JHC Mid-Atlantic · Baltimore, Maryland
Consulting for sport, recreation, education, and public-service organizations
JHC Mid-Atlantic helps public agencies, schools, colleges, youth sport organizations, and nonprofits develop programs, curriculum, policies, and implementation plans. The practice concentrates on sport, recreation, and education, with organizational strategy and policy support also available to organizations in other fields. The work draws on more than two decades of public recreation and education leadership and on doctoral research in sports-based youth development.
Practice areas
Four areas of work, one connected practice
Sport, Recreation & Youth Development
Program development, operations review, partnership development, and evaluation planning for recreation and youth sport providers.
Explore Sport and Recreation ServicesEducation, Curriculum & Professional Learning
Course and curriculum development, assessment, and professional learning for educators and practitioners.
Explore Education ServicesResearch, Evaluation & Evidence-Informed Practice
Applied analysis and evaluation planning that connect research and documentation to program decisions.
Explore Research and Evaluation ServicesOrganizational Strategy, Policy & Implementation
Strategic planning, policy and procedure development, and implementation support.
Explore Strategy and Policy ServicesBeyond sport, recreation, and education
Organizational consulting across fields
The planning, policy, and implementation methods developed in public agencies, schools, and nonprofits carry over to any field. Organizations outside sport, recreation, and education can work with JHC Mid-Atlantic on strategic planning, policy and procedures, implementation, leadership development, and staff training, including customer service training for front-line staff.
Recent work outside sport and education includes funding support for a grocery store development in California and a growth plan for a communications consultancy. See this work on the Experience page.
How the work connects
From practice to implementation
- Professional PracticeExperience in program, facility, and sport operations.
- EducationConnecting practice with curriculum and training.
- ResearchExamining questions of access and participation.
- StrategyTranslating evidence and organizational goals into plans, policies, and procedures.
- ImplementationSupporting their use in day-to-day operations.
Founder
Joseph A. Hayden, Ed.D.
Joseph A. Hayden founded JHC Mid-Atlantic and has led his consulting practice since 2007.
Joseph's career includes municipal and county recreation, campus recreation, youth development, and higher education teaching. He currently serves as Deputy Director of the Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation in Maryland.
Recent work
In the field
Signals Speak
NRPA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, 2026. A session on how program messaging, images, schedules, and signage shape who participates.
Explore Signals SpeakEquality-Driven Sports Programs
NRPA Annual Conference, Orlando, 2025. Partnerships that remove financial, cultural, and structural barriers to youth sport.
Explore Equality-Driven Sports ProgramsPolar Athletic Group
JHC Mid-Atlantic supports Polar Athletic Group's Remote Athletic Director services through school onboarding and regional account leadership in Maryland and Washington, DC.
Explore JHC's Polar Athletic Group WorkStart a conversation about your program or organization.
The first consultation is free: a 30-minute conversation to understand what you need and whether JHC Mid-Atlantic is the right fit.