WINS Forum

Alex Abbajay has more than 15 years of experience driving strategic partnerships and brand activations across leading sports organizations. She serves as vice president of sports and entertainment marketing at Truist, where she manages sponsorship relationships with iconic partners, including the Atlanta Braves, Battery Atlanta, Florida State University Athletics and the Charlotte Hornets. In this role, Abbajay directs high-impact marketing programs that advance Truist’s purpose, enhance client and teammate engagement, and strengthen community connections. Previously, she was Octagon’s account director of integrated marketing and held key roles with The Marketing Arm, where she managed AT&T’s partnerships with the New York Yankees, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and others. Abbajay earned an M.S. in Sports Administration from Georgia State University and a B.S. in Sports Management and Marketing from Kennesaw State University.

Courtney Wright serves as a brand marketing manager for Excel Sports Management, a leading management and marketing agency for talent, brands and properties. Previously, she held the role of entertainment manager for Charlotte FC, directing all pregame and in-game entertainment for the Major League Soccer organization. She has also held leadership roles with the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and Wilmington Sharks, a collegiate summer baseball league. She is a graduate of James Madison University.

Darbie Kelley serves as a brand marketing manager for Excel Sports Management, a leading management and marketing agency for talent, brands and properties. Previously, Kelley held leadership roles with Bespoke Sports & Entertainment, Retail Sports Marketing and the Charlotte Hornets. She is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University.

A proud graduate of Elon University (Class of 2018), Madeline Yih serves as director of events at Atrium Health Foundation. Yih leads the strategy, planning and execution of more than 20 high-impact fundraising and cultivation events annually. These events advance Atrium’s robust philanthropic mission. Combining her love of sports with her commitment to community, Yih is responsible for marquee fundraising events that include gala events that typically raise over $2 million, 5Ks, golf tournaments, and facility dedications. Atrium partners with local organizations, including the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Knights. Yih brings extensive experience in event strategy, donor engagement, nonprofit development, and team leadership, and is dedicated to creating meaningful experiences that create, strengthen, and sustain community relationships and inspires generosity.

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Alisha Ingold serves as a key account specialist for Lindt & Sprüngli, a premium chocolate manufacturer. Prior to Lindt, she held several roles for Sunshine Beverages, LLC, a Winston-Salem-based manufacturer of sparkling energy waters and good energy drinks. Ingold earned two bachelor’s degrees from Elon University – first in sport management in 2013 and English in 2015. She also completed an M.A. in English Literature from Wake Forest University in 2017.

Leela Srinivasan is CEO of Parity, a sports marketing and sponsorship platform focused on professional women athletes. In pursuit of its mission to close the gender income and opportunity gap in pro sports, Parity forges partnerships between brands and its community of 1,100-plus elite women athletes from 85 sports, including over 300 Olympians and Paralympians. Prior to joining Parity, Srinivasan was a three-time CMO at online survey platform SurveyMonkey, digital payments provider Checkout.com, and recruiting software firm Lever. She also held marketing leadership roles at LinkedIn and OpenTable, worked for management consulting at Bain & Company, and began her career in sales. Srinivasan serves on the boards of work marketplace Upwork and nonprofit Empowered by Light, as well as on the board of advisors for the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where she earned her MBA.

Sara Toussaint is co-CEO of TMJ, one of the first athlete representation agencies devoted to women’s football. TMJ’s 200-plus global clients include professional footballers, coaches, legends, analysts, and media personalities. In her role, she oversees business operations and commercial opportunities. Toussaint is also a co-owner of the North Carolina Courage (NWSL) and Mexico’s Liga MX club Querétaro Fútbol. Previously, she was managing director at underdog venture team, providing strategic marketing for clients such as TelevisaUnivision, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer. She earlier served as Wells Fargo’s vice president of sponsorships and brand engagement and has held roles in lacrosse business development, partnership marketing at MLS/Soccer United Marketing, and labor relations for MLB. Toussaint earned a BA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and an MBA from NYU.

