Our Team

President
Philip L. Sbarbaro

Phil Sbarbaro has been a Director of the Foundation since its establishment as a non-profit corporation in March, 2007. He helped draft the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. As an avid saber fencer, Mr. Sbarbaro has coached at the U.S. Naval Academy for seven years, and competed in over 45 North American Cups and National Championships. A three-time national champion, Phil has been ranked 1st nationally in Veteran Men’s Sabre 70, and placed 3rd internationally in the 2019 World Championships in Cairo, Egypt.

Mr. Sbarbaro is a currently the President of the Foundation and a member of the Bar of Virginia. Over his 45-year career as an attorney, he has held associate and partner positions in private practice, the Securities & Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, and served as the Chief Litigation Counsel and Assistant General Counsel for Network Solutions Inc. (Verisign, Inc.). He has appeared in over 40 federal district and appellate courts around the country.

Mr. Sbarbaro has a B.S. from Holy Cross College, a M.B.A. from Northwestern University, a J.D. from California Western School of Law, and a L.L.M. in Securities Law from Georgetown University. He is a former US Army 2Lt.

Phil is the driving force behind the team of dedicated professionals who run the day to day, and then hour to hour, operations of the Capitol Clash. It is his love of sabre fencing and his philosophy and friendships that pervade the atmosphere of the three-day weekend tournament.

Secretary
Maura Molloy Grant

Maura Grant began her career litigating in the areas of labor and employment law, general corporate law and real estate and construction law, where she represented plaintiffs and employees. In 2009, Ms. Grant joined Hanson & Molloy to practice with the late J. Dennis Molloy, Esq. in representing large and small companies, trade associations, and historical societies on the management side, in a range of labor, employment, insurance and reinsurance law issues and offshore corporation formation and insurance law.

In 2017, Ms. Grant became the managing partner of the late J. Dennis Molloy, Esq., PLLC, the Washington, D.C. law firm that succeeded the late Mr. Molloy and Hanson & Molloy. Ms. Grant advises the firm’s Bermuda-based clients regarding U.S. insurance and reinsurance law and labor and employment law. Ms. Grant also represents U.S.-based clients in corporate and commercial law and not-for-profit law.

Ms. Grant has a B.S. from Providence College, and a J.D. from The Catholic University, Columbus School of Law. Ms. Grant is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C. and New York State.

Ms. Grant, as counsel, is tasked with the review and compliance of all the Capitol Clash contracts between and among the Foundation, the hotel, the convention center, the Bout Committee, the armory, the tournament vendors, and all of the services for security, carpeting, awards, and referees, etc.

Capitol Clash Tournament Director
Sasha Ryjik

Sasha was ranked first in the nation in sabre fencing for ten consecutive years as a youth fencer.  He is an Ivy-League Champion, All-American, National Champion, North American Champion, World Cup Champion, and represented the U.S. in three world championships.  He has a college degree from Harvard University and is a proud alumnus of the Harvard Fencing Team.   He is currently the owner of The Fencing School of VA, in Mclean, Virginia, where he teaches fencing classes.  Sasha is also a website developer and helps small businesses with professional online services.

Sasha Ryjik is the Capitol Clash Tournament Director and Head of Logistics, responsible for the coordination of all aspects of the tournament experience long before it begins, during, and after the event ends. He contracts and supervises tournament employees, organizes the tournament clinics and seminars, and manages essential operations. His team sets up, takes down, and manages the 4 day event, transforming the empty halls into a fencing forum for the 1,800 fencers.   Sasha is also the web designer for NFF and the Capitol Clash websites. Sasha originally assisted at the first Clash in 2002 as a volunteer coach and has been proud to be involved in promoting youth fencing.