SMA 2024 Annual Seminar

Tom retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after 20 years of service in 2022. He spent most of his career as a Special Agent Bomb Technician supporting counter-terrorism efforts in the U.S. and around the world.

The last three years of his career he was a Supervisory Special Agent in the FBI’s Counter-UAS program. In that role he helped shape the team’s policies, procedures, and training. He has planned and conducted numerous homeland security Counter-UAS missions in complex urban environments and high-profile venues around the U.S., including Super Bowls, World Series, and Rose Bowls.

Tom currently serves as the Senior Director of Business Development for Federal/Civilian Defense Pursuits at High Point Aerotechnologies. He previously served as the CEO of AeroVigilance and is the Co-Architect of C-UAS Hub. Tom recently served as the Co-Chair of the Operating Requirements Working Group for the FAA UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee.

Eddie Aponte joined the Intermiami CF in June 2023 as the Interim Director of Security. Prior to this position, Eddie retired as a Lieutenant from the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) after 30 years of serve in which he held various assignments. These assignments included the Special Events Section which coordinated events such as several SuperBowls, parades, and other major events, to include working with the Miami Dolphins organization. Another assignment involved working in the MDPD’s Training Bureau in charge of the Basic Training Section which coordinated the training of new police recruits.

After retiring from MDPD, Eddie joined the Doral Police Department for 5 years in which he was in the Training Unit coordinating and instructing various subject matters and skill assessments.

Robbie Artz was promoted to vice president of planning and development in January 2023. In this role, he is focused on long-term business planning and strategic initiatives, including ballpark development and working toward the next great home for the Rays in Tampa Bay. Artz supports a number of special projects with a focus on driving business development, growing community partnerships and positioning the business operations for continued success. He previously spearheaded the partnership with Charlotte County and the Rays spring training efforts, including a 2019-21 renovation project, and has played a key role in the development of the team’s media strategy and partnerships. Artz joined the Rays in 2006 as an intern in corporate partnerships and spent time in fan experience before settling into the strategy and development function in 2008. He holds a law degree from Stetson University College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Temple University. A graduate of the Leadership St. Pete Class of 2014 and Leadership Tampa Class of 2018, he also serves on the Hillsborough/ Pinellas Area Board of the United Way Suncoast. He and his wife, Sarah, reside in St. Petersburg

Covering the industry and personally helping to drive up stadium per-caps for 25 years. During that period, Boston's major league teams have won 12 World Championships.... coincidence? I think not.

Byron Chambers brings over two decades of sports design leadership and experience delivering spaces dedicated to enhancing athlete performance and game day experiences. Byron’s designs create one-of-a-kind, contextually relevant, curated experiences that are tailored to the distinct brand, culture, history, and identity of the space. Byron has a keen understanding of market-driven and trend-setting ideas and leads all projects with creative and strategic thinking as a foundation. Byron’s portfolio spans the globe and showcases his authentic and creative design approach on a wide range of projects, including numerous professional and collegiate facilities. A native Texan, Byron leads the Populous Dallas office with an emphasis on collaborating with and exceeding client expectations.

SVP, Legends Project Development
Cameron has been developing sports facilities for the past 35 years, starting with his first project out of university, Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome), which he is now back with a major renovation for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has worked on the team (ownership) side, the Construction Management side, and for the past 8 years with Legends on the Project Management side on almost every type of facility for almost every league including ScotiaBank Centre, Kaseya Arena, State Farm Arena renovations, BMO Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Lower.com Field, Caesars Superdome renovations, and most recently the new Highmark Stadium for the Buffalo Bills to be open for the 2026 season.

Antonio (Tony) DiPaolo joined LAZ Parking in 2005 and currently serves as the President for our Midwest region, which encompasses the Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Ohio markets and continues to grow at a rapid pace! Additionally, Tony provides national support and oversees LAZ Parking's Government and University Services Division which services over 150 different clients, our LAZ Live! Event Services Division which services over 70 different Venues and Events, and the company's National Business Development efforts.

Since opening the Chicago Regional Office in December 2006, Tony and his team have opened over 600 successful parking operations that include major clients such as Chicago Parking Meters, Eastern Michigan University (ParkEMU), Nationwide Realty Investors Portfolio (NRI), University Circle & University Hospitals Portfolio, Bedrock Real Estate Services, Kroenke Sports, Denver International Airport and the Denver Broncos.

