Greg Alexander is a highly accomplished media executive with over 20 years of experience in the industry. As the Market President for iHeartMedia, he oversees the leading media outlet in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market with multiple platforms, including its nine iconic broadcast stations; live events; data; and its digital businesses and platforms. Under Greg's leadership, iHeartMedia has continued to expand its reach and influence in the media industry. He has overseen the successful launch of several new initiatives, including the transformation of the Sales Department expanded the market’s growing roster of live events and enhancing the sports partnerships.

Prior to joining iHeartMedia, Greg held executive positions at several other leading media companies, including Interep National Radio Sales, Inc., Spanish Broadcasting System, and Clear Channel Communications. Alexander is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and minor in Marketing.

Alexander plays a key role in the community acting on various boards including M Health Fairview Philanthropic Board, Minnesota Broadcasters Association, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance, Birdies4Brains and most recently Minnesota Sports and Events Champions Council.

Greg is widely recognized as a dynamic and visionary leader in the media industry. His passion for innovation and his deep understanding of the media landscape have made him a highly respected and sought-after expert in his field.

Alexander is married to his wife, Andrea, for 17 years and has two kids: Julia (15) and Hannah (11). He spends his free time with his family skiing and visiting the many lakes around Minnesota.

Sarah Anderson is the Group Sales Manager at Mall of America and oversees all private events and group tickets/experiences at MOA. She has been with the Mall for 12 years and loves the exciting atmosphere and creating unique experiences for all types of groups. She is also active within Meeting Professionals International and sits on the board of directors as the Director of Education for the Minnesota chapter. Sarah is an alumni of the University of Minnesota and in her free time enjoys cheering on the Gophers and traveling the world.

Glen Andresen is the Executive Director for Minnesota Hockey, the governing body for youth and amateur hockey in Minnesota, which is the largest affiliate of USA Hockey. Glen has served in his role for over 10 years, leading the business side of the organization, which includes Marketing and Communications, Corporate Partnerships, Events, Hockey Development and Finance. Glen’s primary focuses include growing the sport of hockey so all children get a chance to play the game, protecting the unique community-based model and providing the safest environment for all participants. Prior to his role with Minnesota Hockey, Glen spent nine years in the Marketing Department with the Minnesota Wild.

A native of Duluth, MN, Glen now lives in Bloomington, MN with his four children: Devin (13), Brynn (9), Cameron (6) and Eddie (6).

Erin Battaglia and her family are the founders of the non-profit TB1Fund. Her daughter Braxton is a two-time cancer survivor and patient at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. TB1F has raised over one million dollars to help patients and families going through similar life changing illnesses. TB1F’s primary goal is to help patients focus on recovery by providing items & experiences that not only distract and engage them, but also encourage recovery, be it mental, physical, or emotional. We are constantly working on new ideas, new projects, and new partnerships to provide the best possible experiences and offerings. TB1Fund is dedicated to making a difference - We Got This!

Teresa has over 25 years of experience and a wide array of skills in sports business including: event management, corporate account management, sponsorship sales, hospitality, sports marketing and advertising, investment strategy and return on investment analysis, merchandise, retail, media and ticket sales, social media and fundraising. Teresa has worked for several leading companies and sports organizations such as: The 3M Open, ptum, Learfield Sports, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves, University of Minnesota, Genesco Sports, and CBS Radio. Teresa founded T Time Sports Management to use her vast knowledge, experiences and relationships in the sports industry to help businesses, foundations and other organizations maximize their ability to grow revenue, enhance customer engagement, host successful events and meet their objectives for sponsorships, fundraising and sports marketing.

Named Twin Cities Business Magazine 100 people to know, Mich Berthiaume has spent over 25 years becoming the leading local expert of Minnesota-born brands while curating several LOCAL Market experiences for the likes of Mall of America, the Super Bowl, The Dayton’s Project, the Minnesota Twins Gate 34 Experience, the Minnesota Twins and U.S. Bank Partnership for Bipoc brands, The Four Seasons Hotel, Malcolm Yards, Viking Lakes, and several additional local marketplaces throughout the United States. Mich has developed and positioned products in the marketplace for several major retailers and manufacturers, including Faribault Mill, Ecolab, and Brooks Brothers.

Outside of her career, Mich is an avid sports fan who can often be found cheering from the sidelines of many Minnesota games. She also enjoys traveling, walking, spending time with her two daughters, and mentoring local makers.

