Charlotte tennis program in August, 2025.
Neal comes to Charlotte after spending the last twelve years as a civil servant in two different roles. Most recently, he served as an Education Program Specialist for the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad. In this role, Neal managed a portfolio of 166 international education grants, totaling over $24 million dollars. He was the highest rated Program Officer in the Office of Post Secondary Education in six measured metrics and the second highest rated in Overall Grantee Satisfaction.Â
Prior to his work for the Department of Education, Neal worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a Teacher/Education Specialist. His duties included teaching and evaluating inmates to prepare them for the GED exam, developing and implementing new curricula, implementing the first ever ACE computer courses across three institutions, and inventing a cost-effective security device that allowed inmates safe access to computers.
He was the Head Men's Tennis Coach at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, VA from 2008 to 2013. During that time, Neal led the Knights to four consecutive district championships following a district runner-up finish during his first year at the helm. He earned District Coach of the Year honors in 2010, 2011, and 2012. In addition to claiming the team title in 2010, Thomas Dale also had the District Player of the Year, the District Singles Champion and District Doubles Champion. His duties as head coach entailed planning and leading team practices, identifying and recruiting student-athletes, promoting academic success through mentoring, managing the program's budget, developing match schedules.
Neal graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Arts in History in May, 2009.
