Special Topic Lunches

The business of sports is expanding rapidly and careers in sports extend far beyond the field. Executives working across leagues, franchises, media platforms, and sponsorship ecosystems share their perspectives on opportunities in sports, how experienced professionals from other industries can transition into sports, and how to build a successful business career in the sports world.

You’ll leave with:

  • Insight into business-side roles across the sports ecosystem

  • Strategies for translating your experience into sports careers

  • Practical steps for building relationships in a highly network-driven industry

Topic 1

Building a Career in Sports

Francisco Estrada
Director, Talent Acquisition, BetMGM; MLT Alum

Jachele Vélez
WNBA Deputy General Counsel, WNBA

Cristina Vanderbeck
VP, Americas, Next League


MLT’s community contains thousands of women spanning sectors, geographies, career, and life stages. This lunch will offer an opportunity to connect with other women in the MLT community and to have a candid conversation with executives and peers. 

Several senior executives will share lessons from their journeys, advice for women in the MLT community, and things they wish someone would have told them along the way. They’ll discuss how they navigated the corporate world, why they chose the path they took, and what they’re doing now with their power and success. They’ll talk openly about the successes, challenges, rewards, and tradeoffs associated with their leadership journeys.

Topic 2

Women in Leadership

Valerie Dixon
Senior Partner, Flagship Pioneering

Shirley Golen
Global Head of Business Development, Amazon

Jolawn Victor
CEO, Telematics at Radius; MLT Alum


Topic 3

Pathways to Building Wealth via Ownership

Most generational wealth is built via ownership, not employment. This session explores several practical pathways for generating wealth via ownership, including real estate, angel investing, acquiring businesses, and developing other income-generating assets.

Leaders who have built an ownership portfolio share how they evaluated risk, structured their first moves, and expanded their long-term upside.

You’ll leave with:

  • A clearer understanding of different ownership pathways

  • Insight into how others have built their ownership portfolios

  • Practical next steps for building equity, income diversification, and autonomy

Mitch Harris
CEO & Owner, Vertex Communication Group