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People and Pop Culture

On the Move

Changing places and positions around the industry

Baseball

The Cincinnati Reds promoted SHELLEY VOLPENHEIN to director of season ticket membership, CARMEN ALBERINI to director of group sales and PATRICK MONTAGUE to director of ticketing for new business.

The Class AA Southern League Mobile BayBears hired KEN CLARY as general manager.

The Class A Advanced California League Stockton Ports promoted JUSTICE HOYT to assistant general manager.

Colleges

Abilene Christian University promoted DREW LONG to deputy athletic director for internal operations.

Alabama State University named JENNIFER LYNNE WILLIAMS athletic director and SHAY TERRELL senior associate athletic director for internal operations.

The University of Central Florida’s DeVos Sports Business Management Program promoted KEITH HARRISON to associate unit head and chief academic officer.

Columbia University hired DAVID MINES as associate athletic director for intercollegiate sports programs. Mines was senior associate athletic director for internal operations at Auburn University.

Georgia Tech promoted SELINDA BIGGERS to assistant athletic director for business operations, ANTHONY BRIDGES to assistant athletic director for information technology, MIKE CASTLE to assistant athletic director for ticket sales and operations and LEAH THOMAS to assistant athletic director for student-athlete development.

The University of Miami promoted CHRIS COHEN to associate athletic director for development; DILLON BOGGS to senior development director for annual giving; CAMRON GHORBI to director of athletics communications; ALFONSO RESTREPO to development director for major gifts; ALEX SCHWARTZ to associate director of athletics communications; LEAH GROSS to director of brand and consumer marketing; NATALIE FONTELA and JAVIER JIMENEZ to associate athletic trainers; ALEJANDRO RENGIFO and DANIELLE WHITE to associate directors for athletics marketing; DANIELLE ADDICOTT to premium client experience specialist; KARAI LOCKLEY to assistant director for business operations; and BARBARA STRATTON to assistant director of educational services.

Prairie View A&M University named FRED WASHINGTON athletic director.

San Diego State University hired TIM RICE as senior associate athletic director for development. Rice was associate athletic director for football development at San Jose State University.

Texas State University promoted DON CORYELL to executive senior associate athletic director for external operations; TRACY SHOEMAKE to executive senior associate athletic director for internal operations and senior woman administrator; TRAVIS COMER to executive senior associate athletic director for development; BRYAN MILLER to associate athletic director for marketing and licensing; KELSEY SOLIS to associate athletic director for compliance and JEREMY STOLFA to associate athletic director for facilities and operations. BRYAN DEAN was hired as associate athletic director of business operations.

Utah State University hired JASON ROUNDY as assistant athletic director and development officer for Aggies Unlimited, the fundraising unit for the athletic department. Roundy was associate athletic director for development at Central Washington University.

Facilities

ISM Raceway promoted KRISTIN MILLER to senior manager of partnership marketing.

MGM Resorts International hired GEORGE KLIAVKOFF as president of entertainment and sports. Kliavkoff was chief executive officer for Jaunt.

Football

The Detroit Lions promoted TODD LAMBERT to vice president of corporate development and ticketing.

Hockey

 The Pittsburgh Penguins hired KEVIN ACKLIN as senior vice president and general counsel. Acklin was chief legal officer for Peoples Natural Gas.

The ECHL promoted JOE ERNST to senior vice president of hockey operations, VALERIE PERSINGER to vice president of media and events, DAN PETRINO to director of hockey administration and NATALIE BERNSTEIN to office and marketing manager.

Marketing

Octagon Marketing launched a global events and hospitality division with MATTHIEU FENAERT as head of global events and hospitality. Fenaert was executive director for Octagon Russia.

Former Nike executives KEITH CRAWFORD and DAVID ODUSANYA formed their own creative shop, CO-Lab.

ASHLEY SMITH launched a marketing advising and strategy company, GSD Advisory.

Learfield named BRENDAN FALVEY general manager for its Mountain West Sports Properties. Falvey was general manager for Learfield’s Cyclone Sports Properties at Iowa State University.

MWWPR hired RYAN MUCATEL as executive vice president and head of esports practice. Mucatel also will serve as co-general manager for the company’s new Charlotte office. 

Media

Fox Sports Arizona hired HEATHER BERRY as a producer.

NBC Sports Washington hired MATT VOLK as vice president of content strategy and NINA MANDELL as director of digital media and managing editor.

Motorsports

Polaris Industries hired BRENDAN DOLAN as dealer relations and commercial contracts attorney.

Multiteam Companies

Pegula Sports and Entertainment hired CHRISTOPHER SCHOEPFLIN as vice president of external affairs and strategic development. Schoepflin was senior vice president for Empire State Development.

Olympics

The Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 named LAUREN LAMKIN as vice president of communications and public relations. Lamkin was vice president of corporate communications and culture for Adidas North America.

Soccer

FC Cincinnati hired VINCE CICERO as senior vice president of partnerships and broadcasting. Cicero was president for 513 Sports and Entertainment.

Awards and Boards

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association named BILL THOMASON, Keeneland Association president and chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors.

Other

Game Changer MVP promoted COURTNEY DANIEL to senior manager of client services; and hired BRET WRIGHT as director of interactive, REGINA LYN PIERCE as senior business development director, NICOLE STORRS as director of client services, HALEIGH CURLEE as client services manager and VY NGUYEN as interactive manager.

Green Sports Alliance Operations and Program Coordinator NATALIE NISHITANI is leaving the company after four years.

The National Fitness Foundation hired LARHONDA BURLEY as vice president of partnerships and marketing. Burley was with the NFL Players Association.

Teall Capital named MIKE WOLFERT principal. Wolfert was senior vice president of business development for Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment.

To have your personnel announcements included in the People section, please send information and photos to Brandon McClung at 120 W. Morehead St., Suite 310, Charlotte, NC 28202, or email them to careers@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Electronic photos must be a jpg or tiff file for Macintosh, 2.25 inches wide at 300 dpi. Color only, please.

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