Big Ten

Conference Information

About

Vice President, Replay

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      <p><strong>Vice President, Replay</strong></p></div>

Mike Ortiz

Coordinator, Community & Impact

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      <p><strong>Coordinator, Community & Impact</strong></p></div>

Kennedi Orr

Senior Accountant

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      <h3>Senior Accountant</h3></div>

Andrew Gregory

Coordinator, Communications

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      <h3>Coordinator, Communications</h3></div>

Adam McCaffery

Coordinator, Facilities

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      <h3>Coordinator, Facilities</h3></div>

Henry Light

Front Desk Security Manager

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      <h3><strong>Front Desk Security Manager</strong></h3></div>

Jasmin Imamovic

Senior Director, Digital & Social Media

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      <h3>Senior Director, Digital & Social Media</h3></div>

Tim Shanahan

Assistant General Counsel

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      <h3><strong>Assistant General Council</strong></h3></div>

Phil Zeeck

Coordinator, Television Administration & Special Projects

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      <h3><strong>Coordinator, Television Administration & Special Projects</strong></h3></div>

Brant Steinberg

Assistant Director, Ticketing Operations

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      <h3><strong>Assistant Director, Ticket Operations</strong></h3></div>

Callie Dill

Coordinator, People & Culture

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      <h3><strong>Coordinator, People & Culture</strong></h3></div>

Ella Demaray

Assistant Director, Compliance

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Alexis Barnes

Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials

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Terry Wymer

Executive Assistant

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      <h3><strong>Executive Assistant</strong></h3></div>

Kylie Anderson

IT Manager

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      <h3><strong>IT Manager</strong></h3></div>

Drew Bigelow

Coordinator, Meeting & Operations

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      <h3><strong>Coordinator, Meetings & Operations</strong></h3></div>

Hannah Mladenik

Senior Facilities Engineer

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      <h3><strong>Senior Facilities Engineer</strong></h3></div>

Bill Rochon

Director, Events, Operations & Sports Administration

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      <h3><strong>Director, Events, Operations, & Sports Administration</strong></h3><p>Justin Jenkins currently serves as director, events, operations & sports administration. In this role, he manages the planning and execution of football and basketball-related events, including the football championship game, basketball tournaments, and media days. Justin also assists with olympic sport administration and sport oversight. </p><p>Prior to the Big Ten, Justin served as assistant commissioner for sports administration and championships at the Big South Conference. In this role, he served as the primary liaison for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's tennis, and women's lacrosse. He also assisted with the planning and execution of the men's and women's basketball championships. Prior to the Big South, Justin served as assistant director for sports administration and business operations for the Patriot League. </p><p>Justin earned his bachelor’s degree and master's of business administration from Gardner-Webb University, where he excelled as a men’s basketball student-athlete.</p></div>

Justin Jenkins

Senior Director, Basketball Operations

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      <h3><strong>Senior Director, Basketball Operations</strong></h3><p>Erica Holmes currently serves as senior director, basketball operations. In this role, she oversees the planning and execution of basketball-related events, including the men's and women's basketball tournaments, and basketball media days. Erica also serves as a secondary liaison to football-related events, including the football championship game and football media days.</p><p>Prior to the Big Ten, Erica served as senior director of basketball operations & sports administration at the American Athletic Conference (AAC). In this role, she oversaw all basketball-related event operations for the AAC and also served as the primary liaison for women's rowing. Prior to that, she served as director of operations for University of Cincinnati women’s basketball and an operations assistant for University of Louisville women’s basketball.</p><p>Erica earned her bachelor’s degree from Denison University, where she also excelled as a women’s basketball student-athlete. She also received a master’s in sport administration from Louisville.</p></div>

Erica Holmes

Vice President, Events & Operations

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      <h3><strong>Vice President, Events & Operations</strong></h3></div>

Katie Egloff

Associate Director, Communications

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      <h3><strong>Associate Director, Communications</strong></h3></div>

Candace Johnson

Assistant Director, Communications

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      <h3><strong>Assistant Director, Communications</strong></h3></div>

Ashley Harding

Assistant Director, Branding

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      <h3><strong>Assistant Director, Branding</strong></h3></div>

Joe Longo

Coordinator of Volleyball Officials

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Marcia Alterman

Coordinator of Softball Officials

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Sally Walker

Coordinator of Women's Lacrosse Officials

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Mara Wager

Coordinator of Field Hockey Officials

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Lance Sarabia

Coordinator of Ice Hockey Officials

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Steve Piotrowski

Coordinator of Tennis Officials

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Lisa Mushett

Coordinator of Wrestling Officials

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Mike Hagerty

Coordinator of Baseball Officials

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Rich Fetchiet

Coordinator of Football Officials

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Bill Carollo

Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials

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Patty Broderick

Coordinator of Men's and Women's Soccer Officials

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Cien Asoera

Senior Director, Business Strategy & Intelligence

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      <h3>Senior Director, Business Strategy & Intelligence</h3></div>

Hart Zwingelberg

Senior Director, Sports Administration

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      <h3>Senior Director, Sports Administration</h3><p>Logan Young joined the Big Ten Conference in October 2019 and was elevated to senior director, sports administration in July 2025. In her current role, Young manages the administration of conference postseason events, while also serving as a sport liaison for men’s soccer, wrestling, men’s tennis and softball. Additionally, Young serves as the primary liaison to the conference's event managers.</p><p>Prior to being hired by the Big Ten, Young worked as a corporate partnerships and marketing assistant at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Prior to arriving at UCSD, she spent time as a marketing and championships intern at the Big West Conference.</p><p>Young earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a sports management emphasis from California Lutheran University in 2017. During her time at CLU, Logan was a four-year member of the women’s water polo team. She went on to receive a master’s degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco in 2019.</p></div>