Erika L. Binger is the Founding Director of V3 Sports, a Center in North Minneapolis to provide health, wellness, equity, and opportunity through fitness, water safety, education, and economic equity. Ms. Binger has an extensive career working with youth and sports, as well as racial equity. She is a former collegiate athlete, served on community and foundation boards as well as in leadership roles at her church. Ms. Binger has a dual masters in Organizational Leadership and Biomechanics of Exercise and Nutrition, as well as USA Triathlon Coaching and USA Swimming Certifications and former chair of Minneapolis Sports and Events. She continues to compete on the International Championship level in Aquathlon.

As a Minnesota native, Jessica is passionate about reinvigorating our communities commitment to bringing sports and events to our state. As a General Sales Manager for Audacy - Twins Cities, she is an advocate for building bridges through music and sports to bring people together. Utilizing one of the largest digital audio platforms in the country and locally activating three top radio stations she is dedicated to using the power of promotion to keep our cities filled with excitement, vibrancy and inclusivity!

Paul Buckley is the Director of Airport Operations at Minneapolis for Delta Air Lines. He leads of team of over 1,000 aviation professionals delivering safe, reliable, customer focused hub operations. With 15 years of experience with Delta, Paul has proven himself as a results driven, decisive leader with a successful history across commercial and operational divisions, both in the US and Internationally. Paul began his career with Delta in Network Planning before transitioning to a role in Charter Operations. In 2016, Paul moved to an International Operations leadership position based in London Heathrow with oversight for operations throughout Europe. Upon his return to the US, Paul moved back to a commercial role in Alliances, leading a new team dedicated to improving the customer experience when traveling with Delta and global airline partners. Paul’s passion for people leadership took him back to the operation and a move to Minneapolis to lead the ramp, baggage and tower operations. Paul holds a Masters Degree in Airport Planning and Design from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he also played college soccer, and is a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame. Paul and his wife Shannon are blessed with two children (Parker and Jack) and reside in Minneapolis.

CEO and Founder Tyrre Burks was born and raised in the southside of Chicago, where his love of sports began. As a former collegiate and professional athlete, he was motivated to found Players Health because of the impact youth sports had on his life. He experienced firsthand the positive impact sports can have on someone’s life when the experience is filled with love, trust, and safety. Having a positive influence on sports culture has been a dream of his for his entire life. From athlete to coach to entrepreneur, Tyrre is on a mission through Players Health to create safer and more accessible environments for all sports.

Mr. Carnival's practice in legislative and administrative law includes representing the McGrann Shae Carnival clients' interests at the Minnesota Legislature and before county and city governments in and around the Twin Cities area. He has served as General Counsel to Minnesota Sports and Events, and also serves on their Executive Board. In his spare time, Mr. Carnival is a public address announcer for various high school and college sporting events and is a member of the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers. He has been a softball and baseball umpire and a youth hockey referee, certified by the national governing association, USA Hockey.

Ethan Casson leads as the Chief Executive Officer for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Minnesota Lynx, the Iowa Wolves, and T-Wolves Gaming. Casson also serves on the NBA Board of Governors as the Timberwolves and Lynx Alternate Governor.

As CEO, Casson oversees all business operations, working closely with ownership and the executive team on setting the organization’s strategic vision. In February 2023 he was selected as one of Sports Business Journal’s “ALL IN: Leaders in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.” In the summer of 2022, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Casson a Most Admired CEO. Casson was recognized for his work in advancing social justice and equity in the community and the success the team achieved both on and off the court the previous year.

Since Casson’s arrival, the Timberwolves experienced consistent growth in all key metrics including season tickets, attendance, television viewership, corporate partnerships, merchandise, and social engagement. The Minnesota Lynx remain one of the model franchises in the WNBA, having been named WNBA Franchise of the Year for the 2017 and 2018 seasons including being crowned WNBA Champions in 2017. Further, Casson led the efforts in securing an NBA 2K team, joining 22 other NBA franchises with a 2K eSports team. In its inaugural season, T-Wolves Gaming won the 2019 NBA 2K Championship.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Timberwolves and Lynx Fastbreak Foundation, the Board of Directors for YouthLink, the Advisory Board for Positive Coaching Alliance, and is a member of the Minnesota Business Partnership.