Tony proudly leads a team of more than 2,000 employees and manages annual parking revenues that exceed $650 million. He has experience driving value across all parking segments, including business development, company acquisitions, public-private partnerships, and new technology initiatives all while maintaining a people first outlook and living the LAZ mission statement every day, “Creating opportunities for our employees and value for our clients”.

Tony has his MBA in Sports Management from the University of New Haven and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. He and his wife Maggie reside in Elmhurst, Illinois with their 3 sons.

Kameron Durham is the Managing Director of Event Services for the Lumen Field/First & Goal. Kameron joined the Lumen Field Team in August 2021 and has management oversight of the Event Operations, Guest Servies, Security and Transportation departments. Prior to joining Lumen Field, Kameron was the Vice President of Guest Experience at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, as well as a nearly thirty-year tenure in Major League Baseball with the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. Kameron currently is the Chair for the Guest Experience Sub-Committee.

Seminar Committee Chair

Julie Giese is President of the Chicago Street Course, spearheading a bold initiative to bring NASCAR racing to downtown Chicago in July 2023. Prior to her role in Chicago, Giese served as President of Phoenix Raceway, a role she held since 2018, overseeing the promotion and operation of the modernized facility that is a top motorsports and entertainment destination in the Phoenix market.

In his current role as Managing Director of Championships and Alliances, Operations, Playing Rules, and Officiating at the NCAA. Anthony is responsible for setting the strategic direction for 30 NCAA Championships, and global oversight for playing rules and officiating of all 90 NCAA Championships.

Philip Hutson currently serves as the Maryland Stadium Authority’s (MSA) Vice President of Capital Projects and Planning at the Camden Yards Sports Complex (CYSC). Since 2005, Hutson has overseen numerous construction endeavors, managing projects at M&T Bank Stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the historic B&O Warehouse, Hippodrome Performing Arts Center, and the Southern Maryland Baseball Stadium. Collaborating closely with key stakeholders, he has also played a pivotal role in conducting feasibility studies for various statewide projects and served as MSA's coordinator for major events such as the Grand Prix of Baltimore, which utilized CYSC.

Beyond his project management responsibilities, Phil is a significant contributor to MSA's operations. He led operational negotiations for the new M&T Bank Stadium lease with the Ravens and the Oriole Park at Camden Yards lease with the Orioles.

Phil holds certifications as a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP). He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Widener University.

Ken Johnson is executive vice president and division manager for AECOM Hunt, with responsibility for operations in the eastern United States. Ken has 31 years of construction industry experience, the last 19 of which have been with AECOM Hunt. He is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operational direction by implementing strategies, plans and policies to achieve overall corporate objectives while maximizing operating results. He has particular focus on the sports and aviation market sectors, with expertise in the successful delivery of complex, large-scale and high-profile public projects. His project experience includes, but is not limited to, U.S. Tennis Association campus projects, Sun Life Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Citi Field, the New Orleans Airport program and the Colonel H. Weir Cook Terminal.

Don Jordan serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations at SP+, overseeing the Large Venues, Events, Transportation and Consulting Services divisions. Before joining SP+, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Gameday Management Group until its acquisition in July 2009. With an extensive career spanning over three decades in transportation, parking services, and supply chain logistics across North America and Europe, Don's primary focus is on implementing well-established processes, principles, and methodologies within specialized markets for parking and transportation operations.
Don Jordan's educational background includes attendance at the U.S. Air Force Academy and graduating from Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Geography – Demographic and Statistical Analysis. During his time at Millersville University, he interned with the Lancaster County Planning Commission, where he contributed to traffic pattern and growth demand modeling.
His professional affiliations encompass memberships in prestigious organizations such as the International Parking Institute, Stadium Managers Association, International Association of Venue Managers, Sports Business Journal, and National Association of College Directors of Athletics.

Melanie is the Director of Ballpark Operations for Major League Baseball (MLB). In this role, she works with all thirty Clubs in the following disciplines: security, guest services, concessions, and environmental sustainability. An important part of this position is to understand the balance and overlap between these different focus areas. Responsibilities also include special event operations and planning, best practice sharing, ballpark assessments, and MLB security initiatives such as the SAFETY Act application. Melanie is on the leadership committee for both the MLB Asian and Pride Employee Resource Groups.

Prior to joining MLB in July 2015, Melanie has worked for various sports organizations including Madison Square Garden, the New York Mets, the Barclays Center, and the Detroit Red Wings. Melanie stays active in various industry organizations serving on the Pro Sports Assembly Operations Committee, ALSD Sports Venue Design & Build Forum Board of Advisors, and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Professional Advisory Committee.