Logan Young

Assistant Director, Facilities

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      <h3>Assistant Director, Facilities</h3></div>

Rydon Walker

Vice President, Men's Basketball

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      <h3>Vice President, Men's Basketball</h3><p>Brad Taylor was named Big Ten Conference Vice President of Men's Basketball in October 2022. Taylor will oversee the administration of men’s basketball, which includes developing a cohesive strategy to strengthen, enhance and expand the conference’s basketball operations, brand, and strategic initiatives.</p><p>“Brad brings over 20 years of experience in basketball and collegiate athletics to the conference as our new vice president of men’s basketball,” stated Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren, “His depth of knowledge, experience, and exceptional ability to build relationships will help elevate our outstanding men’s basketball programs and fortify or commitment to provide unparalleled service to our coaches, student-athletes and member institutions.</p><p>Taylor will lead Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament efforts, serve as the liaison to the conference’s head coaches and campus administrators, Big Ten Network and national television partners, in addition to assisting in the development of conference scheduling and coordinating all day-to-day men’s basketball operations, while working with the coordinator of officials. He will be based at Big Ten Conference headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois.</p><p>As vice president of men’s basketball, Taylor will ensure all Big Ten Conference men’s basketball decisions and actions are focused - first and foremost - on serving the health, safety, well-being and academic achievement of our student-athletes. Taylor will promote collaboration among all men’s basketball coaches, to assist in the establishment of new legislation, rule changes and game modifications with the NCAA to meet the changing needs within the game. Taylor was selected following an extensive national search.</p><p>Prior to joining Big Ten Conference, Taylor served as the NCAA’s assistant director for men’s basketball. In his 10 years at the NCAA in Indianapolis, Indiana, Taylor, assisted with the planning for the Division I men’s basketball championship, produced the participating team manuals and preliminary round and Final Four operational manuals in addition to overseeing the NCAA Men’s Basketball Officiating Program and Regional Advisor Program. He also served as the lead contact with the Division I Men’s Basketball Competition Committee which looks at the state of the game, including game operations/presentation, integrity, sportsmanship, statistical trends, student-athlete health and safety and technology.</p><p>Before arriving in Indianapolis, Taylor was the assistant athletic director for development and special events at Southern Illinois University from 2007-2012. While at SIU, he oversaw the production of the Saluki Hall of Fame, various team reunions and golf outings, and the Saluki Letterwinners Club cultivating relationships with former student-athletes.</p><p>Prior to SIU, Taylor served as the Colonial Athletic Association's Assistant Commissioner of Championships from 2006-07 and Director of Championships from 2003-06. While at the CAA, he coordinated pre-event planning for several sports, oversaw the conference's merchandising program, and supervised the production of all championship manuals. He also served as a member of the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Committee from 2005-07.</p><p>Before his time at the CAA, Taylor spent one year as an intern at the NCAA headquarters where he played a key role in the organization of many championship events, including the 2003 Women's Basketball Final Four.</p><p>Taylor graduated with a B.S. in journalism and business administration from the University of Missouri and also received a master’s degree in athletic administration from Ball State University. Brad and his wife, Carla, have a daughter, Layla, and son, Braden.</p></div>

Brad Taylor

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      <h3>Senior Director, Sports Administration</h3><p>Katie Stankiewicz joined the Big Ten Conference in November 2018 as assistant director, sports administration. In her current role as senior director, sports administration, Stankiewicz manages the administration of Big Ten championship events, while also serving as a sport liaison for field hockey, women's golf, and baseball. She has previously served as the sport liaison for cross country, track and field, and women’s lacrosse.</p><p>Prior to joining the Big Ten, Stankiewicz served as the assistant director of marketing for Northwestern University Athletics from 2014-18. She first joined Northwestern’s marketing department in 2011 after working as a marketing intern with the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks (2009-11) and as a seasonal sales representative with Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox (2011).</p><p>A native of Downers Grove, Ill., Stankiewicz earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2009, and her master’s degree in sports administration from Northwestern in 2016.</p></div>

Katie Stankiewicz

George and Viola Taliaferro Fellow

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      <h3>George and Viola Taliaferro Fellow</h3><p>Adam Shibley joined the Big Ten Conference in September 2022 as a George & Viola Taliaferro Fellow. A former Big Ten Medal of Honor and Keith Jackson Postgraduate Scholarship recipient, Shibley is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame, where he excelled as a football student-athlete. Shibley works with the Big Ten Foundation, and is responsible for researching, planning, organizing, and creating a plan to kick off the Big Ten Foundation.</p><p>Shibley enrolled in the M.S. in Management at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business in June of 2021 after graduating from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Media Studies.</p><p>While at Michigan, Shibley earned 3x Academic All-Big-Ten honors competing as a linebacker and a special teams player for the Wolverine football team. In addition to his studies and athletics, Shibley has served as the Executive Director of his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit TUFF, The Uniform Funding Foundation which provides uniforms, equipment, and mentorship to underserved youth athletes since 2018.</p><p>Prior to enrolling at the University of Michigan, he attended St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. Shibley credits his Jesuit education as the fuel that ignited his desire to serve others.  </p></div>

