My First Job In Sports

For Episode 48 of My First Job in Sports , Dr. G. and I spoke with J.J. Zykan, Senior Content Strategist for the Colorado Avalanche. Now in her fifth season with the team, J.J. helps lead social media strategy and develops campaigns across the Avalanche’s platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, and more.  We interviewed J.J. on the afternoon before Game 4 of the NHL Western Conference Final....

In our recent conversation, Dr. G and I the pleasure of speaking with Radha Balani, or RB as she is better known.  She is a passionate advocate for leveraging sports to address social issues. As the founder of Think Beyond, RB specializes in purpose-driven programming, emphasizing the intersection of sports and corporate social responsibility. This post explores her insights and experiences, provi...

Ever wondered how to thrive in sports without a traditional path? 🏀 Jenae Rogers, Corporate Partnerships Coordinator for the Memphis Grizzlies, shares her journey from a dance-loving kid to a sports professional. Her story is all about saying "yes" to new opportunities and pivoting towards what you love. How to Launch Your Career in Sports: Insights from Jenae Rogers My First Job in Spo...

In this engaging interview, Maurice Manswell shares his entrepreneurial journey from sports to gaming, highlighting the importance of storytelling, networking, and leveraging technology like AI. Discover how Maurice built Varsity Grips from a simple idea to a product with over 60 university licenses, and gain insights into the skills needed for young entrepreneurs today. My First Job in Sports is...

For Episode 44 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G and I sit down with Alina Leontarakis, a powerhouse in the world of racquet sports. With a deep background in sports media and event logistics, Alina shares insights from her time at The Dink, a premier pickleball media outlet. We also dive into her experience as the Director of Events for the Amateur Pickleball Association, where she managed nationw...

For our Welcome to Season 4 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G. and I interview Cate DeProfio.  During this episode, Cate stresses the value of getting the right internship and how they all provided a great pathway to her first job in sports.    My First Job in Sports is Presented by SBRnet .

For Episode 42 of My First Job in Sports, we talked with Emily Montenegro from the United States Golf Association (USGA). The USGA is the national governing body for golf and the organization behind the U.S. Open and many other events. We met Emily at the Get in the Game Sports Business Career event in Baltimore. Emily is a great example for students, showing how they can secure a role in an indus...

For Episode 41 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G. and Neil veered off course a bit and spoke with Professor Lauren Bullock from Temple University, School of Communications. This episode is the first after the 2025 edition of the Get in the Game Sports Business Career Conference. Professor Bullock is the driving force behind the sports communication major within the larger School of Communications a...

My First Job in Sports has reached a milestone with 40 episodes. For this episode, Dr. G. and I interviewed Lainey Selby from EHPLabs, a leading innovator in supplements, energy drinks, and products for those who want to maximize their workout and active lifestyle activities. Lainey has an interesting story that didn’t take a traditional route to lead Retail Marketing and Partnerships for EHPLabs....

Episode 39 of My First Job in Sports was a special one for a few reasons. This is one of our special Get in The Game editions of the MFJIS podcast. Regular co-host Dr. G. was busy with her full-time job at Temple University, so I invited my Get in the Game Sports Career Conference partner, Yussuf Khan, to join the show. The second reason this episode was very special was our interview with Andrea...

For Episode 38 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G and I talked with Brady Ulloa, Senior Business Analyst at Miller Sports and Entertainment. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Analytics & Statistics with a minor in Business Management. He has advanced his degree by working closely as Business Intelligence Manager for the two professional soccer teams o...

For Episode 37 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G and I heard the inspiring story of Brian Anderson. Brian, who is currently part of the development team for Corporate Partnerships at DC Scores, a local sports-focused organization, shared a story that went far beyond just landing his first job in sports to simply overcoming challenges that many of us would have just folded our tents and tried to get...

In this episode of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G and host Neil Schwartz spoke with Sallie Gordon. Sallie is the CEO and owner of World Sports Travel, a company she founded after the COVID pandemic, driven by her passion for sports, travel, and event management. With over 15 years of experience, Sallie's career includes operations in collegiate athletics at the Division I, Division II, Divisio...

