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SportsBizFest

PAST LOCATION: UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California!

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING SportsBizFest 2026…NEW LOCATION LOADING!

About SportsBizFest

We’re bringing together some of the biggest brands and most influential leaders across sports, entertainment, and technology for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in California.

SportsBizFest is the only conference of its kind — where education, culture, and opportunity collide. The event features dynamic workshops, panels, and live demonstrations led by top executives, innovators, and changemakers from across the sports industry.

In addition to industry leaders, sports education programs from colleges and universities will also be in attendance — offering participants the chance to explore academic pathways, degree programs, and hands-on opportunities that connect directly to careers in sports.

From athlete representation and media production to analytics, marketing, and entrepreneurship, participants gain firsthand insight into how the business of sports truly works — and what it takes to be part of it.

If you’re passionate about sports and ready to take the next step toward your future in the industry, you need to be at the next SportsBizFest!

 

Event Recap

 
 
 
 
 


Check out some of the executives and companies that were represented in SportsBizFest:

 

Highlights

Photo Album

Speakers

  • Audra Lowe is an Emmy-nominated TV personality, producer and voiceover artist with a diverse resume of over 20 years from LA to New York City. Most recently, Audra served as the Sr. West Coast Correspondent for “Celebrity Page TV” (formerly OK!TV) and does voiceovers for TV shows and radio spots. Throughout her career, she's worked as a local tv news reporter, sports anchor, entertainment host and correspondent, national lifestyle TV Host and, branded segment ambassador. Audra has appeared on a variety of programs including Access Hollywood, Access Hollywood Live, The Talk, Fox Sports and more. She was highly instrumental in the success of the nationally syndicated "Better Show" (based in NYC), garnering an Emmy nomination as the Host for 7 seasons and increasing viewership by 600% in less than 3 years.

    From studios in Los Angeles, Audra hosted Fox Sports’ “FoxWire", viewed by millions daily--and the entertainment show, "FoxNOW", becoming the first to nab backstage interviews with American Idol finalists. She’s interviewed virtually every A-list celebrity in Hollywood, athletes and politicians from the Secretary of State, to the President of the United States.

    For the past 20 years, Audra has conducted broadcasting seminars in Southern California and New York City, assisting hundreds of aspiring journalists, professional athletes, musicians and executives embark on a television career by enhancing interviewing skills. Many have landed jobs at top rated stations in major markets across the country, with several in Los Angeles. Audra is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and an advisor to the Center for Sports & Entertainment, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and exposing youth to diverse careers in the sports and entertainment industry.

    Audra received two bachelor’s degrees from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree from UCLA.

  • Biography coming soon!

  • For over fifteen years, Janet E. Sevilla has served as a sports philanthropy advocate and corporate social responsibility professional. Powered by a passion for equity and fair access to resources, Janet has worked with multinational corporations, major league sports franchises, politicians, and professional athletes to design and implement successful, socially responsible initiatives that drive change in vulnerable communities.

    Janet serves as a Board Member of (Women In Sports & Events) WISE Atlanta chapter and a member of Hermanas Unidas - UCSB Chapter, HYPE, and EME de Mujer women’s division with the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is a 2019 50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia honoree.

    Most recently, Janet served as the Vice President of Community Impact with the only women’s professional sports team in the Atlanta market, the WNBA’s (Women’s National Basketball Association) Atlanta Dream, where she was responsible for developing the Atlanta Dream’s community impact strategy that focused on empowering women through sport, growing the game of basketball, and enhancing the well-being of under-represented communities in Atlanta.

    Previously, Janet led the Georgia World Congress Center Authority team as Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility leading the 1.5 million square ft. convention center facility through its GOLD LEED recertification. Janet’s path has led her to serve as the Community Affairs Manager for the Atlanta Braves. While there, she played a crucial role in launching the Spanish language brand Los Bravos and creating a community segment called Los Bravos in the Community.

    Janet started her professional sports philanthropy career with the Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles Lakers.

    With Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan roots, Janet graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B. A. in Black Studies and Spanish, with a concentration in Sports Management.

  • Robert Hinds currently serves as the Director of Operations at Team Prime Time. In his role, Robert ensures that the company remains in compliance with its contractual obligations to provide safe and impactful after-school programming in the Los Angeles Unified and Inglewood Unified School Districts. He also creates and implements internal operational systems to facilitate organizational and employee success. Team Prime Time provides after-school intervention programs that combine academics, athletics, leadership training, and the arts to help prepare K-8 students to reach their full potential in the future.

    Prior to serving at Team Prime Time, Robert was a Director of Accounting for Wasserman’s Team Sports division. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA and his master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco.

  • Biography coming soon!

  • Biography coming soon!