Joining BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) in 2022, Chris May serves as General Manager of BC Place Stadium bringing over 15 years of strategic leadership experience in executing diverse, large-scale events for international markets.

Chris has planned, managed and provided strategic direction for major live events in markets across the globe. From live concerts, musicals, TV telethons, and special events, to international touring logistics, he has ensured the successful execution of events selling in excess of 7 million tickets, and free public events attended by millions more. Career highlights include tours with the Dave Matthew Band, Jack Johnson, and Xavier Rudd.

Previously, Chris served as Vice President, Delivery and Production, and Executive Producer, at SDImktg where he led the development of long-term major event strategies for new and existing clients, as well as guided execution for the agency’s portfolio for major events such as Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour. Before joining SDImktg, Chris acted as Senior Director of Touring Operations with Cirque Du Soleil, responsible for arena touring shows Saltimbanco, Alegria, and Varekai. He also managed the company’s first tours to 23 new markets including Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon and Hungary.

Chris also works extensively with Embers, a Social Enterprise based in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside that provides employment opportunities to individuals with barriers to employment, serving as Chair of the Board of Directors. He is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for Firehall Arts Centre where he provides governance and leadership for the venue, which hosts two hundred performances each year in the heart of the Downtown Eastside.

Mike McCormick is a lawyer who began in the stadium industry in 1987 as Executive Director of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, the owner of Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums in Kansas City. He first joined the SMA in 1988 and thereafter went back to private practice in 1990 where he began his stint as SMA legal counsel that continues to this day. In 1999 he was asked back to the Sports Authority where he acted as legal counsel and Acting Executive Director until 2006. This is Mike’s 37th SMA Seminar.

Meredith McCurdy is a sports and event marketer with experience working with brands and their partnerships in domestic and global sport including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, F1, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS. In 2022, she joined the environmental and sustainability services firm, APTIM, to lead the Sustainable Sport Index (SSI). SSI is a survey collecting self-reported data from sports venues to publish an anonymized report benchmarking the sustainability practices of sports venues. Meredith has an MBA and a Certificate in ESG.

My name is Joshua McQueen, Manager of Fan Engagement & Strategy here at Inter Miami CF. I have been working with the club since the inaugural season in 2020. I attended a HBCU, Hampton University, where I received my bachelor's in marketing and later attend the Real Madrid Master's Program in Madrid, Spain. There I received Masters in Sports Marketing. Working in sports and especially in within the world of soccer has been the perfect opportunity to combine my passions and career goals.

Austin is the Director of Stadium Events for the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. In this role, he oversees all major events at the facility to include concerts, FELD, football games, etc. Previously, he worked at the Tampa Bay Rays as the Manager of Operations and Special events where he oversaw all events at the facility as well as the parking operations.

Peter O’Reilly joined the NFL in 2005 and has worked across multiple areas of the NFL business. He currently leads the NFL’s Major Events, Club Business Development, and International departments, overseeing both the league’s major year-round event platforms, including the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, NFL Draft, and NFL Kickoff, working with the 32 NFL clubs on maximizing their business and fan engagement opportunities, as well as oversight of the NFL’s international strategy and business.
Prior to joining the NFL, Mr. O’Reilly held the position of Senior Marketing and Sports Manager for NYC2012, the New York City Olympic Bid. He also has past experience as Director of Production at the National Basketball Association where he spent six years. Peter began his career at ABC Sports working on the network’s college football and college basketball broadcasts.
Mr. O’Reilly received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he was also a Senior Football Manager, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently resides in Westchester County, NY with his wife and two children.

Mr. Organvidez brings 37 years of comprehensive law enforcement experience working for Miami-Dade County and the City of Doral Police Department. He has held the ranks of Officer/Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain/Executive Officer, Major, and Chief of South Operations Division and Chief of Police of the City of Doral Police Department. He also served as the City Manager of the City of Doral. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Special Projects and Security for Inter Miami CF.
Mr. Organvidez has a Masters Degree from Florida National University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Florida International University. He is a graduate of the 226 Session of FBI’s National Academy and holds a certificate from the University of Miami Leadership Institute.
Mr. Organvidez has overseen annual budgets in excess of 200 million dollar both in Miami-Dade County Police Department and the City of Doral.

