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National Board Chair and President of Women In Sports and Events, Kathleen Francis Addresses AEG Employees on Growing a Career in Sports

As part of its employee development program, on August 10, 2022, AEG hosted a virtual employee career development session, “Taking Charge of Your Career,” with National Board Chairman and President of Women In Sports and Events (WISE) Kathleen Francis.

Geared toward employees that have recently entered the workforce, Francis offered practical advice on developing a career plan and goals, and the importance of networking and mentorship, in addition to outlining some of the challenges facing employees when entering the sports and events industry.

“No one has gotten to where they are without making some sort of sacrifice and stepping outside their comfort zone,” Francis shared. “That is something that we all have to continue to do.”

Francis went on to say, “You have to take ownership of your career. It’s no one else’s responsibility to do that. It’s beneficial to the organization to notice the work you are doing and to engage you and develop you but at the end of the day it’s still your job to define what you’re looking for within that organization or outside of the organization and to build the skills to advance.”

A well-recognized leader in sports marketing, Francis has over 30 years of experience developing and implementing high-impact marketing programs. Over her career, she has created and executed unique, multi-faceted sports marketing strategies that work at the grassroots level, for not-for-profit as well as major corporations including Major League Baseball, Meadowlands Sports Complex and the United States Tennis Association.

Francis was named chair and president of WISE in 2011.

WISE is the leading voice and resource for women in the business of sports. Through peer support, mentoring programs and professional development and training, the organization strives to help members maximize their potential, sharpen their skills, and advance their careers at every stage of their professional journeys. To learn more about WISE, please click here.