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Directory University of Florida

SPM Industry Advisory Board

Meet the Department of Sport Management industry advisory board members.

Raquel Braun smiles at the camera.

Raquel Braun

Board Chair

Raquel Braun is a seasoned sports business executive with an extensive background in sports media rights negotiations, event production, strategy development and high-profile talent engagement.

Raquel has worked with the biggest sports leagues and events in the world, including FIFA, the NFL, Formula 1, MLB, MLS, UEFA, the NHL, UFC and NASCAR.

Raquel most recently served as the Head of Media, Talent and Esports—Business Development at EA SPORTS, and prior to that she spent a decade as a Business & Legal Affairs executive at FOX SPORTS.

Chris Gargani smiles at the camera.

Chris Gargani

VP Sales and Marketing

Chris is a seasoned sports marketing and live entertainment professional with over 20 years of experience, currently serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Since joining the team in 2018, he has led a team of 50 in driving ticket sales, marketing and operations for EverBank Stadium, Daily’s Place and international events like the Jaguars’ games at Wembley Stadium in London.

Prior to this role, Chris held leadership positions with Live Nation Entertainment, the Washington Nationals, and multiple professional sports teams across MLB, NBA and NHL.

A University of Florida graduate, Chris resides in Neptune Beach, Florida, with his wife, Tona.

Connor Glenn smiles at the camera.

Connor Glenn

Director of Global Partnership Sales at Fenway Sports Management

Connor Glenn is a Director of Global Partnership Sales at Fenway Sports Management (FSM) which serves as the engine that drives commercial and strategic growth across all Fenway Sports Group (FSG) properties and for its many partners.

With a mission to elevate brands and accelerate growth, FSM delivers sponsorship sales expertise to a prestigious portfolio of owned and operated teams and venues, and to an extensive group of strategic partners.

The company is also responsible for evaluating opportunities for strategic acquisitions for FSG in sports, including teams and venues, media and related businesses that enhance or extend the company’s existing platform.

Prior to re-joining FSM, Connor worked for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), New York Yankees and Allied Sports.

Sanja Komljenovic smiles at the camera.

Sanja Komljenovic

Sanja Komljenovic is the Founder, CEO, and Executive Creative Director of ONA Creative, a boutique creative agency she launched in 2015 with a mission to drive social change.

Inspired by her commitment to women’s rights and representation for marginalized communities, Sanja has grown ONA into a powerhouse working with global brands such as Nike, U.S. Soccer, WNBA, Ulta Beauty, Oakley and Meta, as well as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and trailblazing women-led startups.

A champion of gender equality and diversity in sports and marketing, Sanja brings a unique perspective shaped by her background as an immigrant from Bosnia and her career with top-tier organizations like the LA Clippers and Nike. Through her work, she aims to amplify voices and create meaningful impact across industries.

Joleen Cacciatore Miller smiles at the camera.

Joleen Cacciatore Miller

Joleen Cacciatore Miller is the Executive Director for the Gainesville Sports Commission (GSC) which is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1988, whose mission is to promote tourism through sporting events by hosting or helping others host events to create economic impact for Gainesville and Alachua County.

Taryn Morgan smiles at the camera.

Taryn Morgan

Taryn Morgan is the Vice President of Athletic and Personal Development at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL where she oversees a staff of 75+ specialists in athletic training, strength and conditioning, mental conditioning, leadership, nutrition, sport science and vision training.

Jon Perzley smiles at the camera.

Jon Perzley

Jonathan Perzley is a Partner and NFLPA-certified agent with Sportstars, Inc., bringing nearly two decades of experience in contract negotiation and athlete representation.

Since earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida, he has negotiated hundreds of NFL contracts. Jonathan currently represents 50+ players in the NFL, providing a full suite of services including career counseling, endorsements, legal services and post-career planning.

Committed to guiding athletes both on and off the field, Perzley leverages his expertise in communication, the art of negotiation, marketing and public relations to help clients maximize their professional and personal success.

Lonnie Phillips smiles at the camera.

Lonnie Phillips

As Chief Customer Officer of Fanatics Commerce, Lonnie oversees Global Direct to Consumer Operations which includes fulfillment, manufacturing, transportation and customer service for the company.

His scope of responsibility involves leading over 1,500 employees and managing state-of-the-art fulfillment centers, call centers, and production facilities which span over two million square feet and are strategically located across the globe.

