Qiava Martinez, Senior Vice President & Chief Sales Officer, is entering her 17th season with the Las Vegas Raiders. Qiava is responsible for leading and managing all sales and customer retention efforts for the Raiders through monetizing corporate partnerships, suites, premium and season ticket sales. During the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, Qiava was a fundamental part of the sales strategy for PSL, Suite, and Loge Seat sales. Qiava began her career with the Raiders in 2008 as an Inside Sales Ticket Representative and was later promoted to Director of Group Sales and Fundraising for 3 years. Before being named SVP, Chief Sales Officer, Qiava served as the Vice President of Premium Service & Guest Experience. She was recently selected as a member of the prestigious Sports Business Journal Game Changers Class of 2024, an elite group of women in the industry who are leaders and mentors to other women in sports business. Prior to her career in professional sports, Qiava was the owner and publisher of Culture Magazine, an outlet used by teenaged writers to express their life experiences. She also served as Executive Director for Youth Achieving Destiny, an organization that served underprivileged youth through teaching entrepreneurship training and development. Qiava recently published her first book, “Sports Dream”, encouraging children to follow their passion, regardless of the challenges they may face. Qiava earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix, Bay Area Chapter. She and her husband Jonathan reside in Henderson, NV, with their daughter, Harper.

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Mitch is co-founder of Teamworks, the Operating System for Sports™, powering 7,000+ sports teams and military organizations worldwide. A Duke University alumnus, Mitch helped expand Teamworks from a collegiate-focused platform to a global powerhouse backed by $400 million in total funding—including a $235 million Series F round valuing Teamworks at over $1 billion—and strengthened by strategic acquisitions such as INFLCR, ARMS Software, Smartabase, and Zelus Analytics. After spearheading Teamworks’ international launch in Europe, Mitch returned to the U.S. and now focuses his efforts on coaching Teamworks executives and sportstech founders, advising teams, leagues, and companies across elite sport, and investing in the future of sport, human performance, and human wellbeing. Mitch leads Teamworks’ Advisory Board and serves on the boards of HEADCHECK Health, Monarc, and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh.

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Julie Haddon is a marketing and media powerhouse with a track record of building iconic brands and driving growth across sports, entertainment, and tech. As the first Chief Marketing Officer of the NWSL, she led all commercial functions and helped transform the league into a major sports property—launching breakthrough campaigns, forging partnerships with top global brands, and securing a historic $240M media rights deal. Previously, she was SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing at the NFL, where she led award-winning campaigns for the Super Bowl and NFL Draft and launched NFL Pride. Haddon has also driven marketing innovation at DreamWorks, eBay, Zynga, Twitter, and SoFi, and currently serves on the boards of FuboTV and TOCA Football.

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Sameer Ahuja is the President of New York-based GameChanger, a DICK’S Sporting Goods youth sports technology company. He also serves as senior vice president for DICK’S Sporting Goods and is an advisor to Marquee Ventures, an early-stage fund that spun out of the Chicago Cubs. Sameer’s professional narrative is focused on “preparing today’s youth to lead tomorrow.” He brings 20 years of experience as a Founder, CEO, or COO of high-growth technology businesses from startup to late-stage in multiple industries. Sameer co-founded an interactive sports attraction, founded a quant hedge fund, and built a fintech company. Sameer has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Columbia University. He lives in Scarsdale, New York with his wife and two daughters.

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Gene is the Senior Vice President of Event Marketing & Ticketing at TKO, overseeing large-scale ticketing, sales, and event operations. With over 15 years in the sports industry, Gene specializes in event management, developing strategic processes, anticipating event-day scenarios, and ensuring seamless, high-quality fan experiences. Known for his collaborative approach, he excels at forging partnerships, optimizing internal workflows, and creating innovative strategies that drive growth and revenue. His forward-thinking mindset consistently elevates customer service and operational excellence standards across events.

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Kris is a prominent figure in the golf industry, widely recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to growing the game, particularly among young adults and underserved demographics. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Growth and Ventures at the PGA of America. Hart’s passion for golf stems from his own experience as a varsity golfer at Bryant University. After realizing a gap in competitive opportunities for non-varsity collegiate golfers, he co-founded Nextgengolf in 2010. Nextgengolf aimed to make golf more accessible and affordable for college-aged players through initiatives like CollegeGolfPass, and expanded to include the Nextgengolf City Tour and the National High School Golf Association. His innovative approach and commitment to expanding golf’s reach led to the PGA of America acquiring Nextgengolf. Following this acquisition, Hart transitioned into his current role, where he plays a crucial part in the PGA’s efforts to drive innovation and strategic investments in the golf industry. He is involved in initiatives like EP Golf Ventures, a partnership focused on investing in new golf technologies and experiences.

