Conference Speaker Bios:
Keynote Speaker: Christine Brennan
USA Today, CNN, ABC News, PBS NewsHour
Christine is a sports columnist for USA Today, a commentator on ABC News, CNN, PBS NewsHour and NPR, and a best-selling author. She was the first female sports reporter for the Miami Herald in 1981, the first woman at the Washington Post on the Washington Redskins beat in 1985,[1] and the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media[2] in 1988. Brennan won the 2020 Red Smith Award, presented annually by the Associated Press Sports Editors to a person who has made "major contributions to sports journalism."
After a 10 year career in marketing that included: advertising agency, brand cycling in North America & Italy, and the emerging digital space, I started PEZCycling News in 2002 to fill a void in the cycling news marketplace to provide entertaining and fun coverage of road cycling from the fans' perspective. Before there was social media, we created community and pioneered "Roadside Reporting" from the worlds biggest races to share the true fan experience with readers around the world.
Brad Sohner
Brad is an announcer and content producer for endurance sports properties, helping them create fan experiences for in person, television, and interactive virtual events.
Head of Partnerships at LaLiga North America
Patrick is a sports management executive currently serving as the Head of Partnerships of LaLiga North America, a joint venture between Relevent Sports, a multinational media, sports, and entertainment group, and LaLiga, Spain’s top-flight soccer competition and professional association.
Prior to joining LaLiga, he spent 5 years as the National Sales Manager in the United States and Canada for Generation adidas International, an international platform for adidas USA and Canada partners to interact and collaborate with adidas clubs, federations and partners internationally.
Sponsorship Marking Association, Founder & CEO
Paula Beadle is a partnership marketing thought leader and sponsorship industry trailblazer. Over her 30+ year career in sports, entertainment and life-style events Paula has been recognized as a transformative leader who drives revenue growth and builds high performing teams. She is well-regarded for her business tenacity and ability to inspire, motivate and create meaningful change. She is a mentor with a style that energizes and empowers individuals and organizations to thrive. Paula is the Founder & CEO of the Sponsorship Marketing Association. Paula is a visionary leader and an avid champion of the industry. She founded SMA to strengthen, unify and advocate for the industry’s continued growth. Paula is on a mission to help marketers master the art and science of sponsorship. Paula is also the CEO of Caravel, a national sponsorship marketing company. Caravel develops winning strategies, fosters bold ideas, increases revenue, and creatively connects the right partners. Paula’s reputation as a results-driven leader stems from success buying and selling a range of diverse sponsorships, including securing multi-million-dollar naming rights partnerships, forging renown purpose driven partnerships, and a track record for developing long-term signature partnerships with iconic events and global brands. Paula is a Mentor for Women in Sports & Entertainment (WISE), a board member for the Washington Festivals and Events Association, a commissioner for the Seattle Sports Commission, and has served as a Board Member for the Red Cross of King County and Bainbridge Island Arts Museum.
Chief Marketing Officer, USA Cycling
Erika joined USA Cycling as the Chief Marketing Officer in December of 2021, after a successful growth-focused leadership role at U.S. Figure Skating. During her tenure at U.S. Figure Skating was responsible for growing the sport of figure skating in the United States, leading the organization to a record-breaking 200,000 members in 2019, contributing to a 21% increase in membership dues and admissions revenue over a 2-year period. She also played a key role in program-development initiatives, creating diverse participation opportunities that lengthened the amount of time an individual remained connected with the NGB, creating lifelong members engaged in the care for the sport.
Erika received her undergraduate degree in English & Art History from the University of New Hampshire, and her MBA from the Peter T. Paul College of Business & Economics at the University of New Hampshire. Erika is a Colorado native but has spent time in Hawaii, New Hampshire, and England. In Erika's spare time she's an avid figure skater, hiker, former youth orienteering champion, and outdoor enthusiast.
Professor of Sport Management in the School of Business, The George Washington University
With over 30 years of experience in sports public relations, Meredith Geisler joined George Washington University in 2022 as Visiting Assistant Professor of Sport Management in the School of Business. Prior to her appointment at GW, Meredith was Senior Vice President of Communications for Tandem Sports + Entertainment, a full-service sports and entertainment agency with expertise in athlete management, talent representation, marketing, communications and publicity services. Tandem represents some of the biggest stars in professional sports and broadcasting, including elite NBA and WNBA athletes, broadcasters, coaches, industry executives and sports organizations including Ja Morant, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Jeremy Lin, and Tamika Catchings. Meredith also represents authors Grant Hill (“GAME”), Ray Allen (“From the Outside”), Andrea Chamblee (The Capital of Basketball"), Jon Pessah ("THE GAME: Inside the Secret World of Major League Baseball's Power Brokers"), Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn (Standing My Ground), and Lori Leachman ("The King of Halloween and Miss Firecracker Queen").