  • Eddie Maisonet currently serves as a senior editor for ESPN, focused on combat sports coverage (UFC, boxing and WWE) for our digital editorial group. We produce content focusing on live-event coverage, analysis and feature storytelling throughout the year.

    Eddie is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco’s Sport Management master’s program. At USF, Eddie teaches “digital strategy in sports media” which helps students find ways to survive and thrive in a constantly evolving industry that drives the content sports fans consume on a daily basis.

    Eddie holds degrees from Langston University (B.A. Organizational Management ’05) and University of San Francisco (M.A. Sport Management ’16). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Inc., the National Association of Black Journalists and The 100 Black Men of America. He is a native of Lawton, OK. and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

    He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook apologist, a mofongo specialist, owns over 100 hats, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”

  • Kat Calderon is an Account Executive with the Los Angeles Clippers and has worked in the Sport Industry for the past 5 years. She graduated from CSU San Marcos in 2019 with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and earned her Master’s Degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco in 2021. In her current role, Kat focuses on selling season tickets, suites, mini plans, and individual game tickets to reach personal goals and company quotas. She is also responsible for building relationships with clients and businesses to secure deals and generate new sales opportunities. Aside from the new business front, Kat has also gained experience in academic services, game management, sport information, and football operations. She uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. In her free time, Kat likes to listen to music, spend time with friends and family, and cheer on her favorite sports teams!

  • Biography coming soon!

  • Arielle Moyal is highly accomplished marketing professional who has been instrumental in guiding the careers of hundreds of athletes over his 17+ year career working in sports. Her new marketing agency, Moyal Enterprises, released in March 2022 and is already making an impact. The firm are experts in the business for athletes, a place where athletes, agencies, teams and sports brands can find what they need to bridge strategy and execution for unique solutions.

    Most recently, Arielle served as the Vice President of Basketball & Baseball marketing, Public Relations & Digital Strategy, for REP1 Sports, a full-service athlete representation firm. Her duties included assisting the CEO with REP1 corporate initiatives and being the guider of the agency to over 300+ professional athletes across baseball, basketball and collegiate NIL.

    Prior to REP1, Arielle gained extensive experience as the marketing lead at BDA Sports Management and a key member of the Player Personnel/Athlete Enrichment department for the Sacramento Kings. Earlier, Arielle spent nine years working for UCLA Athletics as staff for a variety of sports teams, the last five as part of the core staff for the historic UCLA Men’s Basketball program.

    Arielle received his B.A. in Pre-Med & Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and his M.A. in Sports Management from Cal State University, Long Beach, graduating top of his class and receiving the award for Outstanding Thesis.

  • Todd Ramasar, a prominent entrepreneur and CEO of Life Sports Agency (LSA), has built a successful career in the world of sports, media, and technology, focusing on athlete representation. With over 20 years of experience as a distinguished NBPA, FIBA and NCAA certified agent, contract advisor, and career planner, Ramasar’s integrity, passion, and unwavering dedication to his clients have become the cornerstones of his achievements. Ramasar’s proficiency in various areas such as player recruitment, skill development, team contract negotiations, marketing, brand development, business development, and endorsement deals has enabled him to negotiate over $500B in contracts for his clients. In 2019, he secured over $180M in team contracts for his clients, including Thomas Bryant’s $25M multi-year contract with the Washington Wizards and Pascal Siakam’s $130M max contract with the NBA Champion Toronto Raptors. Before founding LSA, Ramasar held the position of Vice President of Player Representation at BDA Sports Management for five years, contributing significantly to the agency’s accomplishments. At just 24 years old, he became the youngest NBPA certified agent to represent an active NBA player, independently managing clients such as Baron Davis and Ryan Hollins for over five years. Ramasar broke new ground by negotiating Baron’s right to exercise his Early Termination Option (ETO) in his final year of a max contract with the Golden State Warriors, which led to a celebrated $70M deal with the LA Clippers. Additionally, he brokered the first-ever eight-figure NBA player endorsement deal with Chinese shoe brand Li-Ning, paving the way for future NBA superstars. Prior to his career as a certified agent, Ramasar worked in the basketball division of Tellem & Associates/SFX Sports Group, focusing on client relations, skill development, pre-draft planning and strategy, free agency analysis, and marketing. His impressive portfolio of NBA clients is complemented by his ongoing success in orchestrating multi-million dollar endorsements and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, McDonalds, Proctor & Gamble, and Alphabet (Google). Ramasar’s business expertise reaches beyond the realm of sports. In 2012, he co-founded China Branding Group (Fanstang), which emerged as the leading distributor of western celebrity content in China before being sold to Remark Media in 2016. He also facilitated a multi-million dollar partnership between a top esports and League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) team and two professional sports team organizations in both the NHL and MLB. A graduate of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Ramasar was a member of the esteemed men’s basketball program. His remarkable accomplishments in the sports industry are a testament to his unwavering commitment and dedication.

