COLLEGE ATHLETICS

STUDENT ATHLETE NIL

I am currently the Head of Legal & Business Affairs for Student Athlete NIL (SANIL). As in-house counsel, I oversee contract management, negotiations, and compliance for the athletes we engage with. I work closely with internal stakeholders, including the communications team, to ensure seamless execution of agreements and strategic alignment with our clients in college athletics.

Student Athlete NIL is an industry leading agency of record dedicated to helping brands, universities and most importantly student-athletes, navigate the new era of Name, Image and Likeness. With decades of experience in collegiate sports marketing and a second-to-none understanding of the regulatory environment, our clients and partners can rest assured that they are equipped with the knowledge, data and insights necessary to take full advantage of one of the greatest arbitrage opportunities in marketing history. See our latest press release here.

LSU Athletics NIL / COMPLIANCE 2021-2022

From July 2021 to May 2022, I worked with LSU Athletics Compliance where I not only reviewed and interpreted NCAA regulations, but I also researched the evolving name, image, and likeness (NIL) legislation. I handled Name, Image, and Likeness education for student-athletes, coaches, and recruits. I also functioned as the sole graphic designer for LSU’s newest NIL education initiative, @WeAreNILSU, on Instagram and Twitter from its creation date through May 2022. My job was to review Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Legislation in Louisiana, and break it down into educational graphics and resources for student-athletes, recruits, and coaches alike.

Click below to see all of the educational content we’ve put out to date on Twitter, make sure to follow us on Instagram as well at @WeAreNILSU

Legal and Industry Research around Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)

Legal Implications of State by State Legislation

I completed my legal seminar paper tackling the privacy concerns for student-athletes when it comes to disclosure of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals to third parties. I hope to publish this piece shortly. Interestingly, because many of the state NIL laws were passed hurriedly, few legislators foresaw the privacy implications around student-athlete NIL deal disclosures to third parties. Not only is there inconsistency across all states, but there may be varying protections for student-athletes without federal legislation. Many schools have claimed these records are protected as “education records” under FERPA or state privacy law, however, there have already been two suits filed by third party media companies in two different states in order to recover specific, identifying information about student-athlete NIL deals. Stay tuned to read my final legal argument on the matter!

The Future of Name, Image, and Likeness in Advertising

Additionally, I published my master’s thesis in order to provide predictions for how Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Legislation will evolve in the advertising industry. I conducted in-depth interviews with dozens of sports and college sports industry professionals, as well as college athletics employees, in order to obtain a clear vision of how advertising and branding professionals should move forward in this industry.

LSU MEN’S BASKETBALL 2017-2019

Aggressive, committed, & Thankful.

That’s the motto of the LSU Men’s Basketball team. Players, coaches, and staff. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had working with such a driven, talented staff and team.

My responsibilities.

During my time with the team, I reported to the Director of Basketball Operations for all of my work. I was originally hired on to produce unique, in-house graphics and video for prospective recruits and the current team. I worked under LSU Athletics Creative Services, working closely with Lindsey Thompson - a ridiculously talented graphic designer.

what did I really do?

As I grew into the position, I wore various hats, helping the basketball managers organize presentations, pamphlets, folders, and graphics. I quickly learned that I was not only hired on as an assistant, but a part of the team.

While there, I worked on several larger projects for the current team during their tournaments. This included personalized graphics for each player, and “motivation boards” for each of their tournaments. These boards would be printed at their custom print shop so that the team would be able to carry it with them throughout the tournament. Most of the time, the guys would be given certain tasks for each of the tournaments. If they completed these tasks successfully, they’d check it off on the motivation board.

Here’s the LINK to one of my twitter famous designs (mostly because of Will Wade’s dance moves in front of my board) so you can see it in action!

So what did I learn?

more than you’d think.

All in all, graphic design was a small sliver of my experience with LSU Basketball. I was able to observe and participate in all aspects of the team including manager duties, due to my aggressive attitude and propensity for learning! I was given the opportunity to become part of the team for two years, and commit my time and energy into an organization that puts out amazing athletes, staff, and leaders.

LSU BAT GIRLS: LSU BASEBALL MARKETING

WE ARE THE LIAISONS TO ALEX BOX STADIUM.

“The Bat Girls are a part of the LSU Athletics Marketing department. In addition to working as bat handlers for all LSU home baseball games, members serve as ambassadors for fans at Alex Box Stadium and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner both on and off the field.”

- LSU ATHLETICS MARKETING TEAM

HOW DID I GET HERE?

I am extremely grateful for my time as an LSU Bat Girl. I was able to work closely with LSU Athletics Marketing, which incorporated my passion for sports with my undergraduate degree of mass communication. The LSU Bat Girls are chosen through a series of interviews including a written application and in-person interviews with several staff members within the LSU Athletics family.

BUT, WHAT’S A BAT GIRL?

Our duties include volunteering for at least one game per series (home games) and participating in marketing and promotions events. On a typical game day, we would arrive an hour or so early to prepare promotions, and leave an hour or so late after the game ends to count money from program sales and organize for the next games. The work was rewarding, especially because of our interaction with the most loyal baseball fans in the SEC.

WHAT DID I LEARN?

I gained invaluable real-world skills that go beyond the classroom—time management, organization, accountability, and teamwork. Balancing coordination between the marketing team, communications staff, and baseball operations during games sharpened my ability to multitask and communicate effectively under pressure.

Beyond game days, we played an active role in LSU Athletics Marketing, assisting with events like LSU Basketball promotions, the First Pitch Dinner & Auction, and more. This experience not only deepened my passion for sports but also led me to my role with LSU Men’s Basketball, further solidifying my commitment to the industry.