Associate Head of School Dean of Students

B.S. in Political Science, Florida Atlantic University

M.Ed. in School Counseling, Liberty University

M.Ed. in Education Leadership, Liberty University

Darrance Gillion is a co-founder of the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School and the Dean of Students, where he is responsible for developing and executing curriculum and scheduling. 

With over 20 years of professional experience (as well as master’s degrees in education leadership and school counseling) as a teacher, school counselor, director of school counseling and dean of students in both private and public education, Mr. Gillion leads the Academy's vision of a system where every student has the resources, opportunities and support they need to thrive. 

He has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to reimagining education throughout his career, working to address systemic inequities, empower communities and create sustainable solutions that prepare students for a rapidly evolving world.  He now brings that tireless advocacy for students and their families as well as his ability to inspire transformative change to the Academy, where he also serves as co-director of the Life Skills Program (which teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life experiences from working professionals and leaders).

In addition to his academic background, Mr. Gillion has a long history and proven track record of developing players.  He is the co-founder/coach of the nationally recognized AAU program Team Breakdown and has also coached nationally ranked high school teams.  Darrance has developed over 150 players who played at the collegiate level in his 24 years of experience, with more than 50 of those players going on to play professionally.  

Associate Head of School for Operations Director, Life Skills Program

B.A. in Political Science, Brandeis University

J.D. in Law, Tulane Law School (NY Bar)

M.S. in Finance, George Washington School of Business

Phillip Budwick is a co-founder of The Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School for Operations and Director of the Academy’s Life Skills Program. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the areas of law, finance and entrepreneurship to the Academy’s operational and academic planning while also serving as Director of the Life Skills Program which teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship and shares experiences from working professionals and leaders.

Phil holds a law degree from Tulane University and a master’s degree in finance from the George Washington University School of Business. He worked as a transactional and administrative law attorney for the federal government before moving into the private sector as a business owner and developer. 

Phil is currently a managing member of Capital Realty Group, a real estate investment company, and a managing member of Globalwax, an international import/export company covering Asia, Latin America and the United States.  He also serves as a Lecturer in Finance at the GWU School of Business, teaching portfolio management and derivatives to graduate and undergraduate classes.

Associate Head of School Athletic Director

Zacchaeus Gillion is a co-founder of the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School and its Athletic Director, where he passionately leads the student athletes to believe in themselves on the court and in the classroom. 

Coach Zach oversees all aspects of basketball programming for the Academy, using his vast experience as a game/highlight film specialist and recruitment expert to provide maximum exposure and opportunity for the student athletes.  He developed the Academy’s Basketball IQ program, which utilizes game film, game situations and tailored practice drills to develop court intelligence and round out elite skills.

Prior to co-founding the Academy, Zach served as an assistant coach for Division I programs Chicago State and Samford.  He reached the collegiate level after earning Florida High School Coach of the Year honors twice and coaching Team Breakdown (which he co-founded with his brother, Darrance) to two national AAU championships.  He has developed over 150 players who played at the collegiate level in his 24 years of experience, with more than 50 of those players going on to play professionally.

Director of Player Development

B.A. in Speech Communication, Minor in Recreational Leadership; Fairmont State University.

Warren Doles serves as Director of Player Development for the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence.  Coach Warren has an unwavering passion for player development and inspires the student athletes by sharing his extensive playing and professional coaching experience.

After playing collegiately at Shepherd University and Fairmont State University (where he still holds assists records at both schools), Warren began a successful career as a coach and basketball trainer.  In addition to coaching locally as an assistant at Alexandria City High School, he served as player development coach for the Chinese National Team and the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

Warren also is the founder of the DMV Basketball Academy, where he developed and trained numerous notable players who have gone on to play professionally in the NBA or overseas (including Haywood Highsmith, former Division II National Player of the Year and current member of the Miami Heat).

Director of Basketball Programming Academic Advisor

As a collegiate athlete, Hewitt starred at Georgia Southern University, where he etched his name into the record books. He holds program records for free throws made (394), career steals (252), and three-point field goals made (270). His 1,810 career points rank sixth on GSU’s all-time Division I scoring list. In recognition of his standout performances, Hewitt was named All-SoCon (2013–14) by coaches, earned second-team honors from the media, and was later named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

After college, Jelani had a successful four-year professional career overseas. He played both point guard and shooting guard for several teams, including Science City Jena (2015–16, Jena, Germany), Rhein Stars Köln (2016–17, Cologne, Germany), MLP Academics Heidelberg (2017–18, Heidelberg, Germany), and CB Clavijo (2019, Logroño, Spain).

Jelani then turned to coaching at the D1 level where he served for three seasons as an Assistant Coach at Chicago State from 2021 to 2024.

Director of Training Academic Advisor

B.S. in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Harris Stowe State University

Maurice Smith is a Head Coach and Academic Advisor for the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence.  Coach Mo was a top student to match his high performance on the court during his career and uses that experience to mentor student athletes looking to play at the next level.

Mo has deep ties to the Gillion family, playing for Team Breakdown in high school and helping the team earn a number-one U16 ranking.   He continued his career at Division I Western Carolina University before moving on to Harris-Stowe University, where led the team to the AMC Midwest Conference Championship in 2020.  Following his undergrad career, Mo played as a graduate at the University of the Virgin Islands.  He earned his Masters as well as Second Team All-Conference honors (the first player in school history to do so) after finishing in the top ten in points, rebounds, three-point percentage and blocks.

Coach Mo applies his background and experience of playing elite high school and Division 1 basketball to develop our players and teach the skills neded to compete at the next level. A top student in high school, college and graduate school, Coach Mo also serves as a mentor and advisor in the classroom to meet our academic standards of excellence.

Director of Basketball Curriculum Academic Advisor

A product of Northeast High School under the guidance of the Gillions, TJ earned a scholarship to Clemson University in 2011. After two seasons, he transferred to Murray State, where he became a captain and a cornerstone of one of the most memorable seasons in program history. In 2014-15, TJ helped lead the Racers to a school-record 25 consecutive wins, an undefeated 16-0 record in Ohio Valley Conference play, and a berth in the NIT quarterfinals. He was named to the OVC All-Tournament Team after scoring a career-high 28 points in the championship.

After graduating, TJ played professionally from 2015 to 2020, appearing in over 100 games across Europe and South America, including stints in Germany, Colombia, France, Belgium, Spain, and Slovakia. He capped off the 2016-17 season by winning the LNB Pro B Championship in France.

TJ began his coaching journey at his alma mater, Northeast High School in Oakland Park, FL, where he served as head coach from 2020 to 2023. During the same period, he also coached with Team Breakdown, helping develop young talent across South Florida. From 2023 to 2025, TJ returned to Murray State, serving as an Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the men's basketball program.

Administrative Coordinator

Ms. Yanyka has served as Gillion Academy’s Administrative Coordinator since its inception and plays a vital role as the primary liaison between families and the Academy. She oversees enrollment contracts, admissions, prospective student inquiries, school records, class and game scheduling, and the maintenance of the Academy calendar. In addition, she manages a variety of essential services that ensure the Academy operates efficiently while providing professional and consistent support to our families.

With over 18 years of experience as an operations and project manager in the corporate sector, Yanyka brings a wealth of knowledge, structure, and professionalism to her role. Being of service to people, a cause, or a belief is what truly drives her. As both a dedicated professional and a passionate supporter of Gillion Academy’s mission, she takes great pride in her involvement and continues to serve the community with purpose and heart.