Kyle Chank currently serves as the Vice President of Operations for MV Ventures, where his role is primarily focused as General Manager of the 200+ acre campus of Viking Lakes, owned by the Wilf family and most notably home to the world headquarters of the Minnesota Vikings Football Club. As General Manager, he is responsible for building the foundation, culture, programming and all logistical elements to bring the live, work, play campus to life. Chank most recently served as the Vice President of Operations and Logistics for the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee, with a hand in all operational elements relating to Super Bowl LII in February 2018. Super Bowl LII was his fourth Super Bowl, previously holding management and operational roles in Houston (LI), San Francisco (50), and Arizona (XLIX). Proof that Minnesota was his favorite Super Bowl, he is originally from Palm Springs, California and has now lived thru six Minnesota winters.

After graduating from Brown University, Kathleen knew working in the sports industry would be a fulfilling way to connect her passion for sports with professional relationship development. Having previous experience with the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers in their premium sales departments, she moved back to her hometown to join the Minnesota Vikings New Stadium project through Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment. Prior to the opening of U.S. Bank Stadium, she joined the Corporate Partnerships sales team and has now transitioned into a role leading our Premium Sales team. After working and living throughout the country, she is proud to be a member of the Minnesota Vikings franchise.

Ted Davis leads Weber Shandwick’s Corporate and Public Affairs Group in Minneapolis.

Brett Diamond was named Chief Operating Officer of Version1 when the professional esports organization was founded in 2019. Under Brett’s leadership the expansion organization entered the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League with Minnesota Røkkr, and established teams under Version1 in Rocket League and Valorant, including a women’s Valorant team.

Before joining Version1, Brett spent three years with the Minnesota Vikings, most recently as Director of Partnership Strategy and 11 years in the National Football League’s events department. While working in various roles on both the operations and business sides of the NFL’s major events, Brett was involved in planning 13 Super Bowls and served as the event director for the Pro Bowl for two years. From 2010-2016, Brett worked as a liaison from the NFL to communities bidding to host the Super Bowl and other major NFL events, including working closely with the Vikings and the Minnesota community for Super Bowl LII.

Joseph grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, MN and has been a lifelong Minnesota sports fan. He has worked in the hotel industry for 12 years now and has lived in cities like Chicago, Duluth, San Francisco, before returning to the Twin Cities at the end of 2019. He is currently the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. He and his wife Megan love exploring new cities and finding new adventures together, but love that their roots are set here in Minnesota.

Philicia began her career with the Miami Dolphins in 2015 after graduating from the University of South Florida with her MBA and Masters in Sport & Entertainment Management. After staying with the Dolphins for (4) seasons she took a chance and began working for a start up football league as the Director of Sales in Atlanta called the Alliance of American Football. Unfortunately, the league folded after (7) months and upon it being terminated she was able to get a chance to go back into pro sports and work for the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) as their Manager of Inside Sales for (2) seasons. During that time, the Pelicans received the #1 Draft Pick and her sales team’s reaction to the prospects of getting Zion Williamson went viral on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. This was one of the most memorable experiences of her career. As part of the Pelicans organization, she was able to earn the opportunity to move on to be The Assistant General Manager of the Pelicans G League team in Birmingham, Alabama where she was able to help the team set a record attendance. They also won an award for the 2nd most cash sponsorships in the league and had the #1 and #3 top sellers in the league that year. Now, Philicia currently serves as the Director of Brand Partnerships for the Minnesota Twins where she oversees a sponsorship team and helps build relationships between major brands and the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club. Philicia is big on family values and has a Mini–Australian Shepherd named Dodger.

Tanya Dreesen married, mother of 2, is currently in her 15th season as a prominent member of the Minnesota Vikings. As Vice President of Partnership Activation, Events + Special Projects, she collaborates on team and U.S. Bank Stadium presentations, and community relationships. She is responsible for the team that activates all sponsorships, including naming rights and new Founding Partnerships and well as all team tentpole fan facing and partner facing events. Tanya provides support on critical new team initiatives such as the International Series games in London, the successful 2018 Super Bowl LII bid and the latest new 200-acre practice facility (Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center) design and construction. Tanya led the development and curation of U.S. Bank Stadium’s art collection, as well as collaborated on the buildout of the Vikings Voyage experiential fan destination and led the design of the stadium’s iconic Legacy Ship sculpture. She also oversaw a revenue-producing fan paver program and is charged with integrating all sponsor branding throughout the stadium. Prior to joining the Vikings, Tanya served as Vice President of Marketing and Major Accounts for the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, activating Founding Partner roles for the Colorado Rockies and exclusive category sponsorships of the Denver Broncos, Colorado Wild and Denver Nuggets. Prior to Denver, Tanya led the Major Accounts Advertising Department for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Born in Toronto, Canada, Tanya began her career at The Toronto Sun as a member of the special projects team, which marketed and supported the launch of the Toronto Raptors NBA team. She was then recruited to a director position with Canada’s largest daily newspaper, The Toronto Star, where she led sponsorships for events, art and sports partnerships, including the Toronto Blue Jays, across all media properties. Tanya graduated with honors with a specialty in Advertising/Marketing from Canada’s Sheridan College. She was a three-time medalist in the Edmonton World Master Games for Rowing and has competed at the World Rowing (FISA) International level in Boston and Montreal Canada.

