Major:
Journalism
Year Graduated:
1996
Hometown:
Brockport, New York
Current City:
Indianapolis, Indiana
Current Employer:
Associate Director of Championships and Alliances, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Top played song on your playlist?:
Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars (mainly because my 5-year-old loves it)
Where has your CI degree taken you?:
My career started in Lexington, first with an internship at UK in the Athletic Department and then to Transylvania, where I worked in Athletic Administration. Ultimately, I was fortunate to use my UK connections to be considered for a job at the NCAA, where I’ve been for more than 16 years. My job at the NCAA has provided me a wide variety of experiences – I work on our competition rules day-to-day in football, men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse and ice hockey. I also work on several of our championship events, which is extremely rewarding; helping create lifetime memories for our student-athletes and being a small part of their glory never gets old. Probably my most memorable experience (so far) was being asked to share our experience regulating baseball bats with the equivalent of the NCAA in Japan – seeing the brand of baseball there and then answering questions during a press conference (with a translator, thankfully) is an experience I’ll never forget.
What is your favorite thing about your job?:
I’d say the variety and complexity of the work. That, and the opportunity to collaborate and network with so many dedicated professionals nationally.
What¹s the most valuable thing you learned in CI?:
The ability to communicate in many different ways has been critical to my success. It is remarkable how many intelligent and talented people there are that have difficulty writing or clearly communicating their thoughts. That skill has separated me numerous times in my career.
What advice would you give to current CI students?:
Most certainly to get involved and try new and different things while you’re at UK. Study abroad if you can. Get involved in the student media opportunities through the college and don’t limit yourself! All of these experiences will impact your life. And, from a career standpoint, networking is a critical skill, but for your current job and future opportunities. Oh, and try to enjoy it – these are some of the best days of your life.