BDSE CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY AND ANNOUNCES 2023 COHORT CLASS

Contact Information:
National Sports Forum
Isabelle Madrid
(619) 496-4101 x204
isabelle@sports-forum.com

BDSE CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY AND ANNOUNCES 2023 COHORT CLASS

SAN DIEGO, CA, January 10, 2023 – The Business of Diversity in Sports and Entertainment (BDSE), in partnership with the National Sports Forum (NSF) and presenting partner Legends, celebrated the 10th anniversary of the program unveiling the cohort class for the 2023 National Sports Forum, which will be held February 26 – 28 in Los Angeles, CA.

The NSF is proud of the opportunities that BDSE creates and recognizes the need for more programs supporting the importance of diversity in the front office. The BDSE program aims to increase the opportunities for up-and-coming ethnic minority and/or women sports professionals to access best practices of revenue-generating responsibilities within the industry and networking opportunities. Each year through an application process, 32 individuals are selected by the BDSE committee to receive a scholarship to attend the National Sports Forum. This provides them with a full-day workshop and access to network with 1,000+ sports business professionals over the 3-day conference.  

The NSF and Legends, a global premium experiences company, are proud to announce the 10th BDSE cohort class. This year the program had a record-breaking number of applicants, which made for a competitive selection. The 2023 Cohort is listed below:

Adrienne Starr: Talent Relations; Turner Sports at Warner Bros Discovery

Antoine Burrell: Founder; BeCollective+

Cara Holdsclaw, Ph.D.: Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Affairs; Columbia University, Athletics 

Caryn Grant: Director, Diversity & Inclusion; NASCAR

Corey Hicks: Marketing Coordinator, Legends

David Manley: Partnership Strategy Senior Manager, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx

Elise Rankins: Director of Events; Overtime Elite

Imani Clenance: Senior Manager, Partnerships; Athleta

Jarrell Canty: Sports Brand Partnerships Coordinator; FOX Sports

Jerrell Price: Sr. Director, Partnerships, RISE

Jessica Afriyie: Sales Director, Inside Sales; SportRadar

Jillian Fraccola: Manager, Data & Analytics; Legends

Juliet Kesilyas: Senior Buyer, Hardgoods & Co-Chair of the Global Black Alliance FAN (Fanatics Ally Network); Fanatics, Inc.

Kelli Frazier: Sr. Asst. Manager, Teams, OVG, Regional Activation, and Events; Genesco Sports Enterprises

Kevicia Brown: Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations /SWA; The Citadel Athletics

Laron Davis: Corporate Partnerships Manager; Chicago Bears

Latisha Hanna: Manager of People & Community; NVE Experience Agency

Liz Wardlow: Director, Fan Development; Washington Wizards/ Monumental Sports & Entertainment

Lyn Midcap: Manager, Global Partnerships; Legends

Mak Nong: Program Director; Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association

Micale Allen: Director of NFL Player Relations; X10 Capital

Morgan Taylor: Director, Business Ops; NY Liberty

Nathaniel Hemingway: Sr. Partnership Manager; Dapper Labs/NBA Top Shot

Nicholas Mutebi: Associate Manager, Business Development; NBA

Nicole Mahzoun: Player Manager, NFLPA

Sarah Minkoff: Assistant Athletic Director, Revenue Strategy; Wisconsin Athletics/Legends

Sean Penix: Senior Director, Collegiate Partnerships; Legends

Taylor Johnson: Sr. Manager, Partnership Marketing; New Orleans Saints & Pelicans

Tiffany Lam: Manager, Global Partnerships; Los Angeles Dodgers

Timara Gore: Account Executive, Club Memberships; Tennessee Titans

Victoria Weber (Leahy): Manager, Partnership Sales; New Orleans Saints & Pelicans

Legends serves as a presenting partner of the NSF’s BDSE program, having aligned on a multi-year partnership announced in February 2022.

For more information on the BDSE program and committee members, please visit www.sports-forum.com/bdse/.

About Legends

Founded in 2008, Legends is a premium experiences company with six divisions operating worldwide – Global Planning, Global Sales, Global Partnerships, Hospitality, Global Merchandise, and Global Technology Solutions – offering clients and partners a 360-degree data and analytics fueled service solution platform to elevate their brand and execute their vision. Currently, Legends works with marquee clients across business verticals including professional sports; collegiate; attractions; entertainment; and conventions and leisure. We are the industry leaders in designing, planning and realizing exceptional experiences in sports and entertainment. For more information, visit www.Legends.net and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TheLegendsWay.

About the National Sports Forum

The National Sports Forum is one of the largest annual sports business conferences in North America, gathering league, team, brand and property executives from the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, UEFA, the Minor Leagues, NCAA, Auto & Horse Racing, and many more. The National Sports Forum brings together sports business professionals from all facets of the industry to discuss the latest trends, ideas, and innovations shaping our industry as we push the boundaries in sports and entertainment. To learn more about the 2023 NSF in Los Angeles, February 26 – 28, 2023 visit www.sports-forum.com.