Christina Ramos smiles at the camera.

Christina Ramos

Christina M. Ramos began her career at the University of Florida interning with Gator Boosters Inc. and working as the Assistant Director of Gator Gala, which celebrated 100 Years of Gator Football.

Following her experiences at the University of Florida, Ramos went on to work for the Orange Bowl Committee as the 75th Anniversary Coordinator, and spent 13 years in sponsorship fulfillment, marketing and was promoted to Vice President of Marketing.

Christina is also an adjunct professor at UF teaching sports marketing to undergraduate and graduate students.

Robert Stecklow smiles at the camera.

Robert Stecklow

Rob Stecklow has had marketing roles at many of the biggest brands in sports including Paramount+/CBS Sports, The NFL, Verizon, DIRECTV/AT&T, DAZN and ABC Sports/ESPN.

His current SVP role at Paramount+ has him overseeing marketing for the streamer using tentpole sports such as the NFL and UEFA Champions League to attract new subscribers to the service.

Steve Stowe smiles at the camera.

Steve Stowe

Currently in his 25th season with the Miami HEAT Basketball Operations Department, Steve Stowe is the Vice President/Executive Director of the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund.

He oversees the fundraising arm of the team, while working alongside the players and coaches to support their local philanthropic endeavors, and acts as the liaison between the board of directors and the rest of the organization.

Quentin Williams smiles at the camera.

Quentin Williams

M. Quentin Williams is the founder and CEO of Dedication to Community (D2C), the national nonprofit he established in 2012.

Quentin’s career in law, professional sports and leadership consulting culminates in D2C, which delivers skills-building workshops and ongoing forums to improve understanding and build relationships in communities through healing, reconciliation and unity.

Sport Event Management Industry Affiliates

Lee Zeidman

President of Cryptom.com Arena, Microsoft Theater and LA LIVE

As President of Crypto.com Arena, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE the sports, residential and entertainment district, Zeidman oversees the venues event operations, production, including guest services, booking, box office, event security, event staffing, guest relations, facility presentation, marketing, communications, hospitality and food and beverage services.

Along with his hard-working team of employees Zeidman also supervises Crypto.com Arena’s overall day-to-day support for its tenants, sponsors, clients and partners including the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Sparks franchises hosting seven NBA Finals, two Stanley Cup Finals and five WNBA Finals in which the home teams won seven NBA Championships, two Stanley Cup Championships and three WNBA Championships.

Stephen V. Rodriguez

President, Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy, Inc.

A native Floridian, Stephen joined the Sarasota-Bradenton community in 2017, when he took the helm at Nathan Benderson Park just weeks prior to the World Rowing Championships.

With more than 30 years of experience in the industry of sport, Stephen concentrated his work in the area of sport tourism and amateur sport development. Working with the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport, which was the State of Florida’s original statewide sports promotion agency, he was involved in the early years of amateur sports and sport tourism promotion, working with the Sunshine State Games, Florida Senior Games, Business of Sport Symposium, United States Track Coaches Association, and Olympic Congress.

He also helped to implement the nation’s first Olympic License Plate in Florida. After serving the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the Florida Association of USA Track & Field, Stephen spent 18 years with the Florida Sports Foundation, promoting Florida as a destination for sport travel, serving sports commissions throughout the state, directing the Sunshine State Games and Florida Senior Games, and acting as the liaison to national and state governing bodies.

Over the years, Nathan Benderson Park has developed robust community programming offerings and been responsible for hosting events that have driven more than $200 million of economic impact to the community. The park has hosted numerous international and national events including the 2022 IDBF Club Crew World Championships, US Rowing Youth Nationals, 2018 World Rowing Masters Regatta and the 2019 World Rowing U23 World Championships.

Stephen is a graduate of the University of Florida, has organized hundreds of international, national and regional events, and is an alumnus of the United States Olympic Academy.

He has served on numerous national and state boards, including the National Senior Games Association, where he was awarded the Warren Blaney Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nicole Geller

Program Manager, Iron Man Kids

Nicole has been with Iron Man kids as a program manager and race director since 2019.

Before this position, she was a Senior Manager for Athlete Development and Account Manager for Partnership services. Nicole has tremendous experience in managing events.

In her current position her responsibilities include marketing, athlete registration, title partner assets, website ownership, volunteer management, community giveback partnerships and event day implementation.

Nicole is a proud graduate of the University of Florida.