Jay Parker serves as the vice president of live events and spectaculars, leading the sales team for professional sports, colleges and universities, city-owned stadiums and arenas, Times Square, Las Vegas, city centers and other customers. His team has extensive knowledge, with an average of more than 10 years' experience so they can serve customers that require larger, more complex systems.

Previously, Jay was national sales manager for large sports venues for seven years before adding the spectaculars team and moving to his VP position in 2014. Before that, he worked in Daktronics major league sports market for 10 years.

Jay began his experience and relationships in the college market working as South Dakota State University’s athletic business, ticket and facilities manager.

Jay is active on the foundation for scholarships at the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), including serving as chair. He is also a board member of the Stadium Managers Association.

He enjoys water sports and being at the lake. He also enjoys golf, biking and working out on his Peloton bike.

Jay graduated with a degree in commercial economics and a minor in computer science from South Dakota State University, where he also played football and worked as a student employee at Daktronics. He earned his MBA from the University of South Dakota.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-parker-71593819/

Paula Portz serves as the COO of Legends Project Development. LPD is a division of Legends and provides Owner’s Representative, Program and Project Management related services on sports, entertainment and cultural projects. Paula has overseen the management of over $9B work of work including LPD projects such as SoFi Stadium, the new Buffalo Bills Highmark stadium and the new KC Current stadium to name a few. Prior to Legends, Paula was the President of PC Sports, where she worked for 24 years and managed numerous projects across the United States and Canada.

Paula was named an SBJ Game Changers: Women in Sports Business in the inaugural class of 2011 as well as an SBJ Power Player: Design and Development in 2016. She is a certified Project Management Professional and LEED AP.

Titus Queen joined the Florida State Athletics staff in 2019 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Events. Queen’s primary duties are management of all football related events and facilities, along with oversight of all event management and championship operations within Seminole Athletics.
The Laurel, MS. native returned to FSU after serving as the Assistant Athletic Director of Events and Facilities at Florida Atlantic University (2017-2019), Director of Events at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida (2015-2017), Assistant Director of Game Operations at Ole Miss (2013-2015), and Assistant Director of Events and Facilities at FSU (2008-2013).
Queen first joined the athletics staff at FSU in 2007 as a Senior Groundskeeper in charge of Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium. Prior to that, he started his athletics career with the Birmingham Barons (the AA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox) where he served as a Stadium and Ticket Operations Intern in 2006. He was promoted in the fall of 2006 to Corporate Event Planner where he sold and oversaw corporate events to Barons’ games.
Queen earned his B.A. in English and History in May of 2003 from Ole Miss and his M.A. in history from Ole Miss in August of 2011. In August of 2012 he added a M.S. in Higher Education from Florida State University.
Queen and his wife, Robin, reside in Tallahassee and have two children, Connor and Mia

Mary Rupert joined the DHS C-UAS Program Management Office in June of 2022 as a Policy Analyst, bringing 20 years of relevant experience to the team. Mary began her Federal career with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Pittsburgh International Airport in 2002 as a direct result of the attacks of September 11th. She continued her career by joining the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) in 2009 as a watch officer at the Transportation Security Operations Center (TSOC) in Virginia. Mary quickly climbed the ranks and became a Command Duty Officer on the watch floor, where she led 80+ team members in monitoring, investigating, and using situational awareness to resolve potential threats to transportation services and coordinating multi-agency response, to include drone sightings around transportation venues and critical infrastructure.

Mary received a DHS Secretary’s Commendation Award in 2023 from Secretary Mayorkas for her efforts in coordinating and executing a multi-agency C-UAS demonstration for Congressional members and staff in direct support of the Department’s efforts in supporting expanded legislation for C-UAS. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2001 and currently resides in Fairfax, VA with her wife and two dogs. Mary is a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan and enjoys golfing and traveling.