In this episode of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G. and I spoke with Luca De laPena. Luca currently works for Austin FC of the MLS as a CRM specialist, providing data and analytics support to various business aspects of the team to help generate revenue and maintain their existing customer base. A graduate of the S3 Sports Management program at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Luca noted that he ha...

It was sort of a homecoming for Dr. G. on Episode 34 of My First Job in Sports.  Demarieh Wesley, who is currently working for the New Jersey Devils was our guest.  It just so happens that Demarieh attended Hampton University, which is where Dr. G. was an under-grad.  Needless to say there were a lot of inside Hampton references.   If there was any single message that came from the show is that De...

For Episode 33 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G. and I spoke with Carissa Sweigart, the Director of Culture & Wellbeing at Acushnet Company. This episode is part of our Special "Get in The Game" editions of MFJIS. For those who may not be familiar, Acushnet Brands is the parent company of several leading names in the golf industry, including Titleist, FootJoy, Pinnacle, Vokey Wedges,...

For Episode 32 of My First Job in Sports, Dr G. and I spoke to Blake Fenn, who is currently an Account Manager for Club Services at Hard Rock Stadium.  The stadium is a multi-function facility that has been able to expand out its offerings beyond The Miami Dolphins, The Miami Grand Prix, and the Miami Open Tennis events.  Blake came to us via The S3 Sports Management program at Baylor University. ...

The latest episode of My First Job in Sports from SBRnet features an in-depth discussion with Camryn Cook, Manager of Corporate Partnerships for Austin FC of Major League Soccer.  Camryn graduated from Baylor University's S3 Sports Management program well prepared to take her place in the world of sports business.  During the show, it was apparent that Camryn took a number of bold steps that...

In Episode 30, that’s right MFJIS fans, My First Job in Sports celebrated their 30th show with Annie Borovskiy. Most recently, Annie worked as an inside sales rep for BSE Global, the parent company of the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA, N.Y. Liberty of the WNBA, and owner/operators of the Barclays Center.  Annie is a graduate of the Sports Management program at High Point University in North Carolina. ...

In Episode 29 of My First Job in Sports, Gabby Mayo discussed her journey from working with the baseball program at Florida Atlantic University to her current role as a Baseball Operations Analyst for the Cincinnati Reds.  In her current position, Gabby has been able to rely on both the knowledge gained from the classroom and her internship experiences with FAU Baseball.  Gabby talked about how sh...

In Episode 28 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. Gardiner and I spoke with Alex Halloran.  Alex is a graduate of the Sports Management program at High Point University.  He is currently working as an Account Executive for SportingJax, which operates professional soccer teams for both men and women.  For Alex, sales has been a clear pathway to his first job and current role in sports.  He discussed in...

In episode 27 of My First Job in Sports, Dr. G. and Neil chat with Emily Bogdanowicz, a membership associate for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA. Emily discusses her commitment to excellence and the determination to learn, which have been key to her early success in internships and volunteer roles, where she developed skills in sales, marketing, and team collaboration. Bogdanowicz holds a degree from...

SBRnet is excited to welcome Dr. Ashley Gardner as the new co-host of the My First Job In Sports web series and podcast. Now entering its fourth season, MFJIS aims to assist students in securing that all-important first job in the sports industry, should they choose to pursue a career in that field. Dr. G., as she prefers to be called, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport, Tourism,...

In this special "Get in the Game" edition of My First Job in Sports, we had two amazing guests who provided inspiration, motivation, and guidance on what it takes for soon-to-be graduates to secure their first job in sports. We first spoke with Jasmine to better understand her focus on financial literacy and related issues. Then, we spoke with Miriam, who is focused on using digital medi...

In the latest episode of My First Job In Sports , Neil Schwartz and Dr. Tim Koba chat with Lisa Anne Higgins, Director of Development at Florida Atlantic University Athletics. With a strong passion for sports and connecting with people, Lisa Anne explains how her role is centered around bringing together diverse individuals and sports. She shares her inspiring college and career journey, offering...