Adam Shibley

Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer

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      <h3>Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer</h3><p>Nate Schnader is senior vice president, chief information officer of the Big Ten Conference. Schnader leads digital transformation, information technology, and security operations for the conference. He is responsible for developing and implementing the technological vision, strategy, and resources to serve the business needs of the conference including working on data analytics, fan engagement, and new conference platforms.</p><p>In his role, Schnader leads the development of a next-generation data infrastructure to better serve conference fans, member institutions, and student-athletes. He also oversees cutting-edge technology focused endeavors around storytelling, fan engagement, and revenue generation. Schnader is also actively involved in sport-technology focused efforts and other key initiatives, including a first-of-its-kind partnership with Stadia Ventures to host a global pitch day at the conference office in 2022.</p><p>Prior to joining the Big Ten Conference, he was a principal at Charles River Associates where he led high-profile matters pertaining to digital forensics, incident response, and cyber security. Schnader’s work was often used in support of civil and criminal litigation and investigative matters, including expert testimony in matters filed in U.S. federal and state courts.</p><p>Schnader earned his undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington.</p></div>

Nate Schnader

Executive Assistant to the Commissioner

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      <h3>Executive Assistant to the Commissioner</h3><p>Mimi Ramirez Schleis is executive assistant to Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti, having moved into that role in June 2023. In her current position, Schleis maintains the Commissioner's daily schedule, coordinates internal/external logistics, and manages additional projects as requested. </p><p>Schleis joined the Big Ten earlier in 2023 as an executive assistant for Anil Gollahalli (Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel), Diana Sabau (Deputy Commissioner, Chief Sports Officer), and Laura Anderson (Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer).</p><p>Prior to arriving at the conference, Schleis was executive assistant to the CEO, CFO, and CLO at Athletico Physical Therapy headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois.</p><p>From 2016-2020, Schleis worked for the Chicago Sports Commission, a division of the convention and tourism bureau for the city of Chicago. The Sports Commission focused on recruiting, planning, and executing high-profile sporting events to some of Chicago’s most iconic venues. While at the Sports Commission, Schleis served on the teams that delivered events like the NBA All-Star Game, NCAA Frozen Four, The Laver Cup, and many others.</p><p>Schleis earned her Masters in Business Administration from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, while serving as the assistant coach / graduate assistant for the softball team.</p><p>A native of Chicago, Schleis was a four-year letterwinner on the softball team at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, graduating in 2014 with her bachelor’s degree in journalism.</p></div>

Mimi Schleis

Deputy Commissioner, Chief Sports Officer

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      <h3>Deputy Commissioner, Chief Sports Officer</h3><p>Diana Sabau is deputy commissioner and chief sports officer for Big Ten Conference. Sabau oversees the administration of all 28 Big Ten Conference sponsored sports, which includes managing affiliate memberships, competition, scheduling, championships, sportsmanship, officiating, and awards. The role was created in 2021, making Sabau the first Big Ten Conference chief sports officer in the 125-year history of the conference.</p><p>As deputy commissioner and chief sports officer, Sabau ensures all Big Ten Conference decisions and actions are focused - first and foremost - on serving the health, safety, well-being and academic achievement of our student-athletes. Sabau fosters collaboration among all coaches, athletic directors (ADs), staff and the COP/C in her service as a key conference liaison to all Big Ten coaching groups and administrators, including the Administrator’s Council, Senior Woman Administrators, ADs, bowl partners, coach’s groups, Sports Management Committee and the NCAA. In her management of the Gender Equity Action Plan for the conference, Sabau is transforming the conference through the creation of sustainable, equitable and equal opportunities for our student-athletes, the member institutions and its partners.</p><p>Sabau provides swift counsel and measured guidance to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, and departmental oversight of football administration, basketball administration, hockey administration, Olympic sports administration and officiating administration.</p><p>Prior to joining Big Ten Conference, Sabau served as senior deputy athletic director for The Ohio State University Department of Athletics, one of the nation’s most successful and comprehensive athletics programs with 36 fully funded varsity sports and more than 1,000 student-athletes. Within her tenure, she served as sport administrator for football, women’s ice hockey, and the co-ed rifle and pistol programs.</p><p>During her four-years as sport administrator for The Ohio State University football, the team won four consecutive Big Ten championships, participated in the college football playoffs, and garnered numerous academic accolades and achievements.</p><p>Sabau reinvigorated and redefined The Ohio State University women’s ice hockey program. As sport administrator, she conducted a thorough national search and recruited University of Minnesota assistant coach and Golden Gopher all-time leading scorer Nadine Muzerall as Buckeye head coach. With Sabau as program administrator, Muzerall was twice named coach of the year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), first in 2018 and, again in 2020. In 2018, the women’s ice hockey team received an at large bid to the NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament and advanced to their first ever NCAA Women’s Frozen Four.</p><p>In 2020, The Ohio State University women’s ice hockey team achieved its best season ever, advancing to the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four for the second time under Muszerall, and winning the first WCHA championship for the program. Though this automatically qualified the Buckeyes for the 2020 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament, it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the team received an at large bid for the 2021 Women’s Ice Hockey Tournament. Further, every single member of Muzurall’s team earned the OSU Scholar Athlete (grade-point average of 3.0+) distinction in 2020 and again in 2021.</p><p>As senior deputy director, Sabau was responsible for the department of athletics revenue generation and is accountable for an unprecedented, multi-million-dollar partnership agreement with NIKE and the university. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she demonstrated steady leadership and forward-thinking, closing a multi-million-dollar term extension between concessionaire Levy Restaurants and the university.</p><p>As television liaison for The Ohio State University athletic department, Sabau was responsible for bringing ESPN “College GameDay Built by The Home Depot” back to campus on select game days for live, remote pre-game coverage.</p><p>Also, as deputy director, Sabau coordinated the overall The Ohio State University athletics brand messaging and managed partnership agreements with Learfield IMG College, NIKE, Gatorade, CBS digital, Coke and the Big Ten Network. Further, she oversaw the departments of ticket office, out-bound ticket sales, fan experience and promotions, marketing and social media, video services, as well as the OhioStateBuckeyes.com website. Her deputy director responsibilities included athletics brand messaging coordination, strategic planning, maximizing partnerships for the student-athlete experience, tracking trends in technology for business advancement, and public relations.</p><p>As department liaison with The Ohio State University Office of the President, Sabau worked with its chief of staff and communications team to develop collaborative and wide-range messaging and crisis management plans. She provided student-athlete advocacy and insight to influence policy decisions made by the senior management council, a collective that included leaders from government affairs, the office of the general counsel, student life, communications and marketing, business and finance, talent and culture, administration and planning, as well as leaders from select academic departments.</p><p>Sabau was a member of the executive team for the Columbus Local Organizing Committee that planned and hosted the 2018 Women’s NCAA Final Four. Chief among her responsibilities were ticket sales, budgeting, student-athlete engagement and fan experience and promotions.</p><p>Sabau is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Women Leaders in College Sports (<a href="https://www.womenleadersincollegesports.org/">
        womenleadersincollegesports.org
      </a>). Through participation in the McKinsey & Company McKinsey Institute professional development program, she holds certificates in enterprise agility, change leadership, centered leadership, and executive transitions.</p><p>She earned a master’s in sports administration from Ohio University, a bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University and attended Oxford University, Somerville College. Sabau and her husband, Jamie, have two children.</p></div>

