McCormack Alumni Awards 2025

The Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management is proud to announce its newest class of alumni award recipients. The class includes four alumni who will receive the program’s highest honor, the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award; five alumni who will receive the program’s Steve McKelvey Alumni on the Rise award; and one alumnus who will receive the Exceptional Service Award.

“We’re excited to honor this class of outstanding alumni for their accomplishments in the sport industry and their continued engagement with our students,” said Department Chair Nicole Melton, PhD. “We’re fortunate to have so many loyal alums who repeatedly share their time and talents to bolster our program and elevate our student experience.”

The 2025 class of alumni award winners will be recognized at the annual McCormack Awards Banquet on Monday, May 5, at the UMass Marriott Center. Below are this year’s recipients:

Harold J. Vanderzwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award

Since 1993, the McCormack Department of Sport Management has awarded the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award in honor of Dr. VanderZwaag’s unwavering dedication and commitment to the department. Honorees are alumni who display professional excellence, outstanding achievement in the sports industry, and dedication to the McCormack Department of Sport Management.

Michelle Duff ’01 MS

Michelle Duff is an adept marketer, leveraging over 20 years of experience to help brands maximize their sponsorship investments to drive business growth. Since joining Wasserman in 2006, she has played a key role in strategy development and partnership management across numerous clients with investments in golf, soccer, college athletics, and entertainment. She specializes in helping brands optimize sponsorship marketing plans to enhance visibility, foster loyalty, and generate revenue.

In her current role, Duff delivers strategic solutions to a diverse roster of clients, ensuring seamless execution of sponsorship and event strategies. Passionate about mentorship, she supports early-career professionals through WISE Greater Raleigh, where she previously served on the executive board. Since graduation, she has also mentored sport management graduate students at the Isenberg School of Management.

Before Wasserman, Duff spent five years at MassMutual, guiding the company’s sponsorship strategy and execution with properties such as the US Open Tennis Championships and USGA Championships. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University and an MS in Sport Management from UMass Amherst. A native Rhode Islander, she lives in Raleigh, NC, with her wife, daughter, and golden retriever.

Karen Peters ’94 MS

Karen Peters is the deputy athletic director at the University of Portland, where she joined the Athletic Department in 2006. In her current role, she oversees student-athlete and program support, including academics, compliance, student-athlete development, sports medicine, and sports performance. She is the university’s lead sport administrator and was instrumental in establishing rowing and beach volleyball as varsity sports at UP. Peters has represented UP on a variety of NCAA and West Coast Conference committees and currently serves as chair of the NCAA Division I Nominating Committee. She was honored as the Women Leaders Division I Administrator of the Year in 2013. 

Prior to joining the staff at UP, Peters spent ten years at Stanford University. As assistant director of athletics for eligibility and recruiting, she supervised the eligibility process for the university’s 34 varsity sports and served as the department’s liaison to undergraduate admissions. Peters also served as an administrative intern for the Ivy League, working in Compliance and Student Services at Columbia University in New York, N.Y. She began her athletics career working in media relations as a student assistant at New Mexico State University.
 
Peters received her MS in sport management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she was the recipient of the NCAA Women’s Enhancement Program Post-Graduate Scholarship. She graduated with a BA in journalism with honors from New Mexico State University.

Joshua Rattet ’94

Josh Rattet currently serves as the vice president of team sports for Under Armour, after 17 years with the brand.

Rattet started his journey in the sporting goods industry in 1990 as a freshman sport management student at UMass when he sent a personal letter to Reebok founder Paul Fireman, expressing his passion to work for the brand and in the industry.  

With expertise in product creation, athlete management, global merchandising, and brand building, Rattet has since spent over 30 years helping to build some of Reebok and Under Armour’s most iconic products and categories. Rattet was also instrumental in solidifying an MLB Authentic Collection footwear partnership at both brands. 

Rattet was instrumental in growing Under Armour’s footwear business to north of a billion dollars globally and responsible for the launching of multiple product categories. With an innovative mindset, he has spearheaded the introduction of three cushioning platforms and multiple material technologies over his tenure. 