Steve Dunbar founded Ivy Properties in 2007. A Minneapolis based real estate development company committed to superior results for its partners & clients. Ivy has been fortunate to work in numerous communities throughout Minnesota with a focus on multi-family housing. Working with private partnerships and governmental agencies, Ivy has developed over 1,000 units in Minnesota.

Eddie Eixenberger was born and raised in the small community of Chehalis, WA. He attended Boise State University where he was a double major in Business and Human Resource Management. After graduation, Eddie moved to California to begin his career in the sports industry working in Minor League Baseball for the Sacramento River Cats. Other leadership stops included the Oakland Athletics and Fiesta Bowl Organizaton. Eddie now leads all ticket sales and strategy efforts for the Minnesota Twins. When not a Target Field, Eddie enjoys snowboarding, golfing, and road-tripping with his yellow lab, Buster.

Melisa is President of NewPublica, a full-service public relations and strategic communications firm uniquely poised for a rapidly changing world. Melisa is an attorney with extensive experience in government affairs, community relations, and public policy. She served in the Minnesota Senate for a decade since her first election in 2012 and was elected Minority Leader by her Caucus in 2021. Before co-founding NewPublica, Melisa worked at Target Corporation, holding various roles in real estate, government affairs and community relations teams. She serves on various boards, including the Alliss Educational Foundation, FairVote Minnesota, and is Chair of the Minnesota is Ready Coalition. Melisa is an entrepreneur with a strong community focus on the progression of multicultural voices within a mainstream marketplace.

Bob has spent much of his 33-year career in construction with a focus on delivering the best and highest quality product for his clients. His tenured career has ranged from laborer to carpenter to project manager to a business owner of Gardner Builders. He enjoys a lot about the construction industry, especially uncovering, understanding, and eliminating any source of concern for a client by addressing it with the team and putting a plan in place that will lead to success. There's nothing he values more than connection and relationships, striving to make the construction industry a thriving and energizing place for all.

John Harrington, the former Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety for Minnesota, was appointed by Governor Tim Walz and served until January 2023. Before becoming the Commissioner of Public Safety, Harrington served as the Chief of the Metro Transit Police from 2012-2019, helping to create the Homeless Action team and increasing diversity from 5-50%. Commissioner Harrington is a former member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 67, which includes the East area of Saint Paul. Harrington was the 39th Police Chief for St. Paul Police Department, serving from 2004-2010, where he began his police career in 1977. As St. Paul Police Chief, Harrington tackled some of the city's most challenging problems, developing programs that significantly reduced domestic violence and gang involvement. John grew up in Chicago, graduated from Dartmouth College, and earned a master's degree at the University of St. Thomas. In addition, he graduated from the FBI National Academy and Harvard Senior Management Institute. He is a founder of Ujamaa Place, a nonprofit organization in St Paul that serves African American men who are economically disadvantaged and have experienced repeated cycles of failure. He is working on his doctorate in Administration of Justice, a long-time goal of his.

Joshua Hasko is a shareholder with Messerli Kramer and serves as the firm’s President. Hasko has been an active member of the firm’s board of directors and served as chair of the Business Litigation Department. Josh is consistently included on the Minnesota Super Lawyers® list, which recognizes the top 2.5% of lawyers in the State and has been named to Super Lawyer’s® Top 100 List since 2016. He is also regularly recognized for his work in commercial litigation as one of The Best Lawyers in America©. He concentrates his practice on commercial business disputes, with an emphasis on complex contract and business tort litigation; creditor remedies and Uniform Commercial Code disputes including equipment leasing and secured transactions; fiduciary duty and shareholder claims; and real estate litigation. He practices in state and federal courts, bankruptcy courts, appellate courts, and in arbitration proceedings.