DJ Smith has worked in the area of Covert Technical/Tactical Surveillance for over 30 years. A few areas of specialty are Title III Intercepts, GPS Installs, Video-Audio Clarification, Technical Surveillance Counter Measures (TSCM), Mesh-Node Deployments, Surreptitious Lock Bypass & Safe Penetration including GSA locks & containers, Technical Response to Hostage/Barricade Situations, Cellular Tracking and Geo-locating (DF), Covert Surreptitious Audio/Video deployments, and sUAS & Counter UAS deployment operations.
In the area of sUAS and Counter UAS Operations:
o He is the Unmanned Aerial Systems & Counter UAS Program Coordinator for the Virginia State Police.
o Currently serves on the Federal Aviation Administration Counter UAS aviation rule-making committee.
o Currently serves on the DHS NUSTL Blue UAS assessment for Public Safety.
o 2024 Presenter on CUAS for SLTT at the World Police Summitt in Dubai
o Deputy Director/ CUAS SME for Droneresponders Public Safety UAS Alliance.
o Virginia Safe and Secure Commonwealth Sub-Panel dealing with UAS/Counter UAS implementation and legislation.
o (SME) on various technologies for the DHS S&T, Law Enforcement Technology Board (SPAWARS Atlantic & Saver program).
o VSP stakeholder on the Mid-Atlantic UAS Partnership group (Google Wing) at Virginia Tech.
o Served on DHS S&T First Responder Robotic Operational System Test (FFROST) assessment & evaluations of sUAS for Public Safety.
o Presented/Moderated discussions at: Global Counter UAS Summit in Washington DC, AUVSI Xponential, Commercial UAV Expo, Homeland Security Conference, and Global Military and Defense Conference.
o Annual presenter at the Security Summit in Norway.
o Speaker at World Police Summit 2024
o Serves as a technical advisor to several legislative working groups in Washington.
o He is also a licensed part 107 pilot and has been flying sUAS for over 13 years.

Jenny Stephens is a Principal and the Director of Strategic Business Development for Perkins&Will Denver's Sports, Recreation, and Entertainment Practice. She has been with the firm since 1990, playing a key role in strategic alignment within the US and Internationally. She has been instrumental in the pursuit of high-profile projects such as the Pepperdine University Event and Recreation Center national design competition, the Spectrum Center Renovations, and Red Rocks Visitor Center. Jenny is an active member of several industry organizations, including the Denver Women’s Sports Collaborative, ALSD, and IAVM and has co-authored numerous articles in industry trade publications. Motivated by sharing insights and finding common purpose with other professionals working in the sports, recreation and entertainment environment, Jenny is proud to be an active mentor to young professionals inside and outside of Perkins&Will. Jenny is also a proud Colorado native and alum of the University of Colorado at Boulder. #SKO BUFFS

David L. Thomas is the Vice President of Security & Ballpark Operations for Major League Baseball, where he leads the strategic planning, execution, and evolution of MLB’s league-wide SAFETY Act awarded security program. In collaboration with the 30 Major League Clubs, Dave and his team research, develop, and manage best practices surrounding all venue operations functions, including security, guest services, fan experience, concessions, sustainability, housekeeping, and facility management. The 30 Clubs host 70 million in-person fans attending 2,430 regular season games each season.

After a 25-year career as a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service, Dave joined the sports & entertainment security business as the head of security for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. He led the security operations for the team, the Golden 1 Center, and the multi-purpose, mixed-use development surrounding the arena, known as Downtown Commons. The Golden 1 Center hosts 200+ events annually, including 41 regular season NBA games, concerts, and other events.

Dave serves as the principal MLB representative to the Sports League Subsector Council of DHS’s Critical Infrastructure Protection program. He is a national advisory board member at the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4). And he serves on both the FAA UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee and the DHS sUAS Security Working Group.

Dave recently served for a year as a board member of the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), which is the only executive council that examines cross-sector critical infrastructure security and resilience issues and provides recommendations to the President of the United States on how to secure the nation’s infrastructure.

Stephen Thomas was promoted to Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in January 2023. Born and raised in Vallejo, CA he attended college at Washington State University earning his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. Stephen started with the Tampa Bay Rays in January 2006 and during his tenure has worked in Corporate Partnerships, Fan Experience, Business Operations, Strategy and Development and was Executive Director of the Rays Baseball Foundation from 2016-2021.
As a resident of St. Petersburg, Stephen has a passion for his community and believes in giving back. He has served on the board for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg, served as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, the St. Petersburg High School wrestling team, and served over 9 years as a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. He currently serves on the board for Community Tampa Bay. Stephen was awarded the Joyce Smith Community Spirit award by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013. He is an alumni of the Leadership St. Pete class of 2012 and Leadership Tampa class of 2019. Stephen lives with his wife, Julia and daughter, Rue.

Catalina Villegas is the Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Major League Baseball. A native of Colombia, former tennis professional and collegiate player, Catalina manages cultural engagement and career development initiatives that foster an inclusive and belonging culture at MLB.