Rattet was part of the team that signed Steph Curry to Under Armour and created his first two signature shoes. Josh has also built bespoke product for many of the world’s greatest athletes, including but not limited to Tom Brady, John Elway, Emmitt Smith, Justin Jefferson, Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Cam Newton, Jordan Spieth, and Andy Murray. 

Rattet is a native of Sharon, MA. Currently residing in Baltimore, MD, he and his wife Erica are the proud parents of three boys: Maxwell, Dylan, and Brandon.

Mark Schultz ’01

Currently serving as vice president for partnership marketing at NHL Enterprises Canada, L.P., Mark Schultz has been with the NHL for 20+ years. He possesses a strong institutional knowledge of the NHL’s business across North America, having held positions in both the NHL’s New York and Toronto offices.

Schultz has established himself as a thought leader and key collaborator in driving strategic planning efforts for corporate partners, managing an annual portfolio of partners across multiple categories including retail, packaged goods, sports betting, and quick service restaurants. His efforts have contributed to the successful planning and execution of mass-scale, high-profile partner programs and integration into NHL Events in Canada, such as NHL All-Star Weekend (2024) and the 4 Nations Face-Off (2025).

His dedication to evolving the NHL’s Canadian partnership business has delivered results for some of the NHL’s longest-tenured partners, including PepsiCo (19 years) and Canadian Tire Corporation (15 years).  Schultz has also worked closely with NHL clubs in a consultative role to identify and share best practices to increase local revenue.

Schultz received his MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University in 2006 and his BS degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2001.

Steve McKelvey Alumni on the Rise Award

Launched in 2013, this award recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past five to ten years and have demonstrated exceptional achievement within the sport industry, while giving back through time and resources to the McCormack Department of Sport Management at Isenberg. In 2022, the award was renamed in honor of Professor Steve McKelvey in recognition of his passion for industry engagement and the career development of McCormack students and alumni.

Brittany Green ’17

Brittany Green is the director of business solutions for the Los Angeles Lakers. In this role, she leads the business strategy to grow and retain the Lakers' sponsorships, working closely with internal stakeholders to maximize opportunities and revenue.

Before joining the Lakers, Green built her career in partnership strategy at Oak View Group (OVG), where she led sales narratives and storytelling for major sports and entertainment assets, including naming rights and jersey patches for top properties like the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, and Orlando City SC. She also founded the OVG Black Oaks Network ERG, championing diversity and inclusion in the sports industry. Green has further honed her expertise in partnership marketing and sales with the Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Mets.

Outside of her professional life, Green is a passionate runner and a three-time marathoner, with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. She is also dedicated to mentoring the next generation of sports business leaders and advocating for greater diversity in the industry.

Robert Hanlon ’14

Robert Hanlon is a dynamic entrepreneur and creative strategist. He co-founded Far Outtt in 2023, where he cultivates innovative collaborations with brands like Wendy's, Pabst, and Shopify as the head of brand partnerships. His agency specializes in cutting-edge influencer, creator, and social media activations.

Hanlon's career includes pivotal roles at Twitter and MKTG, shaping brand and digital strategies. A testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, he also launched Bob's Pizza Tour in NYC, fostering a community around local culinary treasures. He now calls Baltimore home, alongside his fiancé Jackie and their beloved Labrador, Arlene.

Brittany Jeanis ’15 MS

Brittany Jeanis is the vice president of golf at Intersport, one of the country’s leading sports marketing and event operations agencies for more than 35 years. She oversees strategy and operations for the agency’s golf division, which encompasses managing major professional golf tournaments as well as premium hospitality and event activations across the country.  

In addition, Jeanis serves as the tournament director for the Rocket Classic, an award-winning PGA TOUR event in Detroit, and for the World Champions Cup, a first-of-its kind three-team golf event that debuted in 2023. During her time at Intersport, she has not only become one of the youngest PGA TOUR tournament directors in history, but also the first female tournament director to operate a PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions event in the same season.