BJ Hellyer has been a student of the game at Northwestern Mutual since 1996, starting as an intern before working his way from a full-time Financial Representative to Managing Director. After 10 years as the Chief Development Officer, BJ was appointed Managing Partner of Northwestern Mutual – Twin Cities. BJ believes in the value of partnering with others to purposefully pursue their potential & is grateful for the opportunity to impact his community. BJ also enjoys the flexibility his career offers because it enables him to spend time with the people he cares about most. BJ and his wife, Kirsten, have two daughters, Josie and Laney, and son, Miles. BJ enjoys reading, exercising, golf & is an avid supporter of the Vikings and Twins.

Caitlin Herubin is a seasoned event professional with over 12 years of experience in live events and experiential activations. In her current role as a Vice President at Framework Events she oversees planning and execution of mid-to- large scale events such as the CrossFit Games. Previous and current clients span sports, fitness, tech and consumer brand industries, executing events scaling from intimate executive dinners to multi-day gatherings of 20,000+ attendees. Caitlin is a Certified Meeting Professional with a commitment to continued education and expertise in the event industry.

Carrie Higgs has worked with Cub Foods since 2009, serving in many roles, most recently as the Director of Community Relations since 2018. She has worked through all of Cub’s footprint, emphasizing the importance of intertwining community and business through the Cub experience. She works closely with Cub’s sports sponsorships and how to effectively activate within that space. Carrie presented at the Top Women in Grocery Conference about charitable work helping your community and building bonds within your organization. She is an expert in how to foster a giving culture and encouraging employees to get involved. Before Cub Carrie worked with SuperValu and Tires Plus after receiving her degree from University of Minnesota Duluth. She is on the Board of Directors for the M Health Fairview Philanthropic Board, TB1Fund, the United Way of Washington County East and the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce.

Jane Jenewein is the Strategic Account Director for NPARALLEL, a structural design agency. She helps brands bring to life experiential marketing activations, trade shows, retail environments, and corporate interiors. She is passionate about creating authentic connections and believes in the power of meaningful relationships to drive business success. With extensive experience in partnership development, sales, and marketing, Jane loves to collaborate to develop innovative solutions to achieve business objectives. She is also a skilled pickleball player and an avid fan of Minnesota sports.

Shannon Knoepke, SVP of Revenue for Media Bridge Advertising, is a driven and accomplished individual who has excelled in athletics and the media industry. As a three-sport athlete in high school, Shannon learned the value of hard work and competition, traits that would serve her well throughout her career. After college, Shannon entered the media world and quickly rose through the ranks, earning management positions at a oung age and climbing the ladder at companies such as Cumulus, WCCO radio, Clear Channel Radio, Townsquare Media, CBS Radio, Entercom/Audacy and currently Media Bridge Advertising where she currently leads the Revenue department.

Josh Lacey is based in the Twin Cities and operates in the role of Market President for Live Nation Minnesota – overseeing a business that has grown rapidly in recent years. He has extensive experience working as a concert promoter at all levels of the business ranging from clubs to stadiums. His passion and enthusiasm for artist development has led to a track record of identifying nascent artists and fostering relationships early. He considers working on Mumford & Sons first headline performance in Minneapolis at the Varsity Theater, Brandi Carlile’s first sold out arena show at the Xcel Energy Center, and sold out Twenty Øne Pilots dates at every capacity level ranging from Varsity Theater to Xcel Energy Center as professional highlights. He believes that there is nothing like the magic of live entertainment. In addition to live music, Josh loves reading, traveling and being in nature with his family. He is a proud champion of the Minnesota region and loves helping facilitate life long memories for members of our community.

Henry Lake has been a prominent member on the sports scene in Minnesota for the last twenty years as talk show radio host for KFAN Radio and now with WCCO Radio. Aside from his nightly show, "The Lakeshow" on the station, he also has Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Twins postgame responsibilities as well. When not working, he enjoys down time with friends, checking out live music, relaxing with a workout at a gym near you, and doing community work that positively supports our community.

Sarah Lee, currently serving as the Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships, has been with Special Olympics Minnesota for over 5-years. She began her journey with the organization on the sports programming team before making a transition to corporate sponsorship. Her work extends to the playing field as she participates as a Unified Partner on a Special Olympics Unified flag football team. Today, she's a pivotal part of the team gearing up for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, showcasing her unwavering dedication to making Minnesota a more inclusive place.

Lisa Lissimore is a retired Minnesota State High School League Associate Director. In that role, she managed the organization’s sponsorship sales and marketing and the sports of basketball, softball, swimming and diving, cross country running, synchronized swimming and badminton. Prior to working for the Minnesota State High School League, Lisa worked for the Minnesota House of Representatives as a writer. She also coached women’s basketball at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul for five seasons, and one season at her alma mater Central High School, St. Paul. As an active member in her community, she is a member of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter of Links. She also co-founded the Shooting Stars Inner City Girls Basketball Clinic and is a member of the David Winfield Scholarship Award Committee; the Twin Cities Par Seekers Golf Tournament Planning Committee; Twin Cities Dunkers; and she has served on several University of Minnesota Athletic Department task forces and advisory committees.

