About Spin & Learn Foundation
Building the Bronx's table tennis community from the ground up
Our Story
The roots of Spin & Learn Foundation go back further than 2025. Our founder Yasiris Ortiz began teaching table tennis to Bronx youth in after school programs in 2016. By 2020, that work grew into Spin & Learn, bringing structured table tennis programs to Bronx schools and expanding across New York City. But as the programs grew, so did the vision.
Students were thriving at the table, but when the school day ended there was nowhere for them to go. No club. No training center. No community space dedicated to the sport. And we kept coming back to one striking fact: the Bronx is the only NYC borough without a single table tennis facility.
That realization turned a dream into a mission. In November 2025 we officially incorporated Spin & Learn Foundation, Inc. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to create a permanent home for table tennis in the Bronx -- a space where youth, adults, and seniors can train, compete, and connect year-round regardless of income or experience level.
We are just getting started. But the need is real, the community is ready, and we are committed to building something lasting.
Spin & Learn Foundation is led by Yasiris Ortiz, a 4-time Dominican national champion and ITTF Level 3 certified coach who moved to the Bronx in 2016 and saw firsthand what was missing. She founded this organization to give every Bronx resident the same opportunities that table tennis gave her.
Our Mission
At Spin & Learn Foundation, our mission is to provide programs for economically disadvantaged individuals across diverse communities, ensuring access to enrichment opportunities through table tennis that promote physical and mental wellness, build personal resilience, and develop leadership skills for lifelong success.
Meet Yasiris Ortiz
Yasiris Ortiz
Founder & Executive Director
Yasiris Ortiz is a 4-time Dominican national table tennis champion, 2018 Caribbean Senior Champion, and Pan American Games competitor who brought her passion for the sport to New York City in 2016.
Growing up in Bayaguana, Dominican Republic, Yasiris discovered table tennis as a young girl and went on to represent her country at the highest levels of international competition. When she moved to the Bronx, she saw an opportunity: a borough full of talent and energy, but without access to the sport that had shaped her life. She founded Spin & Learn to change that.
Credentials & Achievements
- •4-Time Dominican National Champion
- •2018 Caribbean Senior Champion (Women's Singles)
- •Pan American Games Competitor (Lima 2019)
- •ITTF Level 3 Certified Coach
- •USATT Club Coach
- •Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Graduate
- •Community Enterprise Accelerator Fellow
- •Author, "Yasi The Champion"
"Table tennis has allowed me to experience life in a different way. I've been able to represent my country and travel the world. Now my goal is to give young people in the Bronx those same opportunities."
Meet The Board
Donovan Alleyne
Treasurer
Donovan Alleyne brings extensive financial management and nonprofit leadership experience to Spin & Learn Foundation. With a passion for community development and youth empowerment, Donovan ensures our organization operates with fiscal responsibility and transparency while maximizing our impact in the Bronx.
As Treasurer, Donovan oversees all financial operations, grant management, and strategic planning to support Spin & Learn's mission of making world-class table tennis accessible to every Bronx resident.
Tim Gamory
Secretary
Tim Gamory is a strategic advisor and community advocate committed to building equitable opportunities for underserved communities. With deep roots in the Bronx and a track record of supporting grassroots initiatives, Tim brings invaluable perspective on community engagement and sustainable program development.
Tim's guidance helps Spin & Learn Foundation stay grounded in community needs while scaling our impact across youth, adult, and senior programs throughout the borough.