Speakers

A former ESPN marketing professional with nearly twenty years of sports industry experience, Shana has a passion for storytelling, adding a unique perspective, relatable relevance and necessary perspective to the sports community.

As Chief Brand Officer, Shana Stephenson oversees the strategy and day-to-day management of branding, marketing, creative, game presentation, performance marketing, digital content, and brand innovation for the New York Liberty.

Now in her ninth season with the organisation, Shana's bold brand and marketing leadership have positioned the Liberty at the center of New York City's culture, with highlights including crafting a best-in-class game day experience that has driven record-breaking attendance growth, and elevating mascot Ellie the Elephant into a cultural phenomenon.

Shana's guidance contributed to a transformational era for the franchise, culminating in the team's first WNBA championship in 2024 and New York City's first professional basketball title in more than 50 years, ultimately positioning the Liberty as a globally influential brand at the forefront of the women's sports renaissance.

Shana's trailblazing leadership has also earned widespread recognition, including: ADWEEK's Most Powerful Women in Sports, Campaign's CMO 50 list, 2025 WNBA All-Star Campaign Award, Ad Age's America's Hottest Brands, Ad Age's 2024 Leading Women, Gold in the CLIO Sports, 2024 Awards for Gameday/In-Game Experience for creating "Ellie the Elephant: A Cultural Icon," and Crain's New York's list of Notable 2023 Black Leaders. In 2020, Shana was named to the Sports Innovation Lab Women's Sports Leadership Board, the first of its kind, specifically dedicated to accelerating the growth and commercialisation of women's sports.

Shahbaz Khan is a sports industry professional of 13 years, currently with the National Football League as Head of Social Strategy & Emerging Platforms. At the NFL, Shahbaz oversees the League's Social Production + Creator Activation and Player Social teams, who are responsible for driving world-class content and scalable storytelling across the NFL calendar. His work includes developing new social-first IP and monetization opportunities, launching emerging platform strategies, and spearheading global activations tied to international games and marquee events.

Prior to joining the NFL, Shahbaz spent time with Nike, Uninterrupted, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings, where he built strong foundations across digital content, social strategy, and team operations. His work has earned widespread industry recognition, including a Clio Award and a Hashtag Sports Award for Best Multi-Platform Campaign, along with multiple additional finalist honours.

He is a three-time NBA Digital Innovator Award recipient and has been recognised by Complex Sports for top NBA social performance. Shahbaz has also been honoured as a Hashtag Sports Creators of Color recipient, and selected as an Adweek Executive Mentee. Beyond his day-to-day role, Shahbaz is an active voice in the industry, previously serving as a jury member for the Clio Sports Awards and a multi-time SXSW Speaker.

Daniel Gorringe is the loveable former AFL player turned Australia's leading voice & media channel in sport, with an audience of over 10 million across his platforms. Dan's unmatched blend of sharp sports insight, comedy and culture commentary has made him the new age trailblazer in modern sports media. When he's not making the masses laugh with painfully relatable content, he's shaping the future of entertainment as the host and producer of ANZ's #1 chart-topping podcast, Dan Does Footy.

The biggest content creator in Australian sport is set to disrupt the Victory Lap stage this July. No filters. No BS. Just fan-first coverage that's leaving traditional sports media scrambling to keep up. You won't want to miss this live interactive session.

The content King of AFL is bringing his unique voice to the Victory Lap Stage!

Known for his reputation of taking down other clubs with ruthless memes and elite timing, Jacob has turned the GWS Giants into one of the most entertaining and talked-about social accounts in sport.

Jacob is now Head of Content at Tasmania Devils, and although they don't enter the league until 2028, he's already boasting their undefeated record and bringing that same confidence and wit to the Victory Lap stage this July.

Karren Rogers is the Strategic Partnerships Manager at Meta, working with partners in the Sports, Entertainment and Media industries across Australia and New Zealand.

With 19 years experience in the media industry, Karren has helped drive business success for rights holders, federations, teams, public figures, creators and athletes across Asia Pacific.

Karren negotiated Meta's first sports deals in Asia with both leagues and athletes: Meta's first Olympics deal - sponsorship of the Australian Olympic Team, sponsorship of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and sponsor of The Female Athlete Project Awards, to name a few.

Karren has also been a mentor for the International Cricket Council's Future Leaders Programme and most recently became a part-owner of Lewes Football Club.

More than 10 million Australians and over one billion people around the world come to TikTok to discover new things and connect with like minded communities. Since the early days, sport has been one of the fastest growing verticals on the platform. In fact, 89% of TikTok users globally are interested in sport.

For more than four years, Wade Shipard has partnered with some of Australia & New Zealand's biggest sports publishers, to help them maximise their reach, engagement and growth on the platform.

A true sports fanatic and content expert, Wade has successfully partnered with many big events and teams including, the Australian Open, Matildas, AFL, NRL, Cricket Australia, the Olympics, Kayo Sports, Stan Sport, and many others -- to help them connect with new fans and show up in authentic ways.