Matt Majka is currently the President & Alternate Governor for Minnesota Sports and Entertainment (MSE). He previously held the positions of COO, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Sponsorships. MSE is a regional sports and entertainment leader that has grown into several different business operations including the Minnesota Wild, its minor league affiliate, the Iowa Wild, 317 on Rice Park and the facility management of Xcel Energy Center and Saint Paul RiverCentre. During his tenure with the Wild, Majka has been instrumental in fostering the unique relationship between the hockey club and its fan base. The team's continued dedication to the fans of the "State of Hockey" is reflected in ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings which named the Wild as the "Best Stadium Experience" in the National Hockey League from 2007 - 2010. Majka joined the Minnesota Wild in October 1997 after leaving Rollerblade, Inc. Majka currently serves on the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance, The Ordway Center for Performing Arts, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the BEL13VE in Miracles Foundation boards.

Karen is an award-winning tourism strategist with a diverse background in partnership development, meeting planning, and public relations in both the nonprofit and private sectors. Currently, Karen is the Business Development Director for Discover St. Louis Park, promoting two great cities with one sweet destination. She is passionate about bringing new events, tournaments and conventions into Minnesota's sweet spot that will have a positive economic impact on the two communities.

A 20 + year Sales, Strategy and Marketing Communication executive with expertise at leading global advertising agencies and destination marketing association. Dan is recognized for developing “win-win” strategies, partnerships, and promotions, with major corporations, media, entertainment, hotel, and sports properties to create private and public economic impact. Passionate about our tourism community, Dan spear-headed a six-city partnership with Explore Minnesota Tourism and American Society of Association Executives Association (ASAE) to increase the visibility of events and meetings to our state. Dan has served on committees for 2016 Ryder Cup, 2018 Super Bowl, 2019 NCAA Final Four, Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE) and is the former president of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Minnesota Chapter. Dan enjoys his family with his wife Ginnie and three kids: Shea, Molly and Henry

As Director of Experiential for Mall of America®, Danielle Platek curates + designs all common area events + activations throughout the property, ensuring a positive guest experience for the millions of annual visitors.

From celebrity appearances and professional wrestling events, to building half court 3x3 basketball tournaments and everything in between—Danielle and the Experiential team host over 300 events a year.

Danielle has been with Mall of America for over a decade and thrives on providing positive and memorable entertainment experiences for Mall guests.

Danielle grew up in the La Crosse, WI area and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where she received a Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. When not collaborating on world class activations, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends + golfing.

After spending a decade on air in TV news, Roshini returned home to Minneapolis in 2006 to start Roshini Multi Media--a boutique crisis strategy, media consulting, professional speaking, and content creation firm. She has conducted thousands of interviews during 25 years in broadcasting. In August 2022, Roshini launched The Crisis Files, which drops weekly on your favorite podcast platform. She is a regular contributor for the syndicated CrimeDoor TV; a legal analyst for Court TV; a crisis commentator for Twin Cities media; a political analyst for WJR Detroit and KNUS Denver; and author of Communicate That!

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York. With eight siblings my childhood has shaped who I am today. Today I consider myself a Minnesotan after over twenty plus years. I've spent much of my professional life running retail chains. Starting as a cashier for Best Buy and working up to a General Manager. I've run chains for Best Buy, Apple, and Circuit City. Many of the stores I've run had over one hundred employees. With annual budgets exceeding 50 million dollars.

More recently I've transitioned to Director roles focused on social impact. With Best Buy I was Director of Community Program Operations. Overseeing all Teen Tech Centers, volunteer efforts, and disaster relief efforts. My current role is with Wisdom Gaming, a startup based out of Mall of America. My Role as VP of Social Impact includes driving our efforts in esports with our high school league called Minnesota Varsity League. With over 80 high schools enjoying gaming we are now engaging in disinvested communities. To bring esports gaming and tech education to create a path for young people to get into high-paying tech jobs.

