LET’S GET TO KNOW THE Atlanta 2021 TEAM!

At Living Sport, one of our main goals is to connect people to help grow their professional network. We have all heard that networking is a necessity in the sport industry and it is definitely true. The staff at Living Sport has all had help from their network along their journey through sport. Our Living Sport Atlanta Team will get to know each other very well on our adventure and it is our hope that each relationship lasts a lifetime! Let’s meet a few of our teammates.

CHRISTIAN MCPHETRIDGE

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? What made me want to get into the sports industry was wanting to be a part of something bigger than myself. Growing up I played sports my whole life and the team atmosphere was the best feeling in the world. As a team goal setting and working to accomplish that goal is what motivated me to be a part of the sports industry.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sport is basketball. My favorite sports teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Las Vegas Raiders and the San Diego Legion.

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? The job I would like to have in the next 5 years is a sports facility management job or a sports sales job.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job would be a Sports Facility Manager for a professional sports team. My next job is going to be working for a professional sports team in either sports business operations, sales or a facility job.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? The unique trait that I bring to the team is my desire to succeed. My desire to succeed is what motivates me to work hard, stay focused, and believe in myself.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? My biggest sport business accomplishment so far is actually joining the Sport and Recreational Management club at the University of Iowa. The club has taught me and introduced me to very successful individuals in the sports field that have shared their stories and gave me important information that I could use in this field.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? What I plan to gain through this process is insight on how a facility is run. I want to know the behind the scenes stuff that you can’t see reading a textbook or powerpoint. I want to have hands-on experience in a professional sports environment.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? My favorite city that I have visited is Scottsdale, Arizona. I say this because I’m from the West Coast and I love the warmer climate. I also love the rivers and lakes nearby.

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? A fun fact about me is that I play rugby for the University of Iowa, and I have experienced a Professional Rugby combine.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I am a senior at the University of Iowa living in Iowa City and studying Sports and Recreational Management with a focus in Business.

CALI BUNN

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? My parents took me to my first Major League Baseball game when I was only a few months old, so I have loved sports since I was a little girl. After competing in beach volleyball collegiately for two years, I knew that I wanted to continue being a part of the sports industry.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sport to watch is baseball and my favorite team is the San Diego Padres. I also love watching men’s beach volleyball. My favorite team to watch right now is Anders Mol/Christian Sørum and they play for Norway.

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? I would love to be involved in the baseball world in any way possible!

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job is to be working in the Media/Marketing department for the San Diego Padres.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? My ability to read people based on their facial expressions and body language due to having hearing loss and knowing American Sign Language.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? Helping the Tulane Baseball Instagram page gain over 1,000 followers in my first year working for the program.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? I hope to learn more about different departments in the sports industry.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? My favorite city that I have ever been to is Amsterdam.

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I can read a 400-page book in under an hour.

10. What college did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I attend Tulane University and my major is Communications. I am doing this last semester remotely, so I am currently at home in San Diego, California.

JOEY OLSEN

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? I have been in love with the sports world ever since I was little. As my love for sports grew as I got older, I knew this was the career path I was made for. The competition, strategy, and teamwork are the three biggest reasons I want to be in this industry.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sport is football and basketball. Favorite teams are the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Nuggets.

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? My goal is to work in the football operations department of a college or professional team.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job would be a front office position within an NFL franchise.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? I bring a background in Event / Entertainment Management.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? Being able to work for the Orange County Breakers professional tennis team. I worked a season as their Venue Operations Coordinator.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? I hope to gain a strong network of people within the industry. Also, learn more about other sports industries that I am not as familiar with.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? Barcelona, Spain

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I love being with friends and family. In the winter months, I love snowboarding and, in the summertime, boating and fishing are great to do here in Montana.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I attended the University of Montana. I majored in Business Management, also received my Entertainment Management Certificate. I currently live in Kalispell, Montana.

GILLEN FAENZA

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? My first introduction to sports was swimming. I started at the age of three and continued to work my way up through all the levels, joined a junior team and then a USA team in addition to swimming for my high school. Swimming taught me a lot about discipline, concentration, hard work, time commitments and what it means to be part of a team. I had also played tennis and golf, I like to bike and hike and I’ve enjoyed learning to ski and surf. While all of this was going on, from a young age, my Dad introduced me to baseball. By the age of 6 I knew all the names to everyone on the Red Sox roster, knew everything about the game, the players and the stadium. I became the manager of our basketball team in high school, I started to attend hockey games as my friend played in high school and began to watch football with my Dad during covid. Watching all these sports truly taught me about the game itself. It wasn’t until about a year ago when I realized that my passion for public speaking, writing and communication could be applied within the sport industry. It was a culmination of years learning how to play sports, follow and root for teams and attend events. What I love so much about sports, is that it’s much like a universal language. Something that people from all backgrounds and walks of life can relate to. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity ahead of me!