Lavender Baj is a multi-hyphenate sports creator who has lived and breathed social media for as long as it has existed. Her iconic tong microphone, controversial jersey rankings and hot takes about the wild world of Australian sport has made her a key voice in the modern sports media landscape -- both on and off-screen. She's done everything from producing chart-topping TV shows and hosting major sporting events, to running creator campaigns and managing talent, so if the sports media landscape was a Venn diagram -- Lavender would sit square in the middle of it.

As a multi-university degree dropout who cut her teeth mixing political commentary and hot takes about The Bachelor at PEDESTRIAN.TV, Lavender's career has been anything but traditional, so just wait until you hear her opinions on outdated sports marketing tactics!

Michael Meek is the Social Media Content Manager for the One New Zealand Warriors, where he leads digital storytelling and fan engagement for one of the most passionate audiences in sport.

Michael's path into content was as unconventional as they come, starting out as an accountant for the NZ Warriors and being handed the TikTok account to manage in his spare time, eventually transitioning from his finance role into becoming a leading voice in sports content. This mix of analytical thinking and creative execution underpins his approach, content that is both data-driven and built to resonate in fast-moving digital environments.

Michael has played a key role in driving nearly 700k followers' growth across the Warriors' social platforms, including building the club's TikTok presence from the ground up. His work in this space was ultimately recognised at the TikTok awards, highlighting his ability to consistently deliver high-performing, culturally relevant content.

As the Founder of Theory & Practice, Nicole Pincus is an executive advisor with experience across multiple sports organizations and business functions. Strongly influenced by women's sports, Nicole advises sports industry leaders across functions including both rights-holders and brands, commercial and sponsorship strategy, organizational optimization and investor readiness.

Previously, Nicole held a strategic leadership role at BSE Global (Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty & Barclays Center), bridging partnership marketing with sales outcomes across multiple properties. Her work spanned acquisitions, joint ventures, intellectual property, and event platforms, from revenue modeling and partner architecture through to go-to-market strategy.

Dan Beltran is an award-winning Creative Director, brand architect, and the creative force behind some of the most recognisable visual identities in professional sports and entertainment.

As Creative Director for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and founder of his creative studio, designwithdan, his fingerprints are on work that spans Nike, Adidas, Liverpool FC, the FIFA World Cup, and the biggest stages across the NFL, NBA, MLS, MLB, NCAA, EPL, and NRL. Spending over a decade at the intersection of identity, culture, and competition has made Dan one of the most respected, and quietly influential, creative minds in the game.

Dan's approach centres on a singular, fundamental belief: the most memorable creative experiences don't just stop the scroll, they tell a meaningful story. He takes inspiration from the heart of the communities and people behind the logo, using authentic storytelling and emotion to craft creative directions that transcend team representation. For the Buccaneers, this means infusing every detail with the pride and spirit of Tampa Bay.

Kieran is a creative leader, curious problem-solver and passionate storyteller with over 17 years' experience shaping creative at the intersection of sport, culture and entertainment. Throughout his career, Kieran has developed original, authentic content, built high-performance creative teams and helped grow brands through bold storytelling and strategic thinking. He brings a global perspective on how creativity drives impact across the sports industry by blending performance and entertainment with community and culture, creating campaigns that resonate with fans and deliver commercial results.

Having led award-winning projects for global brands including Formula 1, Tottenham Hotspur and now IMG, Kieran brings deep expertise in global sport and a sharp understanding of emerging technologies, trends and data-driven insights. His approach focuses on turning creativity into meaningful fan engagement and world-class brand experiences.

Kerry McKenzie is General Manager Brand & Marketing, New Zealand Rugby, where she leads the strategic brand vision and global activation of one of sport's most iconic and highest performing sporting brands, the All Blacks. The All Blacks are widely recognised as the world's most valuable rugby team brand, consistently valued at the top of international brand rankings thanks to strong sponsorship, merchandising, and global fan engagement, and a reach far beyond rugby's traditional markets.

Prior to her current role, Kerry developed her expertise over more than a decade in FMCG and sports marketing - bringing commercial insight, brand centric thinking and creative strategic leadership to every challenge. At the All Blacks she's guided high-profile campaigns and brand experiences across marquee events such as Rugby World Cups, international games in global markets and in Aotearoa, New Zealand has driven work recognised both within and beyond the sporting world for its strategic rigour and creative impact.

Kerry is passionate about building brands that captivate audiences by staying true to purpose and culture with brand at the heart of the decision making. Her work blends commercial discipline with innovative brand storytelling, helping the All Blacks connect with increasingly diverse and demanding global sports audiences; while maintaining its iconic legacy at its core.

Dewayne Hankins enters his 13th season with the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter in 2025-26, and fourth full season as President of Business Operations. Hankins was named to his current role in November 2021 and oversees all aspects of the Trail Blazers & Rose Quarter business operations while working closely with General Manager Joe Cronin and the basketball staff. Additionally, Hankins serves as an Alternate Governor for the NBA Board of Governors.