Courtney S. Ries is the Vice President of Destination Branding and Strategy at Meet Minneapolis, the city’s tourism board. In her role, Courtney oversees the marketing, communications and public relations and partnership departments. Prior to her return to the region, Courtney oversaw the $10 million annual marketing budget for Travel Portland, the tourism board in Portland, Oregon. During her tenure, she also led the city’s Downtown Marketing Initiative, focusing on improving the economy and vitality of the city’s core through strategic development, advocacy, programming, activation and events. Courtney holds a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University in Chicago.

Clint Roberts is the founder and president of One Simple Plan. With almost 25 years of agency experience in marketing and PR, Clint has seen what makes a brand click, and after nearly 10 years working for Minneapolis-based agencies including Weber Shandwick, Olson and Carmichael Lynch, he launched One Simple Plan in 2007 in his home’s attic, with the goal of building an agency that values high - touch, catered client service above all else. In 2012, Clint was recognized in the Minneapolis - St. Paul Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” on the heels of his campaign development and execution work for what created the revolution ary Minnesota beer legislation, the Surly Bill. Having built the bulk of the business on client referrals, Clint has developed a deep network of connections and partners hips across industries ranging from food and beverage to retail. In addition to a wide collection of agency clients, Clint used his music industry experience to help develop the St. Paul live utdoor music series Music in Mears, fully adopting the program and transforming it into what is now Lowertown Sounds, which kicked off in 2019.

Malik Rucker serves as the Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships for V3 Sports. V3 Sports is a non-profit located in North Minneapolis, Minnesota that is working to combat health and wellness inequities, reduce drowning disparities, and to contribute to social and economic transformation in Minneapolis. Prior to joining V3, Malik held positions working for the Minnesota Twins and Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. Malik earned an MBA from the University of North Texas, G. Brint Ryan College of Business and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport Management from Western Michigan University where he also played football.

Eric Satre is a 19-year veteran of the hospitality industry, serving in various markets throughout the Twin Cities. Currently, Eric is the Director of Business Development in the convention sales department at Visit Saint Paul. He enjoys working with sports event organizers—contributing to a one-of-a-kind destination experience while driving economic impact to the city. He leads with passion, authenticity, and a growth mindset.

Sarah has been in the meetings and special events industry her entire career producing corporate meetings and incentive events, live marketing, brand activations and sports hospitality events all over the world. She has worked on bespoke, exclusive, luxury events in remote destinations and on large-scale events like the Olympics, VMAs, CMA, Billboard Music Awards and events for the NFL, PGA and more.

She has worked in all aspects of event planning including hotel/vendor procurement, business development, event design, entertainment, and production and has received numerous international awards for her work. Sarah specializes in understanding a projects full scope, and excels at bringing all aspects together as a true producer. Her expertise at customizing programs with world class entertainment, brand and experiential installations, and her knowledge of audio visual and production make her an exceptional partner in supporting her client’s needs. Sarah’s emphasis is on creativity and building relationships, finding the best products, providers, and resources for her clients and their programs.

A native of Wisconsin with many years in the Minneapolis area, Jason has an extensive background in hotels serving roles such as General Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing. Jason has a wife and 4 children (2 boys and 2 girls) who keep him busy with softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and more. Jason enjoys all things sports and a long day on the golf course, when time permits.

Christy is the Office Managing Director for Accenture's Minneapolis/St. Paul location. In this capacity, she is responsible for bringing innovation to clients across twelve industries and Accenture's portfolio of businesses, attracting top talent, and strengthening Accenture's impact on the local community. Since joining Accenture over 30 years ago, Christy has built a reputation as a trusted and strategic client advisor. She is an authentic, growth-oriented leader, deeply experienced in driving transformational change and businesses to higher levels of performance.

Passionate about the Twin Cities community and giving back, Christy serves on the Greater MSP Board of Directors, on the Board of Advisors at the University of MN, Carlson School of Management, and she is a member of the Minnesota Business Partnership. She has previously served on the Boards of Minnesota Sports and Events and Special Olympics Minnesota.

Ryan is currently the Assistant Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships with U.S. Bank; activating partnerships with many of the local professional pro & college sports teams as well as Arts/Culture venues such as the MIA, Minnesota Orchestra, Science Museum of Minnesota, The Guthrie & The Walker Art Center. Ryan played a large role for U.S. Bank on previous Super Bowl & NCAA Final Four planning committee’s as well.

Brick x Mortar co-founder and marketing professional with experience leading successful growth in a variety of industries. Sussman recently exited as Partner and CMO of promotions and marketing firm Imprint Engine, leading them from $3.5M in revenue to $20M+ in revenue from 2018-2022. Prior to Imprint Engine, Zach was the Vice President of Marketing for Kaskaid Hospitality, one of the largest hospitality companies in Minnesota, centered around the successful CRAVE Restaurant brand. As one of the company's top executives from 2009-2018, Zach led Kaskaid from two restaurant locations and $7M in annual revenue to a hospitality juggernaut boasting 20+ restaurant locations in 8 states, 3 event centers, and a catering division with a combined $40M+ in annual revenue.