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sport to participate in would be swimming. Favorite sports to follow and watch are football, baseball and basketball. I am a Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and Las Vegas Raiders fan. For NCAA basketball, I of course love the Loyola Ramblers!

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? In 5 years, I hope to settle in a public relations job with a team in Florida. I would like to stay with the same team for some time so I have the chance to build a rapport and relationship with professionals in my field. I would love to have the opportunity to write press releases or articles and do some public speaking! I hope for nothing but success in the future.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job would be working in public relations for a professional or college team. I have a lot of experience with public speaking and writing. They are two things I really enjoy and have grown into passions of mine that I hope to pursue long term. I would love to move to Florida and work for one of the teams in Orlando, Miami or Tampa as I have many family members moving there!

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? I am a risk taker. I love to put myself out there, especially in professional situations. I look forward to bringing these skills to the team while meeting others on the trip, mentors and other professionals we will be meeting.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? My biggest accomplishment so far is being able to work with the Loyola Athletics department. It was about a year ago that I really decided to what I wanted to pursue. So in the fall, after realizing I would not be coming back to Chicago, I decided to be proactive and reach out to all the members of the athletics department. I wanted to become in intern in the athletics department, so I made calls and emails for a while and finally got a response back! I interviewed and started working under the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications this past fall. I am really thankful for this opportunity the department has given me and proud of myself for being proactive in a crazy time!

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? Connections! As a young business professional who is still in college, I have very few connections. It was only about a year ago where I really came to the realization of what I wanted to study and ultimately pursue in my life. So, gaining connections really opens up a whole new world of opportunities for me post-college. Participating in this program itself, allows me to see multiple roles within the sports industry, with various teams and organizations. I look forward to getting this exposure in all areas and meeting new professionals!

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? This is really difficult because I have been lucky enough to travel to 3 continents along with many countries and states in the US. England has to be my favorite country. I have family there who I visit frequently. I really enjoy both the city of London and the coast of England, specifically St. Ives and Newquay. My second favorite location would have to be California. Up until a few years ago, I had family living in there as well. I love the Northern and Southern part of the state, with its beautiful beaches, mountains and cities!

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? My hidden talent is that I have played flute for 10 years! I am classically trained but started playing in jazz bands when I entered middle school and then high school. The flute is an orchestral instrument, so it isn’t often you see them in jazz bands. I was fortunate to go to a school where they accept two flutes into jazz band every year. We played gigs, concerts and put on a show every year call “Pops n’ Jazz”. I’ve had the opportunity to play in Boston, New York City and even abroad in Spain and Germany. I still play in an ensemble at Loyola Chicago!

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I attend Loyola University Chicago and I will be a junior in the fall. I am currently living in West Hartford, Connecticut; however in the fall, I will be back in Chicago. My major is Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Sport Management!

JESSICA WEINBERG

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? I have always participated in athletics and working in sports allowed me to continue that connection.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? Football and Baseball. Green Bay Packers and NY Yankees

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? Sponsorship Activations within the NFL

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? Anywhere within the NFL on the marketing, sponsorship, social media

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? My ability to talk to people no matter who they are or where we are at

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? Having a leadership position with the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? Connections that will last forever,

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? Australia

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I was a background extra on Law-and-Order SVU.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I am a senior at Indiana University- studying Sport Marketing and Management. I am originally from Long Island, NY but live in Bloomington, IN while at school.

eddie mcQuade

2X PROGRAM PARTICIPANT

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? I fell in live with sports at a young age and just knew it was my passion. Life without sports isn't an enjoyable life for me and I learned that the hard way when they got shutdown.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? Football. The New York Knicks, Mets, Rangers, Giants and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are my teams

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? Being a high school athletic director somewhere.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? Being a sports agent is my dream job. My next job is now being back at Madison Square Garden because fans have just been allowed back in the building.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? I just completed the Tampa Bay program and am the only participant with any Living Sport experience going on this trip.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? Working the Super Bowl last month in Tampa Bay during the middle of the pandemic.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? Keep building lifelong connections and networks as well as being someone the next wave of Living Sport participants can turn to if they ever need anything.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? Tampa Bay last month - That was truly a life changing experience and something I'll forever be thankful for

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I'm a volunteer firefighter in my hometown of Long Beach, NY. Engine 42 in Station 2 since 2014.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I currently live in Island Park, NY. I am graduating from Long Island University this May with my degree in Sports Management.

austin jones

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? From playing sports to covering sports, I have developed a passion to work in the sports industry because I take my competitive edge and still affect a sport.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sports are football and basketball. My favorite teams are the 76ers, Eagles and Steelers.

