At Unrivaled Basketball, a player‑founded professional women’s league, I worked across business development, marketing, and analytics. Unrivaled is redefining the landscape of women’s sports by offering players equity ownership, market‑leading compensation, and comprehensive care. I built relationships with mission‑aligned brands to develop and expand league sponsorships, participated in major events such as our activation during WNBA All‑Star weekend and the “Future Is Unrivaled” summit, and supported rising college athletes in building their brands. I also developed analytical tools for finance, marketing, and basketball operations to position the league for growth in its second season. These efforts furthered Unrivaled’s mission to level the playing field and drive gender equity in sports and culture.

My time at Columbia Business School provided a strong foundation in start‑ups, strategic decision‑making, product design, analytics, and the sports industry. Participation in the Sports Business Association and the LEO Impact Fund allowed me to apply those lessons in extracurricular contexts. Seeing Unrivaled’s Series B fundraising and expansion to eight teams brought my venture‑capital and innovation coursework to life. I also used Python skills from my coursework to develop analytics that will help the league grow.

The greatest challenge was adapting to a new industry and a high‑growth start‑up environment. After seven years in banking, I was accustomed to structured roles and clear timelines. At Unrivaled, priorities shifted quickly and decisions were made under ambiguity. I drew on leadership experience from organizing the CBS Women’s Sports Summit and serving as co‑president of the LEO Impact Fund to navigate these dynamics. The experience taught me to ask better questions, align stakeholders, and move forward with incomplete information.

My key takeaway is that impact comes in many forms, and empowering women’s sports can drive broader cultural change. Creating opportunities for female athletes at every level promotes gender equity in sports and beyond. I am proud of the league’s achievements—offering the highest average salaries in women’s sports, providing equity ownership, and setting new standards in player care. I am thrilled to join Unrivaled full time as senior director of revenue strategy and analytics, where I will continue to help grow women’s sports and empower athletes.