  • Alanna Frisby Hernandez is the Executive Vice President, Business Affairs and Operations of Wasserman’s Team Sports division where she manages the legal and day-to-day operations of the group. In this role, Alanna has negotiated and finalized playing, endorsement, sponsorship and appearance contracts for Wasserman baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, coaches and executives, and Olympic clients, and she is also charged with educating and informing the entire talent practice on important legal issues and industry trends, including the application of various Olympic rules, NIL, NFTs and inclusion riders in talent agreements. Alanna also manages Wasserman’s M&A transactions relating to the Talent Representation practice and has been intimately involved in the growth of the business over the last 9.5 years. Alanna was a founding member of Wasserman’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and served as a co-leader of the women’s DE&I subcommittee, which is dedicated to promoting and supporting women at Wasserman and within the industry as a whole.

    Alanna began her legal career at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in their Complex Commercial Litigation department. She received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA and her JD from Columbia Law School.

  • Noemi Silva-Morin currently serves as the Director of Marketing and Fan Engagement for CSUN Athletics. Noemi is responsible for marketing, promotions, ticketing, community engagement, and fan engagement of all Division I athletic events. Before joining CSUN Athletics as Director, Noemi was a marketing intern and Coordinator for the program. She worked in higher education over the summer learning about student involvement and creating a sense of community for students at CSUN.

    The Southern Calif. native attended CSUN and graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology. Noemi is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Sports Management at the University of San Francisco. While in school Noemi interned for the Big West Conference, UCLA, and Los Angeles Sparks and worked as Marketing Game Night Staff for the Los Angeles Clippers.

  • Thomas Warren is an award-winning journalist and podcast producer who currently serves as a Senior Podcast Producer with NFL Media. In his role, Thomas manages a team of producers, is a showrunner for multiple shows, and is involved with the overall content strategy for the NFL Podcast Network. Thomas spent his first six years with NFL Media as a Senior Assignment Editor contributing to the day-to-day news coverage on NFL Network.

    Thomas joined NFL Media in February of 2015 after spending the first seven years of his career in Washington, DC as a news editor and reporter at CBS-affiliate WTOP Radio. While at WTOP, Thomas covered a variety of stories from the HIV epidemic in the nation’s capital, to the Arab Spring protests, to President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.

    Thomas has earned multiple awards for his work, including a National Edward R. Murrow Awards an editor for his coverage of the death of Osama Bin Laden, and a “Best Sports Podcasts of 2020” award by Spotify as a podcast producer.

    Before becoming a journalist, Thomas played in the minor leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He is a proud graduate of Howard University. Thomas is also a native of Inglewood, Calif. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Tiffany and son Xavier.

  • Tiffany Everett, graduate of USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism has led an extensive professional career in Marketing and PR, helping high impact brands (EA Sports, Nike, Nintendo, Warner Bros., Facebook, etc.) drive sales, tell great stories and build community.

    She has led influencer, public relations and social media campaigns plus live and virtual events for key marketing launches in the gaming, sports, home video and entertainment television industries.

    In January 2023, Tiffany launched her “This Month in Social” newsletter garnering over 600 subscribers in 30 days, delivering the latest in social media one month at a time.

    In her current role as Global Social Media Lead at EA Sports, she oversees the strategy, partnership integrations and implementation of the social playbook around the companies North American Football gaming social channels.

    Tiffany currently serves on USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Alumni Advisory Board, is an official LinkedIn Sports Creator, current Forbes the Culture member and WIMMIES (Women in Media and Entertainment) board member emeritus.

    She is a proud mom and wife and when she’s not spending her weekends at sports and gaming content shoots, she’s cheering her son on from the sidelines of any given sport.

    To follow Tiffany and to get more information >> Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

  • Katie Kuska comes to us from her hometown of Pontiac, Illinois. She is currently a Premium Account Manager with the LA Clippers, but started her career as an intern with the San Jose Sharks while also earning her Master's Degree at the University of San Francisco. She has been working in the sports industry for the past 5 years, but found her passion in building client relationships and ultimately tasked with retaining her book of business year after year. This particular time of her career involves being an intricate part of opening the Clippers brand new arena, the Intuit Dome! On top of the yearly retention and revenue goals, a huge focus is getting current members transferred over to their dream seats at a brand new venue! Outside of work she enjoys rooting for her Chicago sports teams, as tough as that may be!

  • A passion for sport and social work has brought this Southern California native to a leadership position with the Play Equity Fund, where James Lopez serves as Program Director, Social Impact. James has a vital role working with leaders, partners and youth organizations as he helps amplify their collective work to raise awareness, build stronger connections and move audiences to action.