Carin is a Senior Vice President-Wealth Management with Align Wealth Partners. She is putting her skills and experience to work helping clients who are in transition because of a major life change, such as career change, retirement, divorce, and death of a loved one. By working with clients to plan their investment and cash flow strategies, she helps each individual work toward long-term financial security during some of life’s most challenging transitions. Her goals are to engage, empower and prepare our clients for their futures. Carin, a Certified Investment Management Analyst, began her career in the securities industry in 1985, working as a Vice President in Trust Services at Wells Fargo and US Bank. She began advising clients in 1995 at Merrill Lynch in Minneapolis. She also co-authored a book on the subject of divorce and created a workbook for people who need to navigate the financial aspect of this process. Carin holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. She lives in Prior Lake, Minnesota. She has two adult sons and loves to play tennis, golf and travel.

Dylan is a Financial Advisor with Align Wealth Partners and joined the team in Jan of 2022. He will be focusing on building new relationships and helping with things such as Investments and maintain accounts. He holds his Series 7, 66 and his MN Life, Health and Accident Insurance. He Graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a bachelor’s degree in economics. After college he was fortunate enough to play 2 years with the Saint Paul Saints and then started his own company called HTP Sports Academy. It is an academy that helps kids learn and understand the game of baseball and softball. Dylan and his wife Analisa reside in Savage, MN where they have a 2-year-old baby boy named Dawson. He and his family love to travel whether it is up north to the cabin on down south in Florida. When not working Dylan loves to golf and currently plays for the Elko Express men’s amateur team.

Rachel Thompson is a local and state leader in the hospitality and tourism industry. Driven by her love and passion for the St. Cloud area, she takes pride in promoting the area as a must-see destination in the Midwest. As the Executive Director of Visit Greater St. Cloud, her goal is to increase economic development in tourism by attracting leisure travelers, group tours, sporting events, and conferences to the St. Cloud Area while also advocating for the local and state tourism industry. Outside her profession, Rachel enjoys hiking the area trails with her two young kids and exploring all things local.

Alex Tittle is the Senior Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Medica. In this role, he is responsible for the strategy, execution and administration, program performance, and communication related to Medica’s diversity, equity and inclusion activities. He has held senior roles with The NFL’s MN Super Bowl Host Committee, MN Sports Facilities Authority/Vikings, the MN Department of Transportation and honorably served ten years in the active U. S. Army. Alex earned his Bachelor degree from The Citadel and a dual master’s degree in Human Resources & Management. Alex currently serves on the board of directors for the Page Education Foundation, the University of St. Thomas Law School and is the board chairman for Turning Point, a chemical treatment organization in North Minneapolis.

Peter is a Managing Director at Accenture where he leads accounts at industry and world leading organizations. With a focus on his client’s success, Peter builds high performing and engaged teams to deliver innovative solutions that further advance the organization’s mission. He takes great pride in developing long-standing relationships and celebrating their success. Having grown up in Hutchinson, MN and attending Notre Dame, Peter now lives in Orono with his wife and two Notre Dame student sons who are both studying Mechanical Engineering. As active sports and outdoor fans, the family spends their time outside of work and school at various sporting events and along the North Shore of Minnesota.

For the last 18 years, Patricia has worked in Commercial and Residential Real Estate. Previously spent several years operating an off- premise catering business and worked as an Events Coordinator for a Minneapolis cooking school. Currently developing a 20 acre neighborhood in Prospect Park named Malcolm Yards. I am the Developer, Owner and Operator of the Market at Malcolm Yards.

Andrea Yoch, President of Andrea Yoch & Co and Minnesota Aurora FC, is an experienced marketing professional specializing in small business, media, sports and entertainment. With a diverse range of skills including events, media relations, social media and digital marketing, Andrea knows what it takes to make any project successful. She has been lucky enough to work on a wide range of projects including opening U.S. Bank Stadium with the International Champions Cup, two Minnesota Super Bowls, Ryder Cup, Gray Duck Spirits, the Women’s ICC, Rocket Club and Chris Hawkey bands. Proud mother of Ryan and Ben, Andrea loves concerts and events and the State Fair. She and her husband Steve currently live in St. Paul.