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City of Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley was elected in November 2024. Prior to taking office as mayor, she served as senior vice president of the Touro University system and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013. Among her proudest accomplishments during her time in Congress was building the new Veterans Administration medical complex in Southern Nevada. Mayor Berkley began her career in public service in 1983 as an assemblywoman in the Nevada State Legislature. She worked to strengthen consumer protection laws, cracked down on drunk driving, created the Senior Law Project, and wrote the Lemon Law, which protects new car owners from defective vehicles. Mayor Berkley was appointed and twice elected to the Nevada State Board of Regents, serving from 1990 to 1998. Prior to serving in Congress, Mayor Berkley was a practicing attorney. She worked for the Nevada State Commerce Department, was in-house counsel for Southwest Gas Corporation and was the vice president of government and legal affairs for the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Mayor Berkley is married to Dr. Larry Lehrner and is the proud mother of two sons, two stepchildren and five grandchildren. Raised in Las Vegas, Mayor Berkley attended John C. Fremont Junior High School and Valley High School. She was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from UNLV in 1973 where she was student body president.

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Peter is the CEO of TeamSnap and a seasoned technology executive with 20+ years of experience driving growth and innovation in vertical software and platform technology companies. Before TeamSnap, he was an Executive Partner at Waud Capital Partners, focusing on vertical software investments. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President at Intralinks, a $300M+ global FinTech provider, where he led Marketing, Strategy & Innovation, and managed its $70M+ Banking & Securities global business. He played a key role in three sale transactions over 24 months, culminating in a $1.5B sale to SS&C [Nasdaq: SSNC].nnPeter sits on the Executive Committee and Board of the PLAYS Coalition, advocating for youth sport programs in under-resourced communities. He is a mentor in the TechStars SportsTech Incubator and an advisor to multiple high-growth startups. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern, a BS from Syracuse University, and an Executive Certificate from MIT Sloan. Peter lives in southern Connecticut with his wife and three young sons.

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With nearly 25 years of leadership experience in international cricket, Grave is responsible for overseeing all aspects of MLC’s operations, including league expansion, team development, and strategic partnerships, aiming to strengthen MLC’s position as the premier professional cricket league in the United States. Prior to joining MLC, Grave served as the CEO of Cricket West Indies (CWI) for seven years, where he was instrumental in enhancing governance, fostering a high-performance culture, and maximizing commercial and cricketing opportunities. He also held the position of CEO for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which was co-hosted with the U.S. Before his tenure at CWI, Grave spent a decade as the Commercial Director at the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) in England and began his career at Surrey County Cricket Club at the Oval in London.

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Kari is the Head of Strategy and Chief of Staff at Angel City Football Club; the highest valued women’s football team in the world. She is responsible for development and implementation of ACFC’s corporate and data strategy, investments and growth initiatives, as well as oversees the team’s ownership group and cap table. Prior to Angel City, Kari was an early employee at Crooked Media, home of Pod Save America, following her time at SpaceX for which she moved to Los Angeles. She started her career at Goldman Sachs and is a graduate of Northwestern University.

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Asia is a trailblazer redefining how fans connect and how venues come alive through cutting-edge intelligence and immersive technology. An ex-athlete and former professional cricket player, and a champion for women in tech and sports, passionate to deliver game-changing solutions for the world’s leading sports organizations. Realizes bold ideas and a vision that pushes the boundaries of the sports experience!

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Greg Nelson has been instrumental in Hudl’s growth into a global market leader. Over his 15-year tenure with the company, he helped Hudl expand from serving 250 athletic programs to more than 230,000 teams worldwide.nAs Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hudl’s Competitive Business Unit, Greg leads the company’s Competitive Business Unit. His strategic vision has driven innovation and market expansion, including into amateur club sports and the new Hudl Fan business line, which engages communities and supporters through ticketing, livestreaming and automated highlights.nGreg joined Hudl in 2010 as a QA in the support department. In 2014, he moved to the product team full-time as the second product manager, overseeing Hudl’s transformation from a high school football video software to the world’s leading provider of cloud-based technology for the sports industry. He helped to launch key products like Hudl’s playbook, AI-powered reports for opponent predictions, Hudl Recruit and Hudl Assist for football, which now provides data for every high school and college game in the U.S.nGreg remains a driving force in Hudl’s senior leadership, continuously pushing for innovation in sports technology.

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Cassidy is the Vice President of Volleyball for Athletes Unlimited. She was a founding member of Athletes Unlimited’s professional volleyball league, competed in the first two seasons, and served as Chairperson of the Player Executive Committee. Lichtman is a former member of the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team and was an All-American and Academic All-American at Stanford. She is also the founder of P/ATH, an organization that harnesses the power of professional athletes to teach the next generation skills around empathy, equity, and empowerment. Lichtman previously worked at shift7 with former Chief Technology Officer of the United States, Megan Smith, on projects focusing on inclusion and economic inequality. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for USA Volleyball and was named one of AdWeek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports in 2022.