    James manages strategic sports-based youth development projects that will create meaningful social change for communities and yield data and stories that inform advocacy strategies for the Play Equity Movement. By using a social work lens and his skill set, James brings a unique perspective to the Play Equity Movement and is passionate about propelling the organization forward to close the Play Equity gap.

    James served as Manager of Strategy and Impact at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), the official charity of the Los Angeles Dodgers, from 2015-2021.

    At LADF, James worked to develop a robust program measurement and evaluation strategy for all programs and fundraising efforts, as well as contributing to research and fund development of the organization.

    James’ professional journey began in 2009 after earning his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Education from the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). After serving as a Recreation Supervisor for UCSB’s intramural and club sports department for two years, James spent all of 2011 living in Shaoxing, China.

    While in China, James served as an English teacher for one year before returning to Southern California in 2012. Before beginning his graduate studies in 2014, James worked as a recreation/sports coordinator for a residential treatment facility for young men in the foster care system. In that role, he implemented new recreational programming which included inter-facility sports leagues, music lessons, and fitness programs. During this time, he developed a passion for social work, and sports-based youth development.

    James earned his Master of Social Work in spring of 2016 at the University of Southern California with a concentration on Community Organizing, Planning & Administration. James’ first full time season at LADF came in June 2016, after serving at the organization as a graduate intern.

    James currently resides in Diamond Bar, CA with his wife and 1 year old son. When not working, James enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and recreational sports like golf, running, softball, and basketball.

  • Dr. Ashley Sloper is the Associate Director for the University of San Francisco Sport Management Program, In her role, Ashley is responsible for the administration of a Master's degree program focusing on careers in the sport industry. By fostering relationships with professional organizations, universities, leading executives, and alumni actively working in the US and internationally, the USF Sport Management Master's Program educates future sport industry professionals. Prior to her role with USF Sport Management, she worked in several Division I Athletic Departments at universities like UCLA and San Diego State in student-athlete support services. Ashley herself is an alumna of the USF Sport Management Master's Program and earned her doctoral degree from San Diego State University in Educational Leadership.

  • Jose Bonilla is a native Californian, born and raised in San Jose. He is going into his fifteenth year in professional sports, and his 13th season with the San Francisco Giants.  He first joined the Giants in 2011 as an intern in Baseball Operations and currently serves as the Senior Director of International Operations and Baseball Administration with the club.

    In his current role, he works closely with scouting and player development to support the Giants' international operations both on and off the field. Jose also supports general administrative operations for the Major League club. 

    Jose graduated from the University of California, San Diego (2008) with a degree in Economics, and earned his Master's in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco (2011). He currently resides in the Bay Area and is supported by his loving wife and imaginative daughter. If you have any strong takes on baseball, coffee, or music, he encourages you to reach out. 

  • Brandon Johnson is a career coach from California who founded Be Gallant Coaching as a way to help job seekers gain clarity in their career journey and get hired for jobs that energize them. As a result, Brandon’s clients feel fulfilled, valued, and confident in their careers and lives. A certified professional career coach, Brandon facilitates job search coaching programs and 1 on 1 coaching sessions to help people acquire the tools they need to be successful in their job search and in their careers moving forward. Brandon provides expert coaching in resume/cover letter writing, networking, organized action plan development, negotiation, and goal & value mapping. Brandon has coached people all over the world and continues to have a positive impact on career journeys.

    Brandon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from UC Santa Barbara, and a Master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from University of Southern California.

CHECK OUT THE SPORTSBIZFEST SCHEDULE BELOW!

Past Schedule

 
 

Corwin Pavilion, University Center, UC Santa Barbara

8:45 A.M. -  Doors Open

9:00 A.M. - Welcome

9:15 A.M. - Keynote Speaker

9:50 A.M. - Panel: Team Operations, Marketing, Sales & Administration in Sports

10:35 A.M. - Panel: Branding, Content and Production in Sports 

11:15 A.M. - Informational Session: A Q&A Session with Sports Career Specialists

11:50 A.M. - Networking Lunch

1:00 P.M - Afternoon Keynote Speaker

1:45 A.M. - Panel:  Doing Good Matters:  Community Relations in Sports

2:30 P.M. -  Panel:  A Day in the Life of a Sports Agent

3:15 P.M. - Closing Remarks/Raffle of IPAD and SportsBizFest Hoodies

3:30 P.M. - SportsBizFest Reception Sponsored by Melanated Wine (Invite Only)

 
 

*PARKING - PANELISTS, INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE SENT TO YOU DIRECTLY.

GUESTS: LOT 22 WILL BE YOUR BEST LOCATION TO SECURE A PARKING SPACE. THIS IS ABOUT A 10 MINUTE WALK TO THE VENUE, WHICH IS CORWIN PAVILION NEAR THE UNIVERSITY CENTER. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO PAY FOR PARKING. HERE IS A LINK TO A UC SANTA BARBARA MAP.