Diana Sabau

Executive Assistant, Compliance

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      <h3>Executive Assistant, Compliance</h3></div>

Madeline Russell

Associate Director, Community & Impact

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      <h3>Associate Director, Community & Impact</h3></div>

Mya Perez

Vice President, People & Culture

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      <h3>Vice President, People & Culture</h3><p>Satvik Patel currently serves as vice president, people & culture. As a member of the Conference’s senior leadership team, Patel oversees all facets of people operations and human resources, including organizational effectiveness, talent acquisition, benefits administration, employee engagement, and leadership development. Patel’s strategies and initiatives continue to build a thriving workplace with a people-centric culture.</p><p>Patel joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014 and has served in a multitude of roles within finance, accounting, human resources, and community engagement. Through his multifaceted experiences at the Big Ten, Patel has developed a full-scale understanding of the organization to effectively balance business strategy with people-friendly initiatives.</p><p>Additionally, Patel has served as the press conference moderator for major Big Ten events, most notably Basketball Media Days and Football Media Days. His conversations with coaches and bold sense of style and fashion have been featured on Big Ten Network, Quad City Times, MLive.com, BuckeyeXtra, Land-Grant Holy Land, and other major publications.</p><p>Prior to the Big Ten, Patel served as a graduate assistant for Harvard University men’s basketball. During his time at Harvard, the Crimson recruited top 100 talent, captured three Ivy League Championships, and earned multiple NCAA Tournament victories for the first time in school history.</p><p>The Edison, N.J., native earned a bachelor’s degree in music technology from New York University, a post-baccalaureate certificate in business from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in management from Harvard University.</p></div>

Satvik Patel

Senior Vice President, Sports Administration

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      <h3>Senior Vice President, Sports Administration</h3><p>Rebecca Pany is the Big Ten Conference senior vice president, sports administration. In her role, she leads the conference’s 25 sponsored Olympic sports including coordination and management of coaches’ groups, games, tournaments, championships, officiating and Senior Woman Administrators. Pany ensures all decisions best serve the academic and athletic mission of conference, its member institutions and student-athletes. She works in collaboration with the conference’s senior leadership team including ensuring the continued seamless integration of conference’s 25-Olympic sports with the University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).</p><p>Prior to starting at the Big Ten Conference in June 2023, Pany served as the senior associate athletics director for sports administration and external partnership for Indiana University (IU). In that position, Pany oversaw sports administration, name, image and likeness, marketing, facility branding, strategic initiatives, and the department’s relationships with both Learfield and the Faculty Athletics Committee. She served as a sport administrator of seven sports, including men’s basketball, field hockey, football, men’s golf, rowing, softball and water polo.</p><p>Pany also served in the Indiana University athletics department since 2012 in various units including compliance, operations, capital projects, strategic initiatives and administration. She was integral in completing the capital projects included in the Bicentennial Campaign for IU Athletics: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall; the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology; the Memorial Stadium Excellence Academy; Wilkinson Hall; the Roberts Family Indiana Basketball Team Center; the Terry Tallen Indiana Football Complex; The Pfau Course at Indiana University; the Sam Bell Cross Country Course and the Jerry F. Tardy Center.</p><p>Pany graduated from Indiana University in 2012 with bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and political science after a four-year career as a field hockey student-athlete for the Hoosiers. She earned her Master of Sports Administration degree from Ohio University in 2016.</p></div>