Prior to MLB, Catalina was LST Marketing’s VP of Multicultural Marketing. The scope of her work included sponsorship sales, consulting and talent procurement specializing in retired and current Latino/a/e athletes and influencers.

Villegas first came to the United States from Colombia after receiving an offer to play tennis at Northwestern State University. Following her time there, she coached tennis at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she received master’s degrees in business administration and sports management.

Catalina is fluent in Spanish and English. She now lives in between Dallas, Texas and Brooklyn, NY with her spouse, Jennifer, their dogs, Khalessie and Dexter, and their cat, Lorenzo. In her free time, Catalina enjoys playing pickleball, kayaking, walking, a good coffee with a good book, playing tennis, gardening and spending time with her family.

Dr. Jen Welter is a groundbreaking, barrier-busting force of nature. She is a female trailblazer, a sports pioneer, PhD, passionate leader, world-renowned speaker, entrepreneur and source of inspiration around the globe. Her relentless pursuit of individual excellence and success in challenging the status quo time and time again, fuels her current drive to help others achieve their best—in sports, health and wellness, professional pursuits and in life.
She is driven by the belief that “Greatness is a choice you make over and over. And when you choose personal greatness—big or small—it becomes a part of who you are.” In every realm she tackles, Dr. Jen is a game changer, bringing vision, power and purpose to her mission of breaking the chains of what has always been and redefining what is and will be.
She tackled her football career with fearless tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. Building on her remarkable career in women’s football, that included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, 4 World Championships and 8 All-Star selections, Dr. Jen busted into the men’s game, as the first female running back signed to a men’s professional team. Blending her passion for the game with a powerful, unique communication style, she broke through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league and the Madden NFL 20 video game. Crystallizing her journey into a playbook for overall success, she published “Play Big, Lessons in Living Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL.”
Not content to stop there, Dr. Jen’s belief in the power of sport to transform society inspired her to create sustainable platforms and inclusive programs to help women become leaders, give girls access and empower kids to overcome challenges through physical, emotional and social well being. She founded Grrridiron Girls, the first national movement for girls in flag football. She has been honored and quoted by President Obama as a female pioneer and role model. She has coached everyone from kids in sports camps to C-level executives, on how finding your voice and having fearless conversations can fuel positive change.
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, she teamed with Creative Director and Founder of Jayne Agency, Brooke Foley to create the Critter Fitter book series, the world’s first social, emotional
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and physical wellness series for young kids. Covering themes ranging from social distancing and mask wearing to resilience and wellness through movement, Critter Fitter offers a holistic platform for parents and children to solve a range of complex problems, giving youth a voice through conversations, tools and experiences.
Dr. Jen’s message of overcoming life’s obstacles with grit, tenacity and limitless possibility has received worldwide acclaim, by audiences ranging from global companies and top schools to brands, nonprofits and professional sports teams.

Over Tim Witkowski’s more than 21 years with Aramark, he has amassed an extensive track record for success across major league sports and special event venues. As District Manager for Aramark’s Sports + Entertainment properties in Kansas City, San Antonio and the surrounding areas, Tim oversees a portfolio of premier venues including GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs; Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals; Kansas City Convention Center; Overland Park Convention Center; Frost Bank Center; Home of the San Antonio Spurs; Freeman Coliseum; home of the San Antonio Rodeo; and Toyota Field; home of San Antonio FC. These operations encompass more than 80 management employees and a total managed volume of more than $120 million across Food & Beverage, Retail, E-commerce, and team dining operations.

He has spearheaded numerous innovations and capital improvements totaling over $50 Million dollars. These projects include of retail, concessions and premium department renovations including self-checkout, AI checkout technology, chef and restaurant partnerships as well as brand implementations.

Along with growing sales and per capita spending, his accounts have been consistently recognized for their customer service, ranked at the top of the league in Voice of the Fan Surveys in major league sports accounts as well Best Small Convention Center in North America (OPCC) by EXHIBITOR Magazine. The Frost Bank Center was the first account to launch Aramark Sports + Entertainment’s premium brand Aura, which includes a partnership with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), to design a training program for all front-of-house staff.

After starting his career in the premium department at Coors Field in Denver, Tim also went on to progressive management roles in sports venues including Conseco Field House (home of the Indiana Pacers), Hi Corbett Field (Colorado Rockies spring training), Rent One Park (minor league baseball), Frost Bank Center (home of the San Antonio Spurs) & GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs).

Tim holds a B.A. in Hospitality Business from Michigan State University and an M.B.A. from Rockhurst University.