After graduating from Texas A&M University in 2014 and UMass Amherst in 2015, Jeanis took an internship with the PGA TOUR in New Jersey that led to her spending six years with the organization at its Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida headquarters. During her tenure with the PGA TOUR, she played a key role on the Corporate Partnerships team, leading and managing relationships with official and title sponsors. Additionally, she served as a consultant and liaison for large major-market PGA TOUR tournaments within the tournament business division.

Jake Krantz ’14

Jake Krantz recently became the Senior Director of National Sales at NASCAR, where he focuses on securing league partnerships across NASCAR’s owned and operated IP, tracks, and media networks.

Prior to joining NASCAR, Jake served as the senior director of partnership development at the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), where he played a key role in driving revenue growth since joining in 2021. He specialized in developing custom sponsorships that included broadcast integration, digital and social media, uniform branding, onsite activations, player endorsements, signage, and licensing. His strategic approach helped to secure some of the PLL’s largest partnerships, working with major brands such as UBS, BetMGM, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Rebel Bourbon, and others.

Before joining PLL, Krantz spent over five years at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as an agent and executive. In a hybrid role within the brand consulting division, he built and executed sports and entertainment marketing strategies for brands including Wells Fargo, Tissot, and Wilson. As an agent, he generated revenue on behalf of CAA’s property and talent clients through sponsorships, endorsements, appearances, licensing, and equity partnerships.

Krantz began his career as an analyst in the licensing department at Endeavor (formerly IMG), where he created new business opportunities for clients such as the Norman Rockwell estate, PGA Tour, and Emergen-C.

Dom Macklin ’15 MBA, MS

Dom Macklin completed his MBA and MS at UMass between 2013 and 2015, bringing him to the U.S. after he gained an undergraduate degree from Cambridge University. After starting his career with an internship at USA Rugby and an associate position at Fenway Sports Management, he made the move back to the U.K. to take up a role with City Football Group in London. After a year in the world of sponsorships, he finally relocated back up to his hometown of Manchester to CFG's headquarters. He’s spent the last 9 years in a variety of roles across ticketing and events, football operations, business operations and most recently, fan experience, where he's involved in the development of Manchester City's new year-round entertainment district.

A passionate fan of Celtic and Irish Rugby, Macklin is also still an avid Red Sox, Celtics and Notre Dame fan, despite the challenging time difference making it trickier to watch games now that he's back in the U.K.! Macklin lives in Manchester with his wife Emma and son Joey, who's set to welcome a little brother into the world in the next couple of days.

Exceptional Service Award

The Exceptional Service Award recognizes an individual who has provided exceptional service and support over many years to the success of the McCormack Department of Sport Management at Isenberg.

Takehiko Nakamura ’04 MS

Takehiko Nakamura is a 2004 graduate of the Mark H. McCormack Sport Management program, where he received the Alumni on the Rise award in 2015. He has built a distinguished career in the global sports industry, with experience in the international departments of Major League Soccer and FC Barcelona, deepening his expertise in global football operations. In 2014, he earned his master's degree from ISDE, a Madrid-based law school, further expanding his knowledge in sports governance and legal frameworks.

Since 2012, Nakamura has been a FIFA-licensed match agent, facilitating international competitions. In 2015, he founded Blue United Corporation in New York and Tokyo, a company that owns the Pacific Rim Cup, an international professional soccer tournament in Honolulu, as well as Blue United eFC, an esports team powered by Manchester City, and Blue United FC, the first Japan-inspired soccer school in NYC.

Beyond entrepreneurship, Nakamura serves as an advisor to multiple Japanese organizations, including but not limited to the Ministry of Education of Japan, Deloitte Japan, FC Tokyo, Kashima Antlers, MIXI, and Pacific League Marketing. Additionally, he is a special appointed professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, the head lecturer at the PIA Sports Business Program, a research collaborator at the University of Tokyo, and a volunteer coach for the UMass Men’s Soccer Team.