Rebecca Pany

Vice President, Sports Data Management and Analytics

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      <h3>Vice President, Sports Data Management and Analytics</h3><p>Jessica Palermo is in her 13th year at the Big Ten Conference. In August 2021, Palermo was named vice president, sports data management & analytics. She was appointed to pioneer the new department focused on data, analytics, and business intelligence. In her role, Palermo is responsible for building the vision and strategy for conference data collection to uncover insights enabling fan engagement, business growth, and new revenue streams. </p><p>Palermo previously served as the Big Ten chief of staff, innovation and operations from January 2020 – August 2021. In this role, she managed internal and external operations for the league working closely with member institutions and Big Ten partners. Palermo oversaw the creation and development of the Mental Health Cabinet, Voter Registration Committee and Equality Coalition. Additionally, Palermo was the primary liaison to the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors. </p><p>Based out of New York, she continues to serve as an East Coast ambassador on behalf of the Big Ten Conference, responsible for developing, cultivating, and managing East Coast partnerships and relationships. Palermo was named the first employee of the New York office in 2013 as part of the conference’s expansion with the addition of the University of Maryland and Rutgers University. She was tasked with leading the opening of the space and oversees the operations and day-to-day management of the office.</p><p>Palermo previously served as the Big Ten assistant commissioner, men’s and women’s basketball operations. At the time of her promotion in 2016, she became the only female to serve as the men’s basketball tournament director at an Autonomy Five conference. Palermo was responsible for leading the development, administration, planning and execution of all aspects of both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, including the conference’s first men’s basketball tournaments held on the East Coast in Washington, D.C., and New York City. From 2016-20, Palermo also led the annual “Super Saturday” doubleheader men’s ice hockey, men’s basketball and wrestling contests at Madison Square Garden and served as the Football Championship Game and Football Media Days assistant director.</p><p>Prior to being tabbed to lead the basketball operations department, Palermo spent seven years serving in various roles in the sports administration department, including her appointment as the first-ever director of the department in the conference’s history from 2013-16. During her time in the sports administration department, Palermo was the primary administrator for several Olympic sports and conference committees, managed Olympic sport television programming on Big Ten Network and ESPN and orchestrated Big Ten championships and tournaments. Palermo originally joined the conference in 2009 as the C.D. Henry intern.</p><p>A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Palermo graduated from Edgewood College in 2008 with a degree in communications, then completed her masters of sports management in 2009 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She served as a student-athlete leadership and performance graduate assistant in the Georgetown University Athletics Department during the 2008-09 academic year, where she worked with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and student-athlete life development programs.</p></div>

Jessica Palermo

Associate Director, Events & Operations

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      <h3>Associate Director, Events & Operations</h3><p>CJ Michie joined the Big Ten Conference in October 2021 and currently serves as associate director, events and operations. In this role, Michie assists with the overall planning and management of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments as well as the Big Ten Football, Basketball, and Volleyball Media Days.</p><p>Prior to joining the Big Ten, Michie spent two years in facilities and gameday operations at TCU where he played a key role in overseeing facilities and gameday operations for indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. He also assisted in facilities and gameday operations for additional sports including football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball. Michie also assisted as a primary team liaison for the Armed Forces Bowl Game that was hosted at Amon G. Carter Stadium. While in Fort Worth, Michie was an active volunteer with the Big 12 Conference for their football championship game, women’s basketball tournament, and baseball tournament as an operations assistant. Additionally, he volunteered as a team operations assistant with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Association for their annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, AT&T Kickoff Classic Game, and Southwest Classic.</p><p>Prior to his time at TCU, Michie spent a year as an operations intern with the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic. During his time with the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic, he assisted in operations and implementation for Texas vs. Georgia. He also worked as a gameday communications assistant with the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans.</p><p>Michie began working in athletics as an undergraduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno, as a student equipment manager, team operations assistant, and marketing intern.</p><p>Michie earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno, in 2018.</p></div>

CJ Michie

Senior Director, Television Administration

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      <h3>Senior Director, Television Administration</h3></div>

Grace McNamara

Associate Director, Olympic Sport Officiating

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      <h3>Associate Director, Olympic Sport Officiating</h3></div>

Janelle McDaniel

Senior IT Manager

<div class="payload-richtext"><h3>Senior IT Manager</h3></div>

Michael McCarthy

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          width="2000"
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      <h3>George and Viola Taliaferro Fellow</h3><p>Jailyn Mason joined the Big Ten Conference in September 2022 as a George & Viola Taliaferro Fellow, working in the communications and social Media departments. Prior to joining the Big Ten Conference, Jailyn held and internship position at GEN Z Brands where she shared in the development of the GEN Z Council and was later promoted to Social Media Manager, where she led the scheduling efforts of posts on multiple social media channels and created a variety of content for the start-up organization.</p><p>Mason graduated from the University of Arkansas, earning a bachelor’s degree in both journalism and communication. As a starter for the women’s basketball team, Jailyn also served as a four-year representative for the University of Arkansas on the SEC Women’s Basketball Leadership Council. During her senior year, she was selected to serve as Co-chair for the program. During her time at Arkansas, she also served as a four-year representative for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, was elected as Community Engagement Chair, and had the honor of being named a student-athlete representative at the NCAA convention where she voted on NCAA legislation.</p><p>Jailyn will graduate in December 2022 with a master’s degree from Rutgers University in Global Sports Business.</p></div>

