Breaking Into Women's Sports: Careers In A Growing Industry (Webinar)
Women’s sports are in the midst of a historic expansion - rising media rights deals, record-breaking attendance, new leagues, and greater sponsorship investment are reshaping the industry. With this momentum comes an explosion of career opportunities across teams, leagues, media, and brands.
Join us for an inspiring panel where industry leaders share how they built their careers in women’s sports, where they see the biggest growth areas, and how you can position yourself to take advantage of the movement.
Meet the Panelists
Alana Meraz
Alana is a leader in women’s sports, currently serving as Manager of Media Partner Promotions at the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). In 2020, Alana founded Latinx in Sports, a thriving community focused on elevating Latinx representation and influence within the sports industry - what began as a pandemic project has grown into a movement impacting emerging professionals at all career stages. Recognized among NextGen Collective’s 30 Under 30 in 2024, she continues breaking barriers and redefining what it means to build a career and community in women’s sports.
Christopher Paolini
Christopher is a forward-thinking data and analytics leader currently serving as Senior Director of Business Analytics at the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). In this role, he drives strategic insights and builds analytic capabilities to support the rapid growth and success of women’s professional hockey. As one of the key analytics architects behind PWHL’s development, he plays a pivotal role in shaping how women’s sports leverage data to enhance performance, fan engagement, and business operations. With a background that blends deep expertise in business intelligence and a passion for advancing women’s sports, Christopher brings a data-driven perspective to career opportunities at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and expanding female-focused leagues.
Brauna Marks (Moderator)
Brauna is a talented Creative Producer and On-Air Personality known for her dynamic storytelling across the sports and entertainment landscape. Currently contributing to GQ Sports, she blends editorial vision with multimedia flair to bring high-impact narratives to life. With prior experience at the NBA and Spectrum News, Brauna has honed her expertise in visuals editing, digital content production, and multimedia journalism. Her career reflects a passion for crafting layered, engaging stories that spotlight athletes, cultural moments, and the evolving spirit of sports media.
About Arena
Arena is the first AI-powered platform connecting the next generation of leaders to career opportunities, events, resources, and insights in sports, media & entertainment. Join 6,000+ members for free at arenatalent.com.