Dr. Jené Baclawski is a nationally recognized leader in coaching and education, currently serving as senior director of sport development and product at USA Football. With experience ranging from collegiate coaching to leading national team programs, she has played a key role in advancing inclusive coaching initiatives with U.S. Soccer, FIFA and Concacaf, including the SheChampions Initiative to support women in sports. Baclawski is a sought-after speaker having presented at the Aspen Project, WeCoach Conference, SXSW, and the Urban Sport Symposium. Known for her thoughtful, equity-driven leadership, she holds a Ph.D. in Kinesiology and is widely respected for her work in developing coaches, supporting high performance athletes, and fostering inclusive environments in sport.

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Jenn Azara is director of tech and women’s sports content and senior planning editor of finance and Olympics coverage at Sports Business Journal, often referred to as the “Wall Street Journal of the sports industry.” She launched the SBJ women’s sports vertical in May 2025 with a new newsletter, monthly magazine column, and webinar series on the business of women’s sports. Azara serves as a moderator at many SBJ events, including the Brand Innovation Summit, Tech Week and Game Changers, and has interviewed everyone from league presidents to WWE tag team wrestling champions. Now and then, you can even catch her as the host of the SBJ Morning Buzzcast. Azara is also a proud mom of two daughters, including an Elon senior in the School of Communications.

Alma Angeles-Parvaz is vice president of partnership marketing at NASCAR and the highest-ranking Latina in the league’s history. With nearly 20 years at the intersection of sports, culture and business, she has shaped industry-defining partnerships across the NBA, WNBA, MLS, and leading international agencies. Angeles-Parvaz launched the NBA’s first influencer collaboration with MrBeast’s Feastables, secured one of the most valuable jersey sponsorships in WNBA history, and helped advance the legalization of sports betting in North Carolina. Her work has earned a Telly Award and broken two Guinness World Records. A first-generation Mexican American, Angeles-Parvaz is a trailblazer committed to equity in sports and creating opportunities for future leaders.

Miranda Thorpe is vice president of ESPN’s Charlotte office and production management, serving as a key executive and culture leader for all employees based in the Queen City. She provides strategic guidance to senior leaders on cross-unit transparency, business alignment, integration, and priority setting. Thorpe also oversees the production management team – a group of nearly 50 staff across four states – supporting more than 90 domestic and international events each year, including the College Football Playoff, “SportsCenter,” “College GameDay,” and the NFL Draft. Her team manages budgets, credentials, contracts, and staff assignments to ensure seamless operations. During her 24-year ESPN career, Thorpe has played a pivotal role in planning and logistics for major global events such as the 2010 South Africa World Cup, 2014 Brazil World Cup, multiple Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and World Series. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Journalism from Florida A&M University.

Amanda Weaver joined the Dash in 2020 as the marketing and social media coordinator and now serves as the senior manager of marketing and communications. Originally from Austin, Texas, Weaver graduated from Texas State University with a major in public relations and a minor in sports psychology. She started her baseball career with her hometown team, the Round Rock Express (AAA affiliate, Texas Rangers), in 2015. She brings multiple years of experience in running brand accounts and marketing with a passion for the fan experience on and off the field. The 2026 season will mark Weaver’s 10th season in Minor League Baseball.

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A former collegiate athlete, coach and administrator, Kyle Lubrano serves as vice president of compliance and athlete safety for Ankored, which provides integrated services for automating youth coaching and staff compliance processes. Previously, she was chief mission delivery officer for Players Health, a risk services and insurance firm that protects athletes and sports organizations with a comprehensive risk management platform. Earlier in her career, Lubrano served three national governing bodies of sport – USA Lacrosse, USA Field Hockey and USA Baseball – in coaching education, sport development and athlete safety roles. She earned a bachelor’s degree from William Paterson University and a master’s degree from Mercy College.