Jailyn Mason

Paralegal

<div class="payload-richtext"><h3>Paralegal</h3></div>

Tyler Marx

 Director, Policy

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      <h3>Director, Policy</h3><p>Fred Krauss serves as the Big Ten Conference’s director, policy. Dr. Krauss, who originally joined the Big Ten in 2016 as assistant director, policy, was promoted to his latest position in July 2022. In his current role, provides support to Big Ten Conference membership and Conference office staff on all matters related to NCAA and Big Ten Conference policy development and governance. Specifically, he serves as a staff liaison to the Joint Group, Joint Group Executive Committee, Faculty Representatives, Academic Directors, and Legislative Review Committee. Further, Krauss oversees the conference’s nomination process for NCAA committees as well as conference academic and scholarship awards. In addition to his responsibilities, Krauss also serves as the staff liaison to the Big Ten Athletic Medicine Cabinet and oversees legal affairs for the Legal Department. Previously, he served as the director of the Big Ten’s drug testing program (2017-20) and sport administrator for Big Ten Women’s Tennis (2016-21).  </p><p>Before joining the Big Ten, Krauss worked at DaCubs-Project and Intersport in Chicago. From 2007-14, he worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in a variety of roles, including Director of Graduate Student Services, Director of Graduate Outreach, and a Legal Intern for the Office of General Counsel. As a graduate student at UNLV, Krauss was twice-elected president of the Graduate & Professional Student Association (2005-07) and served as the chair of the Nevada Student Alliance (2006-07). While a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), he worked as a Compliance and Media Graduate Assistant.</p><p>Krauss received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Allegheny College in 2001. Subsequently, he earned a Master of Arts in Communication Studies, Doctorate in Sociology, and Juris Doctorate from UNLV. Most recently, Krauss earned his Master of Science in Sport Management from the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport of Management at UMass. </p><p>Additionally, Krauss is a member of the Sports Lawyers Association and an adjunct professor in the Sports Leadership M.S. graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.</p><p>Krauss, his wife, Charlie, and his son, Hunter, and daughter, Finley, reside in downtown Chicago.</p></div>

Fred Krauss

Chief Operating Officer

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      <h3>Chief Operating Officer</h3><p>Kerry Kenny is chief operating officer for the Big Ten Conference, having been elevated to that position in June 2023. Kenny is a member of the Big Ten Conference senior leadership team and is in his 16th year with the conference.</p><p>As COO, Kenny reports to Commissioner Tony Petitti and is responsible for all television/broadcast/media rights negotiations and execution, as well as oversight of content, digital and social media strategy. In addition, Kenny oversees the conference’s finance, operational legal and human resources (HR) departments.</p><p>Kenny has served the conference in a variety of roles – rules compliance, sport administration, public affairs, sport scheduling, and health and safety – since joining the Big Ten as an intern in August 2008. Most recently, he served as the senior vice president, television, media analytics and emerging platforms.</p><p>In April 2023, Kenny was named to Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 list, and in October 2020, he was named to The Athletic’s inaugural list of the 40 influential people in college basketball under the age of 40. </p><p>A 2007 graduate of Lafayette College, Kenny earned a degree in economics and business and was a member of the men’s basketball team, serving as team captain in his senior year. As a student-athlete, Kenny also served as the Chair of the NCAA National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In that role, he represented the voices of more than 400,000 Division I student-athletes within the NCAA structure.</p><p>A native of Richboro, Pa., he currently resides in Connecticut with his wife, Mallory, and his daughter, Harper. After eight years based in the Big Ten Conference's New York City office, he will once again be based at the Big Ten's headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, later this summer.</p></div>

Kerry Kenny

Vice President, Sports Communications

<div class="payload-richtext"><h3>Vice President, Sports Communications</h3></div>