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Daniel is the Co-Founder and CEO of WSC Sports. WSC Sports is the pioneer in AI-powered sports content technology and one of the most successful sports technology companies in the market today with over 500 clients worldwide including NBA, NHL, ESPN, Bundesliga, LALIGA, TelevisaUnivision, YouTubeTV, and many more.nnDaniel, along with Aviv Arnon, Shmulik Yoffe and Hy Gal launched WSC Sports in 2011. The technology uses machine learning to analyze live games, identify events, and rapidly create custom videos, helping rights owners maximize content value and personalize fan engagement worldwide.nnIn 2023, WSC Sports was named to Sports Business Journal’s 10 Most Innovative Sports Tech Companies and Inc.’s Power Partners, which recognizes the world’s leading B2B organizations that empower others to grow.

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Sebastian is the President of the Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft, a non-profit organization that helps the sports industry leverage the latest technologies to become a digital and sustainable businesses. The GSIC is the largest international sports tech ecosystem with a network of 26.000+ industry execs, 1500 startups and 450+ premium members in 65+ countries, and has supported 250+ sports entities in their digital transformation, reimagining fan experiences, smart stadiums and sports performance. He is a mentor and biz angel of startups and scale-ups. Sebastian currently leads global partnerships between Microsoft and Fortune 500 organizations to reimagine their businesses.nnWith 27 years at Microsoft, Sebastian has held numerous leadership and board roles across Latin America, Europe, and Worldwide. Industrial Engineer and MBA in Buenos Aires, he has specialized in “digital marketing”, “the business of sports, media and entertainment”, and “product innovation” at Harvard Business School, as well as “business sustainability management” at the University of Cambridge. He participates in advisory boards and is a guest speaker at universities and industry conferences.n

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Andrew is the CEO of Profluence Capital. He is also the founder of Profluence, a premium community for builders in sports which has garnered over 150,000 social media followers and 200 million impressions. Profluence’s agency arm has had the opportunity to build over a dozen sports media brands. He is also a founding member of the private syndicate group, DraftDay, where they source equity opportunities for professional athletes. Andrew graduated from Boston University with a B.S.B.A. concentrating in finance. He was also a captain of the Terriers D1 basketball team and a Patriot League Champion.

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Wayne is the Managing Partner of SeventySix Capital, a leading sports-tech venture capital firm he founded in 1999. A pioneering investor in sports technology, sports betting, esports, and retail, Wayne has backed startups acquired by Fortune 500 giants including Intel, IBM, Walgreens, and Yahoo!. Alongside notable partners like MLB legend Ryan Howard, Wayne bridges the worlds of sports, entrepreneurship, and investment, empowering athletes to become influential tech investors and entrepreneurs to leverage athletes' networks. He has spearheaded strategic investments in sports betting and analytics firms such as ShotTracker, Swish Analytics, and VSiN. A graduate of the University of Maryland and Delaware Law School, Wayne is driven by a mission to innovate and positively impact society through technology and sports.

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Gregory is the Managing Partner & CEO of Drake Star, a leading tech-focused investment bank, where he oversees the firm’s global operations and leads its international M&A and private equity efforts. A seasoned investment banker, Gregory has advised on complex cross-border transactions across the U.S., Europe, and emerging markets. He’s been recognized with the 2021 Global M&A Leadership Award, the 2016 M&A Advisor Leadership Award, and is a Hall of Fame inductee at The M&A Advisor for his impact on international dealmaking. Beyond Drake Star, Gregory serves as an Advisor at the Harvard Innovation Labs, Non-Executive Chairman of the Investment Committee at Da Vinci Capital, a Non-Executive Board Member of a prominent emerging markets hedge fund, and a Senior Advisor to MEP Capital. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and contributes regularly to Bloomberg, Forbes, Reuters, and other leading financial media. Prior to Drake Star, Gregory co-founded Renaissance Capital and The Sputnik Funds, and began his career at Credit Suisse First Boston and Salomon Brothers. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Iris is the Managing Director at GSIC powered by Microsoft, driving innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship across the global sports-tech ecosystem. Since 2015, she has cultivated a network of nearly 200 companies and institutions, fostering collaborations that shape the future of sports. Iris was recognized among Spain’s Top 100 Women Leaders and named one of the country's most influential women in sports by Metadeporte magazine. She also received the Outstanding Woman of Excellence award from the Women's Economic Forum. Iris actively champions female leadership and diversity in sports.

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Rohn is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience as a founder and mentor to multiple startups, after starting his career as a management consultant at KPMG. He currently operates in two roles: as Founder & Managing Director of Berlin-based SportsTechX, the leading market intelligence company for sports innovation & investment; and as Investment Director at Match Ventures, a prominent European SportsTech VC. A regular speaker at industry conferences, Rohn also serves as a mentor and judge at startup accelerators and competitions, and guest lecturer at various Sports MBA programs.

