"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."
-MICHAEL JORDAN, NBA HALL OF FAME BASKETBALL PLAYER
ALICIA MARINELLI - FOUNDER/PRESIDENT
Alicia Marinelli is a sport business professional that has worked in multiple marketing & sales capacities in the sport & entertainment industry including positions with Madison Square Garden, New York Knicks, Olympic/Professional Cycling organizations, and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Triple-A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Early in her career she realized the passion she had for helping young professionals succeed in the sport industry, a business that is difficult to break into.
Resulting in following that passion to help others, Marinelli created and revamped internship programs at five different sport organizations. The goal was to enable young professionals to receive meaningful and educational sport business experiences that would serve as a springboard for future opportunity.
In 2011, Marinelli's sport industry success was featured as part of East Stroudburg University's nation-wide marketing campaign. In 2012, Marinelli innovatively created one of the first high school sports internship programs while she was working at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. This program gave high school students studying sport management the chance to experiment working at the ballpark prior to attending college. In the same year, Marinelli created the first annual iRUNpigs 5K at Coca-Cola Park. To-date the event has raised over $60,000 for IronPigs Charities, the team's nonprofit organization that provides educational and recreational opportunities for Lehigh Valley youth. In 2014, she was elected as President of Kutztown University's Sport Management Advisory Board, advising faculty and staff on the current trends in the industry and helping students secure employment in the field. In 2017, she joined the Pennsylvania Sport Business Conference serving as a Judge for the Annual Case Competition, a showdown between groups of students from area colleges studying sport management. In that same year, Marinelli joined the Alumni Advisory Board at her alma matter, East Stroudsburg University.
Marinelli has now taken it one step further by creating and introducing Living Sport's International Sport Business Program. Her mission is to do even more for people, by using sport as a catalyst to experience the world and to inspire personal and professional growth.
Currently, a number of Marinelli's former interns and mentees continue to work in sports and have found success in professional, collegiate, recreational, and nonprofit sport organizations. Through Living Sport she plans for those numbers to significantly rise.
Marinelli received her Master's Degree in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University where she graduated with honors. She was a dual major at Misericordia University obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in both Marketing and Sport Management. She was one of the first female Sport Management graduates at Misericordia.
JONATHON KLEINER - MARKETING & CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR
Jon Kleiner joined Living Sport as a member of the inaugural Barcelona 2017 team where he worked as an Event Operations Assistant for the Red Hook Criterium. Following his trip, Kleiner was hired by Pocono Raceway as a Ticket Office and Fan Experience Associate, and then went on to work for the Philadelphia Eagles as their Ticket and Fan Services intern. Inspired by the cycling event in Barcelona, Kleiner serves as Event Day Logistic Coordinator for the Reading Radsport Festival.
Not only has Kleiner gained a wealth of experience across the industry as a young professional, he has also been serving as a Fire Support Specialist in the Army National Guard since 2014. Kleiner’s work ethic is second to none. He brings energy, enthusiasm and drive to everything he takes on, and continuously connects himself to people and experiences that develop him both personally and professionally. He is eager to help others see the world through sport and spread the mission through his new role on the Living Sport team.
Kleiner currently resides in Philadelphia, PA. He will soon be a graduate of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania with a degree in Leisure Sport Studies and a minor in Digital Communications & New Media.
Living Sport Advisory Board:
Board Chair:
Shane Baglini - Associate Director, Marketing @ Northampton Community College
Vice Chair:
Chasity Brown - Lecturer, Health Science Department @ Lincoln University
Board Members:
Murvin English - Product Merchandising Manager @ Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co.
Alexa Fuentes - General Manager @ Legends Global Sales
Lindsey Knupp - Vice President, Marketing & Entertainment @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Arka Majumdar - Sales & Management @ Nacsport
Sarah Marten - Director of Community & Charitable Programs @ Chicago White Sox
Ben Muell - Sports Marketing Consultant
Kristin Scheitrum - Senior Market Manager @ Cycle for Survival
Timothy Seidler - Director of Business Operations @ Bethlehem Steel FC
Tyler Simms - Head Men's Basketball Coach @ Clark University
Patrick Walker - Sales Coordinator @ PGA of America
Ashley Yencho - Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing @ University of Richmond
Matt Zidik - Art Director @ Ross Video