Staff
Chili Peppers staff
Chris Martin
Founder & Owner
Chris is an innovative entrepreneur in central Virginia who received his Economics degree in 2011 from Hampden-Sydney College. In 2013, he took over ownership of small, but growing baseball academy in Midlothian and has since turned RISE Baseball into one of the premier academies in central Virginia. Chris and his staff have trained professional, collegiate and young athletes` of all ages.
In his free time, Chris loves spending time with his wife Heather and son Easton. Much of the great entertainment that the Chili Peppers offer is inspired by his love for a fun and family-friendly atmosphere and Chris knows it’s not just baseball, but great food, drinks and fan engagement that will make the Tri-Cities Chili Pepper fans for life.
Rob Perez
Vice-President Staffing & Operations
rob@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Rob joined the Chili Peppers in 2022 after working in entertainment talent management and higher education. During his time with the team, Rob has worked with operations, merchandise, staff recruitment and hiring, community appearances, ticketing, and sponsorships. As Vice-President Rob oversees the CPL collegiate experience, staff hiring, payroll, merchandise, cosmic tour travel logistics, and meeting with prospective cosmic tour host sites.
First Season with Peppers: 2022
Hometown: La Porte, IN
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Ryne Sandberg & Andre Dawson
Walk-Up Song: Iron Man by Black Sabbath
Dustin Saunders
General Manager
saunders@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Dustin earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Central Methodist University. Before joining the Tri-City Chili Peppers he worked for the Lansing Lugnuts as Director of Stadium Operations, Daytona Tortugas as Stadium Operations and Grounds Manager, South Bend Cubs as Stadium Operations Assistant and Operations and Events Manager at the University of Notre Dame. And many roles for the South Bend Silver Hawks and South Bend White Sox. Dustin brings over 17 years of minor league baseball experience and 15 years of Event Operations to the role of General Manager. Dustin is married to his beautiful wife Heather as is the father of 8 wonderful kids.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Michael Jordan
Walk-Up Song: Livin on a Prayer Bon Jovi
Daniel Robins
Director of Operations and Food and Beverage
drobins@chilipeppersbaseball.com
The Engine Behind the Experience. Before the first pitch, Daniel Robins is already at work.
With experience spanning record-setting seasons for the Richmond Flying Squirrels and building the complete fan experience for the Tri-City Chili Peppers, Daniel oversees and designs every aspect of stadium operations and food & beverage execution. His work lives where preparation meets pressure—ensuring game days run smoothly, efficiently, and at full speed. Daniel leads more than 200 seasonal staff members, develops stadium-wide operational plans, launches new menu concepts, and drives revenue strategies built for consistency and sellouts. He is known for creating systems that perform under pressure and deliver a seamless fan experience from gates open to final out. He thrives on Opening Night energy and believes food, flow, and fan experience should come together at the same moment. If you’ve grabbed a cold drink without missing a pitch, enjoyed a signature menu item, or stepped into a stadium that simply feels right—there’s a good chance Daniel helped make it happen.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Larry Walker & Patrick Roy
Walk-Up Song: Remember the Name by Fort Minor
Alexis Fetzer
Director of Marketing and Entertainment
afetzer@chilipeppersbaseball.com
James Jackson
Director of Group Sales and Special Events
jamesjackson@chilipeppersbaseball.com
James joined the Chili Peppers in 2026 after spending time with a non-profit in North Carolina. James has experience in marketing and ticket sales after spending two seasons as the Director of Media Relations and Sales for the University of North Carolina hockey program. James is familiar with baseball, having previously served as the Media Relations Coordinator for the High Point Rockers in the Atlantic League.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: Dover, DE
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Tom Brady
Walk-Up Song: Blind by Korn
Eleanor Brickson
On-Field Host and Fan Engagement Coordinator
ebrickson@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Eleanor joined the Chili Peppers in 2026. She has previously worked for the University of Wisconsin Athletics, the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders, and the Madison Capitols. She is excited to be back in baseball and to bring energy and fun to Shepherd Stadium! She is receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2026.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: TJ Oshie
Walk-Up Song: Miracle Maker by Dom Dolla
Barrett Goode
Staffing & Operations Manager
barrett@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Barrett joined the Tri-City Chili Peppers in November 2025 as the organization’s Staffing Manager. Prior to joining the Chili Peppers, he served as Sports Information Director for the Mary Baldwin University Athletics Department, General Manager of the Alexandria Aces, and worked in Promotions & Community Relations with the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
A Virginia native, Barrett earned his Bachelor’s degree from Christopher Newport University and his Master’s degree from Mary Baldwin University.
In his role with the Chili Peppers, Barrett oversees the recruitment and coordination of the organization’s intern staff, represents the team at career fairs and networking events, and assists with game-day operations and logistics at Shepherd Stadium. He is excited to help support the Chili Peppers’ continued growth both on and off the field.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Cole Pegram
Office Manager
cole@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Cole joined the Peppers in December 2025 as the office manager. He previously worked at Taekwondo America of Richmond where he was the assistant program director for 3 years, before taking the next leap in his career to work with the Peppers. He is a native of Virginia and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in May of 2025 with a degree in marketing.
First Season with Peppers: 2025
Hometown: Glen Allen, VA
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Max Scherzer
Walk-Up Song: Apparently by J. Cole
Jake Williams
Sales Associate
jwilliams@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Jake joined the Peppers in January 2026 as a sales associate. He previously worked for Coastal Carolina University Game Day Operations, where he helped with general setup and teardown for sporting events held at Coastal, before taking the next leap in his career to work with the Peppers. He is a native of Virginia and is graduating from Coastal Carolina University in May of 2026 with a degree in Recreation and Sports Management.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: Poquoson, VA
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Josh Allen
Walk-Up Song: Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Adam Hvitfeldt-Matthews
Sales Associate
adamh@chilipeppersbaseball.com
Adam joined the Peppers in January 2026 as a Sales Representative. He brings sales experience from the VCU Center for Professional Selling and his internship with United Rentals, where he developed strong client-facing and relationship-building skills before taking the next step with the Peppers. He is a native of Virginia and is graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May of 2026.
First Season with Peppers: 2026
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Antonio Gates
Walk-Up Song: DtMF by Bad Bunny
Chili Peppers coaches
James Bierlein
Field Manager (Head Coach)
james@chilipeppersbaseball.com
James Bierlein comes to Colonial Heights from Chesterfield, VA where he attended Matoaca High School. James started coaching the Chilipeppers in 2022. He grew up here with his brother Bryan and Kevin, and parents Jim and Eileen. He still lives in Chesterfield now with his wife Sarah and son Cooper. At Randolph Macon College, Bierlein was a Utility player where he pitched, played infield, and outfield. Bierlein was also part of 2 conference championships at R-MC in 2008 and 2011. After college, Bierlein pitched for 4 years in professional independent baseball and was a back-end bullpen reliever. In 2013, he was with the Schaumburg Boomers and won the Frontier League Championship; Bierlein finished his professional career with the Southern Illinois Miners in the Frontier League. Bierlein has been coaching since he stopped playing professionally at the end of 2014 and is the Director of Baseball Operations at RISE Baseball.