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Matt is Analyst & VP of Baseball Operations at Pro Athlete Community. He enjoyed a successful 14-year MLB career, highlighted by a 2011 All-Star selection and career totals of 149 HR, 898 hits, and 503 RBIs. Determined to succeed beyond his MLB career, Matt began investing early in real estate, building a significant single-family property portfolio and converting a school into a 16-unit building. He's a general partner (passive investor) in the Sight Real Estate development fund and owns five F45 fitness studios across Tampa Bay specializing in HIIT, strength, and cardio workouts. Matt has ventured into broadcasting with Bally’s and Apple TV, supports Guardian Baseball (an online baseball equipment retailer), and remains actively involved with the Empire League, an independent baseball league based in upstate New York.

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Jason is the Founder and CEO of SportsVisio. He has grown and sold multiple multi-million dollar companies. After earning a BS in Computer Engineering and an MS in Electrical Engineering, Jason became a project manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He then went on to found, and later sell, Siege Technologies. Prior to starting SportsVisio, he was General Partner at 10x Ventures. He’s an avid basketball player, enjoying the men’s leagues around his home in New Hampshire.

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Andy is the founder of the influential platform, Sports Pundit, where he delivers weekly industry analysis to elite sports and technology executives via a newsletter, podcast, and active group chat and social events. Andy is also a Value Creation Partner at The Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-backed venture firm, advising high-profile sports IP on their corporate venture strategies. His career spans roles at CSM Sport & Entertainment (Wasserman) and Zone7, an AI-powered injury analytics platform, providing unique insight into cutting-edge sportstech. His expertise in storytelling and trend-spotting also guides companies, making him a vital voice for sports innovation executives.

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Leanne is a Future of Sports Architect, blending creativity, technology, fandom, and purpose to shape the industry’s evolution. As Head of Digital & Innovation at Sport Waikato, she drives transformative initiatives while advising GENSport on the commercial development of global women’s sport, unlocking growth and equity for investors. With two decades of experience at the intersection of sport, fandom, digital transformation, and commercial strategy, Leanne is a trailblazer in fan engagement and innovation. She previously led Innovation at New Zealand Rugby, pioneering emerging technologies to deepen connections with the iconic teams in black. Her global impact includes serving as ANZ Regional Partner for FC Barcelona, delivering the club’s developmental philosophy to young athletes across Australia and New Zealand. Leanne is the author of OuterSport, a commentary on the future of sport. She holds governance roles, including on the Table Tennis NZ board, and was previously president of The RugbyDAO, advancing decentralised sports fandom.

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Cort is Principal of Courtside Ventures, bringing a background in finance and early-stage startups. While he spends time across all three of Courtside's verticals, Cort has a special focus on the fund's wellness category.

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Anna is the Program Manager of the AI Skilling Initiative at Founderz, a Microsoft-selected partner dedicated to empowering sports industry professionals and entrepreneurs through practical AI education. She teaches Microsoft's specialized "AI in Sports" certification, enabling sports professionals to leverage cutting-edge AI technologies. Anna excels at simplifying complex AI concepts, helping founders integrate effective and ethical AI strategies into their businesses—driving innovation and competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving sports-tech landscape.

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Chad is a Managing Partner at SeventySix Capital, where he oversees operations and investments at the sports-focused venture capital firm. He actively holds board positions, working closely with portfolio companies and their founding teams. Chad began his career with organizations including the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, Comcast-Spectacor, and the Walt Disney Corporation, later moving to a startup in the sports industry before joining SeventySix Capital. He holds a Bachelor of Business degree from James Madison University and a Master’s of Science in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University. Chad currently resides in the Philadelphia suburbs with his wife and two children.

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Scott is a co-founder of Profluence, a venture fund built around media and community, connecting and empowering sports industry innovators. With deep roots in sports, Scott helped launch the University of South Alabama’s football program in 2009, where he played for five years. He then transitioned into the sports-tech space with startup CaptainU, which was later acquired by Stack Sports, a venture backed by Jerry Jones. Known as a natural connector and versatile entrepreneur, Scott excels at bringing talented people together to create meaningful opportunities and growth across the sports ecosystem.

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Taylor is the Vice President of Promoter Relations in the Americas for F1 Experiences at QuintEvents, where he manages promoter relationships and oversees business development for F1 Experiences events. Previously, he served as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, playing a pivotal role in developing the core team and sales strategy for the 2023 F1 event. Before his work in motorsports, Taylor spent over nine years with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, notably as Director of Strategy and Business Development, where he led revenue initiatives and provided data-driven analysis during the team's relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Business from the University of Redlands and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

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