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? I would like to work in communications because I will be able to be involved with the entire organization.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job is to be a General Manager of an NFL/NBA team, but my next job is a communications position with an NFL or NBA team.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? The unique trait I bring to a team is being able to think quickly and adapt easily. I allow others to lead, but always having a “backup” plan is a strong trait of mine.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? My biggest sport business accomplishment is landing an internship with 97.5 the Fanatic. I landed the internship myself and was able to sell myself, so I could land the position.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? I hope to gain new friends and people I can call family. People I can reach out to for advice but also that can do the same for me. My main focus is to make connections that last a lifetime and hope to cross paths with people in the program in the future.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? My favorite city I have visited is actually Atlanta. I went there on a college trip and the city was a blast to tour and the food was phenomenal.

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? A hobby of mine is to write blogs about the NFL off season. Outside of sports, I like to attend antique truck shows with my father.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I graduated from Rowan University in 2020 with my degree in Sports Communication. I currently live in Glassboro, New Jersey.

anna haun

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? My family was always really into sports and going to sporting events has always been my favorite thing. So, I decided I wanted to make a career out of it.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? Football; Dallas Cowboys

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? I would like to be an event operations manager at a power 5 school.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job is to be the Director of Baseball Championships for the NCAA.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? I think I bring open-mindedness to the team.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? My biggest accomplishment so far was serving as volunteer coordinator for the Ole Miss Great 38 Race. We raised $5000 for the Chucky Mullins Endowment Fund for disabled students.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? I hope to gain insight from the mentors and my peers and hands-on experience in a new environment.

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? Montreaux, Switzerland

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I crochet. I’m making a quilt right now that is taking up all my free time.

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I attended The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) for my undergrad and graduated with a BA in Sport and Recreation Administration with a minor in Economics in May 2020. I am currently attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA for my MA in Sport and Athletic Administration.

ross euteneuer

1. What made you want to get into the sports industry? I have been fortunate enough to know early on in my life what I wanted my career to look like for myself both short term and long-term post college. Not only have I loved playing sports throughout my youth, but attending events as fan, I was always fascinated by the behind-the-scenes operations that makes an event successful. I have been blessed to meet some executives throughout the sport industry, even before I started my career, and after taking tours of arenas, and understanding the various paths to landing a job in the industry, I was immediately sold on this potential landing spot one day. I enjoyed the consumer and general fan aspect of being involved in the sport industry, but if I wanted to give back that same joy and passion that I had for working in this industry to others, both personally and professionally, I was going to find the right organizational fit to give back accordingly.

2. What is your favorite sport? Favorite sports teams? My favorite sport to play is basketball. My favorite sport to watch is college football. A few of my favorite sports teams are the Philadelphia Flyers and Sixers, Atlanta Hawks and Falcons, and my Alma Mater - the Georgia Southern Eagles.

3. What job would you like to have in 5 years? My job hopefully within the next 5 years that I would like to have would be a Manager of Corporate Partnerships for a Professional/Collegiate Sports Team/Organization.

4. What is your dream job? What’s your next job? My dream job would be Director of Brand Engagement/Enhancement for a Professional/Collegiate Sports Team.

5. What is a unique trait that you bring to our team? A unique trait/traits that I bring to the team is a wide variety of industry knowledge and firsthand working experiences both in the sport industry and also traveling abroad. I have been able to experience and understand from a cultural and business perspective the impact that events and sports can have on people and a society as well. I can share this knowledge and my personal experiences and create a positive impact and contribution for my colleagues and organization.

6. What is your biggest sport business accomplishment so far? My biggest sports business accomplishment has been successfully managing and operating a corporate activation for a professional sports team.

7. What do you hope to gain through the International Sport Business Program? I hope to create lifelong connections through the sport business program, but even further to grow as a professional from gaining real world practical experience. I also want to continue to be a lifelong learner in this industry and this program will lay the foundation for me to create a new set of business and leadership skills by attending and participating in all activities that this program has to offer!

8. Favorite city or country you have visited? My favorite city is Montepulciano, Italy. My favorite country to visit as a whole is Italy.

9. What’s a hobby, a fun fact about you, or hidden talent you may have? I wish I had hidden talents! But I would say a fun hobby that I enjoy doing every summer is wake-boarding at my lake house!

10. What college do/did you attend? What was your Major? What city do you reside in currently? I attended Georgia Southern University for my Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. I have a Master’s Degree in Sport Industry Management from Georgetown University. Currently, I am finishing my MBA online from Villanova University. I currently reside in Atlanta, GA.