Paul Kennedy

Vice President, Women's Basketball

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      <h3>Vice President, Women's Basketball</h3><p>Megan Kahn joined the Big Ten Conference as its vice president of women’s basketball in 2021. In this role, Kahn works with Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren and Deputy Commissioner/Chief Sports Officer Diana Sabau to lead the women’s basketball efforts for the conference. Kahn is also charged with developing a cohesive strategy to strengthen, enhance and expand the Big Ten women’s basketball operations, brand and strategic initiatives.</p><p>The post is the first senior-level position at the Big Ten Conference dedicated specifically to the growth of women’s basketball. Kahn serves as the liaison to the conference’s head coaches and campus administrators, Big Ten Network and national television partners, in addition to assisting in the development of conference scheduling and coordinating all day-to-day women’s basketball operations.</p><p>Kahn came to the Big Ten following a successful tenure at WeCOACH, a 501c(3) non-profit organization committed to the educational and professional development of women’s coaches across all sports and levels. Under Kahn’s leadership as executive director and later chief executive Oofficer, WeCOACH (which rebranded from the Alliance of Women Coaches in 2018) secured and continued to cultivate national partnerships with numerous organizations including adidas, Hudl, Jostens, Morgan Stanley, NCAA, Women’s Basketball Coaches (WBCA), Women’s Sports Foundation and many others.</p><p>As part of its partnership with the WBCA, WeCOACH has been a prime supporter of the “So You Want To Be A Coach” program for graduating women’s basketball student-athletes, providing a critical pipeline to increasing women in coaching. Kahn also helped WeCOACH collaborate with the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, including the “Women in College Coaching Report Card,” which benchmarks the percentage of female coaches in college athletics.</p><p>During her tenure, Kahn led WeCOACH through three strategic planning processes and the development of the resulting priorities and initiatives (2016, 2018, 2021). Also starting in 2018, she developed and launched The WeCOACH Podcast, which features one-on-one conversations with some of the greatest women coaches, administrators and industry leaders in the world of sports.</p><p>Kahn has served as an administrator at numerous national and regional championship events, including her role as tournament manager for game operations at both the 2015 and 2019 NCAA Women’s Final Fours that were played in Tampa, Florida.</p><p>Kahn also has extensive experience as a collegiate conference administrator, having most recently served as both assistant and associate commissioner at the Atlantic 10 Conference from 2008-12. At the A-10, she was the director of the 2012 A-10 Women’s Basketball Championship and supervised all of the conference’s women’s basketball operations. She also oversaw the 2010 and 2011 A-10 Men’s Basketball Championships, assisted in the site selection process that relocated that tournament from Atlantic City, N.J., to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and coordinated the 2010 and 2011 A-10 Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Day Luncheons in New York City.</p><p>Prior to joining the A-10, Kahn assisted with women’s basketball operations at the Atlantic Coast Conference from 2006-08, serving as assistant director for the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament’s Greensboro Regional that was hosted by the ACC.</p><p>Kahn started her career as a women’s basketball coach, beginning as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) from 2000-02, and then as an assistant coach at Texas State University from 2002-04. </p><p>Kahn is a 2000 graduate of Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., where she was a basketball student-athlete and earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science with an emphasis in exercise physiology. She went on to earn her master’s degree in kinesiology, with an emphasis in sport management, from UTRGV in 2002.</p></div>

Megan Kahn

Senior Director, Branding

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      <h3>Senior Director, Branding</h3><p>Robin Jentes has been with the Big Ten Conference since 2004 and currently serves as the senior director, branding. In this role, Jentes oversees the conference’s comprehensive brand management initiatives and provides strategic planning and leadership for the long-term development and evolution of the Big Ten brand.</p><p>Before she was promoted to her current post in 2014, Jentes held the title of director, branding. Her duties in that position included enhancing  the conference’s brand and image, while assuring that all partners adhere to the Big Ten’s brand standards and identity guidelines. Jentes originally joined the Big Ten in 2004 as associate director, communications, and served as the primary media contact for men’s basketball and the secondary media contact for football. </p><p>Prior to arriving at the Big Ten, Jentes served as the associate director of media relations at Conference USA for three years. She also spent one year working in athletics media relations at the University of Texas. </p><p>Jentes earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Ohio State University in 1999 and worked in the athletics communications department for the Buckeyes from 1997-2000.</p></div>

Robin Jentes

 Associate Director, Communications

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      <h3>Associate Director, Communications</h3><p>Daniel Jankowski joined the Big Ten in October 2022 as associate director, communications. In his role, Jankowski oversees publicity efforts for baseball, field hockey, hockey and men's tennis.</p><p>Jankowski came to the Big Ten from Governors State University, where he served as the school’s first athletic communications director for six years (2015-22). Prior to GSU, he worked as media relations coordinator for the AHL Chicago Wolves (2015-16) and media relations director for the MLS Chicago Fire (2007).</p><p>Jankowski previously served as assistant SID at Union College (2013-15), director of communications at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (2012), athletic media relations director/assistant SID at Western Michigan University (1995-2007) and assistant SID at the University of San Diego (1993-95). At Union, Jankowski publicized the men's hockey team that won the 2014 national championship.</p><p>A native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Jankowski received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Western Michigan University. He completed public relations internships with the MISL San Diego Sockers, NHL Philadelphia Flyers and USA Hockey.</p></div>

Daniel Jankowski

Senior Director, Football Operations

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      <h3>Senior Director, Football Operations</h3><p>Kaylah Hughes joined the Big Ten Conference in 2019 and currently serves as director, events and operations, having been promoted to that position in April 2022. In this role, Hughes assists with the overall planning and management of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, while also serving as a primary liaison for the Big Ten Football Media Days, Big Ten Basketball Media Days, Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments.</p><p>Prior to joining the Big Ten, Hughes spent two years as administrative manager for the College Football 150th Anniversary (CFB150) in Irving, Texas, where she played an instrumental role in the planning and administering of a broad national celebration of college football’s 150th anniversary. As a part of this campaign, Hughes coordinated the implementation of the uniform patch program for over 800 institutions, while also managing the licensing program, organizational operations, and social and digital platforms.</p><p>Prior to her stint at CFB150, Hughes spent two years at Old Dominion University as the athletics operations and events coordinator. During her time at Old Dominion, Hughes coordinated the day-to-day operations of the football office and also served as the assistant to the senior associate athletic director for several other sports. In this role, Hughes collaborated with the recruiting staff to plan on-campus events for prospective student-athletes and produced an integrated timeline for football gameday management.</p><p>In addition to her experience in collegiate athletics, Hughes also spent time working in business development for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League. In that role, Hughes synchronized potential business leads and worked with prospective clients, while also helping execute game-day suite operations for all home contests at FedEx Field.</p><p>Hughes began working in football as an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, handling a variety of duties in recruiting administration, while also working as a member of the ticket office.</p><p>In 2013, Hughes earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from North Carolina and went on to receive her master’s degree in sport industry management from Georgetown University in 2015.</p></div>

