AJH is built by athletes, researchers, and advocates who understand this problem from the inside. Meet the people behind the mission.

We’re proud of where we’ve been and even more excited for what’s ahead.

What sets us apart isn’t just our process—it’s the intention behind it.

We take time to understand, explore, and create with purpose at every turn.

ian mccall

Founder and CEO

Ian McCall is a former UFC title contender, lifelong martial artist, and founder of Athletes Journey Home — an organization born from his personal experience navigating the highs of elite competition and the difficult transition that follows when identity, purpose, and structure suddenly change.

Competing at the highest levels of mixed martial arts, Ian built his career on discipline, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Known for his technical skill, creativity, and warrior mindset inside the cage, he achieved international recognition as one of the world’s top flyweight fighters. But like many elite athletes, the greatest challenges began not during competition, but afterward.

Years of physical strain, injuries, and the psychological weight of performance exposed a reality rarely discussed in professional sports: when competition ends, many athletes are left without the systems, community, or identity that once defined their lives. The transition away from high-performance environments can bring isolation, loss of direction, and struggles with mental health — experiences Ian faced firsthand.

Rather than allowing those challenges to define his next chapter, Ian began a deeper journey focused on recovery, self-awareness, and rebuilding purpose beyond achievement. Through mentorship, personal development, movement practices, and community connection, he discovered that healing and growth require more than physical recovery — they require belonging, honest conversation, and intentional support.

Athletes Journey Home was created from that realization.

Ian founded AJH to provide a space where athletes, veterans, and high-performing individuals can reconnect with themselves after periods of intense performance or life transition. The organization focuses on mental clarity, identity rebuilding, and sustainable personal growth, helping individuals move from survival mode into a renewed sense of purpose.

As Founder and CEO, Ian leads with vulnerability and lived experience. His approach rejects the traditional “tough it out alone” mentality often found in performance cultures, replacing it with accountability, connection, and long-term wellness. He believes strength is not only measured by endurance in competition, but by the courage to evolve afterward.

Today, Ian continues to advocate for athlete mental health, transitional support systems, and community-driven recovery models. Through Athletes Journey Home, he works to ensure that no athlete or high performer feels lost once the spotlight fades — and that every individual has a path back to clarity, purpose, and home.

Meet the Team

  • Joe Vaughan

    Global Head of Media & Partnerships

    Joe Vaughan leads global media strategy and partnerships for Athletes Journey Home, helping expand the organization’s reach and amplify its mission worldwide. With a background in media development, storytelling, and strategic collaboration, Joe focuses on building meaningful partnerships that connect athletes and communities to resources that support long-term well-being.

    Joe believes storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for healing and awareness. Through partnerships, content initiatives, and global outreach, he works to ensure the stories of recovery, resilience, and transformation reach those who need them most.

  • Nige Netzband

    Program Support & Community Engagement

    Nige Netzband supports program development and community engagement initiatives for Athletes Journey Home. Passionate about creating welcoming environments for growth and connection, Nige helps facilitate experiences that encourage individuals to step into recovery with confidence and support.

    His role focuses on strengthening the community aspect of AJH—ensuring participants feel seen, supported, and connected throughout their journey. Nige believes meaningful change happens through shared experience and authentic human connection.

  • Meghan Afonkin

    Integration Coach & Movement Specialist

    Meghan Afonkin specializes in helping individuals reconnect with their bodies through intentional movement, nervous system regulation, and integrative coaching practices. Her work bridges physical training and emotional recovery, supporting athletes and clients as they transition from high-stress performance environments into balanced, sustainable lifestyles.

    At Athletes Journey Home, Meghan guides participants through movement-based practices designed to restore confidence, improve mental clarity, and rebuild trust between mind and body. Her approach emphasizes awareness, resilience, and long-term wellness rather than short-term performance outcomes.

  • Mark "the shark" irwin

    Operations

    Mark “The Shark” Irwin is a former Bare Knuckle Boxing world champion, respected combat sports veteran, and the current Chief Operating Officer of Athletes Journey Home, a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to improving the lives of athletes suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

    Known for his toughness and relentless fighting style, Irwin built his reputation in the world of combat sports through grit, discipline, and a warrior mindset that earned him the nickname “The Shark.” His success in the ring ultimately led him to capture a Bare Knuckle Boxing world championship, cementing his place among the sport’s elite competitors.

    After his fighting career, Irwin shifted his focus toward helping fellow athletes facing the long-term consequences of head trauma sustained in combat sports and other high-impact careers. As COO of Athletes Journey Home, he plays a leading role in advancing groundbreaking research into psychedelic-assisted therapies for traumatic brain injury and post-concussion symptoms.

    The organization conducts comprehensive brain scans and blood work before and after treatment, allowing researchers to scientifically measure neurological changes and document the effectiveness of these therapies. Through this work, Irwin and the Athletes Journey Home team are helping build a body of evidence that could transform how brain injuries are treated for athletes, veterans, and others suffering from neurological trauma.

    Today, Mark Irwin is not only known as a champion fighter, but also as an advocate for athlete health, a leader in innovative brain injury research, and a driving force behind efforts to give athletes a path to healing, recovery, and renewed purpose beyond competition.