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About

Our Mission

Sports Business Scholars is an exclusive program for select undergraduate students, offering targeted professional development opportunities to prepare for careers in the sports industry. All scholars participate in a mentorship program, where they are matched with a W. P. Carey Sports Advisory Board member or other sports industry executive as their mentor. Scholars also have access to the extensive alumni network of former Sports Business Scholars who have successful careers across all facets of the sports industry.

Meetings are held twice a month which include speaker meetings with local executives, site visits, workshops on personal branding and professional networking. Scholars are also paired up with an executive mentor in the sports business industry. For the 2023-2024 school year, we are planning to go to Chicago and L.A. for our outreach trip. 

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2024-2025 Executive Board 

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(L to R): Sydney Kim, Alyssa Muccillo, Nick McKune, Avery Wright, and Izzie Ayer

Sports Business Scholars Advisor

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Elana Kutz

Senior Director of Student Engagement and External Relations for Arizona State Sports Business

Elana is the Director of Student Experience and External Relations for ASU’s Sports Business undergraduate degree program at the W. P. Carey School of Business. In this role, Elana advises all sports business organizations, oversees sports business relations with the sports business community, serves as a faculty adjunct, and directs our Sports Business Advisory Board. As an Advisor for Sports Business Scholars, she develops programming, manages the mentorship program, leads the annual outreach trip, and coaches students in sports career development, networking, and personal branding. Elana has taught MKT 421 Fan Behavior and Sports Marketing, MKT 494 Final Four Experience, and WPC 101 to sports business students. Previously, she was an Assistant Director for ASU’s Graduate Career Management Center, where she served as a career consultant coaching MBA marketing and sports business students.

Prior to her time at ASU, Elana spent over ten years in the sports industry. She led market research projects and development for Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, managed marketing and promotions for Madison Square Garden’s Sports Properties, and managed concept development for ARAMARK’s Sports & Entertainment division. Additionally, she held marketing roles at FOX Sports Arizona and Radio City Entertainment and served on the Marketing Committee of the 2017 Phoenix Final Four. She received her undergraduate degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing from the University of Michigan and earned an MBA in Sports Business from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State. Elana was named the Student Organization Advisor of the Year for Sports Business Scholars in 2019-2020 and for Sports Business Association in 2014-2015 by the W. P. Carey School of Business.

Sports Advisory Board

The ASU Sports Advisory Board is made up of exceptional leaders who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the Greater Phoenix sports business community. Members are committed to mentoring our students, assisting the program with curriculum decisions, and providing programming and career support.

Industry:

Board Chair: Devney Preuss Majerle - President & CEO, Downtown Phoenix, Inc.

Joe Bertoletti - Asst. General Manager, Insignia Event Services & Prof of Practice, ASU

Chantel Carlson - Senior Director, Business Operations, Phoenix Raceway

Amanda Carlson-Phillips - Chief Performance Innovation Officer, EXOS

Brian Davison - Founder & CEO, Sports Business Ventures

Jason Demars - NHL Analyst & Entrepreneur, Former NHL Player

Kenny Farrell - Vice President, Marketing & Analytics, Arizona Diamondbacks

Deanna Garner - Senior Associate Athletic Director, Title IX and Inclusive Excellence, ASU Sun Devil Athletics

Tina Givens - Senior Director, People Operations, Arizona Cardinals

Calder Hynes - SVP, Global Communications, Wasserman

Michael Kadous - Chief Operating Officer, Bad Birdie

Vince Kozar - President, Phoenix Mercury

Stephanie Lovingood - Director, Activation, Global Partnership Solutions, Phoenix Suns

Peter Lubell - Vice President, Partnerships, Barrett-Jackson

Chris Montgomery - Director, Volunteer Engagement, Fiesta Bowl

Anita Petersen - Account Executive, Swire, Coca-Cola

John Pierce - Partner, Player 2 & Professor of Practice, ASU

Daniel Shoup - Head of Finance & Administration, Arizona Golf Association

W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University:

Jack Balon - Assistant Director, Employer Engagement

Frank Jee - Clinical Assistant Professor, Sports Business

Ryan Kota - PhD, MBA - Clinical Assistant Professor, Sports Business

Elana Kutz - Senior Director Student Engagement & External Relations, Sports Business

Katie Malles - Career Counselor, Career Services Center

Daniel McIntosh - Teaching Associate Professor & Faculty Director, Sports Business

Katherine Reifurth – Clinical Assistant Professor, Sports Business

Elizabeth Rosenkrantz - Associate Director of Development, ASU Foundation

Sebastian Solis Felix - Career Counselor, Career Services Center

Student Leaders:

Avery Wright, President of Sports Business Scholars

James Taylor, President of Sports Business Association

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