Kaylah Hughes

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      <h3>Associate Director, Communications</h3><p>David Howell joined the Big Ten Conference as associate director, communications, in October 2022 . In his role, Howell serves as serve as the primary communications contact for men’s soccer, men’s basketball, men’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s lacrosse and rowing.</p><p>Prior to joining the Big Ten, Howell spent 18 years in athletic communications at the professional and college levels. The last 11 years, Howell was the Athletic Communications Director at Cabrini University outside Philadelphia, Pa., where he was the primary media contact for the Cavaliers’ 19 NCAA athletic programs.</p><p>During his time at Cabrini, Howell worked with teams that combined to win 69 conference championships and 21 conference all-sports awards and appeared in two NCAA Division III championship games, winning the 2019 men’s lacrosse title, the first team championship in school history.</p><p>Before going to Cabrini, Howell spent five years as Sports Information Director at Rockford University and two years as a strategic communications intern with Palace Sports and Entertainment.</p><p>Howell earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Kettering University, before receiving a master’s degree in sports administration at Wayne State University and an MBA from Rockford.</p></div>

David Howell

Senior Director, Officiating

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      <h3>Senior Director, Officiating</h3><p>Brenda Hilton serves as the Big Ten Conference’s senior director, officiating. Hilton leads officiating operations for select sports, including scheduling, payroll, contracts, clinics, and various other projects. Hilton serves as a liaison for assigned Coordinators of Officials to ensure synergy and collaboration with the Conference, and she develops innovative ideas to drive officiating operations into the future. Hilton also serves as a strategic advisor to the Chief Sports Officer on officiating related topics.</p><p>Hilton has spent the better part of her 21-year collegiate career involved in sports officiating and has found a passion for the men and women who officiate the competitions. In 2019, she founded Officially Human to restore respect to the game officials and recognize them as authorities on the fields and courts. Hilton has studied the entire process of becoming an official, from the first inquiry to working at the highest level in Division I. Her passion for the treatment, recruitment, and retention of officials is well-known around the officiating circuit.</p><p>Hilton joined the Big Ten in 2011 serving as the administrative assistant to men’s basketball (2011-2018). Hilton most recently served as the Senior director, building services from 2013 – 2021. Prior to joining the Big Ten, Hilton worked as the office manager at the Summit League (formerly the Mid-Continent Conference) from 2000-11, where she worked closely with the commissioner and staff and, among other duties, assisted with human resources and preparing annual reports for the directors of athletics and President's Council.</p><p>Hilton is also passionate about raising awareness for those with disabilities and fundraising for the National MS Society.</p></div>

Brenda Hilton

Associate Director, Sports Administration

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      <h3>Associate Director, Sports Administration</h3><p>After two years as a George & Viola Taliaferro Fellow, Eriana Henderson was named assistant director, sports administration in July 2024 and elevated to associate director one year later. In her role, Henderson manages the administration of conference championship events, while also serving as a sports administrator for men’s golf and men’s and women’s swimming and diving.</p><p>In her fellowship role, she worked with the other Taliaferro fellows under Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren managing special projects and assisting in the day-to-day executive processes of the conference.</p><p>Henderson Previously served as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Associate within the University of Colorado Athletics Department and EMCEE for the Women’s Basketball Team.</p><p>Henderson graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a master’s degree in organizational leadership and a dual bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology while also competing in track and field for five years. During her athletic career Henderson chaired CUnited: Social and Racial Justice Task Force, was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, became a NCAA All-American, and ended as an Olympic Trials competitor.</p><p>Henderson is from Houston, Texas. Like the Taliaferro daughters, Eriana grew up the youngest of five girls where sports were everything for her family. Henderson began participating in track and field when she was just five years old, following in the footsteps of her older sisters. Track and field afforded her experiences and accomplishments that last a lifetime while also exposing her voice and identity outside of athletics. Henderson is passionate about using her voice to shed light and share the stories of marginalized and underrepresented peoples.</p></div>

Eriana Henderson

Senior Vice President, Policy & Compliance

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      <h3>Senior Vice President, Policy & Compliance</h3><p>Chad Hawley is senior vice president, policy and compliance for the Big Ten Conference. He is in his 21st year at the conference and his 26th year in intercollegiate athletics administration. In his role at the Big Ten Conference, he assists member institutions on all issues related to conference and NCAA governance.</p><p>Hawley previously worked in the conference offices of the Mid-Continent Conference and Ivy League, and on campus at North Carolina State University and Appalachian State University.</p><p>Hawley was a men’s soccer student-athlete at Appalachian State, where he earned a B.S. in business administration. He also holds a juris doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago.</p></div>

Chad Hawley

Director, Officiating Technology

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      <h3>Director, Officiating Technology</h3><p>Joe Hamata serves as director, officiating technology, having elevated to that role in July 2022. Among his current responsibilities, Hamata assists in the oversight of video and technology needs for the officiating services department at the conference, including football, men’s basketball and ice hockey. He also assists in the oversight and management for instant replay in multiple sports across the Big Ten. </p><p>Hamata joined the Big Ten in 2015 following his graduation from the University of Nebraska. During his time in Lincoln, he served as a student video manager for the Husker football program. Hamata was also a member of the school’s club rugby team, for which he would eventually serve as club president.</p></div>

Joseph Hamata

Senior Director, Compliance

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      <h3>Senior Director, Compliance</h3></div>

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