Since starting his current role in November 2021, Hankins has reshaped the organization's senior leadership to drive revenue, build championship-ready infrastructure, center the fan experience and create meaningful connections within the Rip City community.

Prior to serving as the team's president, Hankins served as Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President where he oversaw the team's Brand Marketing, Broadcast, Content, Commercial Partnerships, Creative Services, Esports, Fan Development, Game Operations and Retail departments. Under his leadership, the organization's critically acclaimed social media team won the NBA's Digital Innovation Award five times. Hankins also played an instrumental part in utilizing the Trail Blazers' data-driven digital strategy to achieve franchise records in ticket sales and corporate partnerships, specifically in digital media revenue.Before joining the Trail Blazers organization, Hankins oversaw the digital efforts of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)'s sports properties worldwide, including the LA Kings and LA Galaxy, most notably the Kings' cutting-edge social media initiatives Prior to joining AEG, he worked with the Minnesota Wild and Miami Marlins.

Scott Kegley has been in the sports industry for 21 years and is currently in his first season with the Vegas Golden Knights as Chief Digital Officer. His group oversees digital marketing, digital platforms, social media and creative. In a short time, the team has become league-leaders in the influencer marketing space with the team's upcoming 10th season a major priority for the first professional sports team in Las Vegas.

Previously, Scott spent four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and AMB Sports and Entertainment as VP, Digital and Production. There, he oversaw digital strategy, production, social, editorial, digital platforms and email marketing. Recently, the team won “Digital Team of the Year” and “Sports Team of the Year” at the 2025 Hashtag Sports Award. He also co-led international marketing for the Falcons, leading to the team's game in Berlin, the first regular-season NFL game in the city. While in Atlanta, Scott also helped launch the Atlanta Drive GC brand, inaugural champions in TGL.

Scott also spent seven years with the Minnesota Vikings as Executive Director, Digital Media and Innovation. He oversaw digital, social, mobile strategy, editorial, influencer marketing and international marketing. He started his career with nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers as the head of the digital and social teams. He led digital integration during the launches of both Levi's Stadium and U.S. Bank Stadium. He's won three Webby Awards, three Shorty Awards, four Hashtag Sports Awards, one Emmy Award, and four CLIO Awards. Scott graduated from the University of Southern California and received his MBA from the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Dr Sarah Wymer is a Senior Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology whose work sits at the intersection of sport, social media and content production.

Sarah's research, teachings and commentary centre around how sports organisations operate in an environment shaped by platforms, constant content demands and shifting audience expectations. Her work focuses on the people and systems behind sports media from social and digital teams to the structures, pressures and decisions that shape what gets produced. Through research and industry benchmarking, Sarah examines how these environments are evolving, where they are under pressure, and what needs to change to better support both performance and people.

Previously at Griffith University, Sarah works closely across Australia and New Zealand, engaging with the sports industry at large, to understand and improve digital practice in sports organisations. At the core of her thinking is a simple belief: if we want better sports content, we need to better understand and better support the people and systems that create it.

Maher Labban joined the Clios as the Director of Clio Sports in April 2023, and was promoted to Executive Director in April 2025. He has led the program to record growth and results, with a large focus on ensuring teams, leagues, creative agencies, media companies, and commercial brands from all around the world were included in the recognition platform.

Previously, Labban has led event and program content, planning, and strategy for Minor League Baseball headquarters and Hashtag Sports. He has been fortunate to spend the entirety of his career in the sports industry, spanning nearly 20 years across the team, league, and recognition sides, including time with the New York Mets, New York Islanders, and Lake Elsinore (California) Storm.

Labban was born and raised in Long Island, New York, and now resides in New York City, after a 12 year detour to St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Clios were founded in 1959 to celebrate creative excellence in advertising around the world. As the industry expands and evolves, The Clios have developed programs across sports, music, health, entertainment, and more that are tailored to recognise the specific challenges and triumphs of those sectors.

Clio Sports, founded in 2014, is one of five verticals developed by the Clios to celebrate creative excellence in a specialised field. The program champions boundary-pushing marketing, advertising, and communications from the teams, leagues, brands, agencies, and media brands that shape sports culture.

Somha Sleeth is a dynamic Senior Content Producer at the Gold Coast SUNS with a stellar career built on backing instinct over structure. Emerging at 18 with the Burleigh Bears in the QRL, she stepped away from film school to pursue hands‑on experience inside sport. Her path has taken her through the Gold Coast Titans and opportunities with the Queensland Maroons, before finding a long‑term creative home at the SUNS.

Over three years at the SUNS, Somha has been an integral part of the powerhouse senior creative group who have been responsible for reinventing what it means to be an expansion club in the AFL. With no club history to rely on, the SUNS sat in a unique position to create a new narrative around what it means to support a team. Somha and the team drove fierce campaigns to redefine the club’s core creative identity, helping shape its evolving digital presence, playing a role in the rebrand and developing the Pink Collection as a recognisable and personality‑driven expression outside the core brand. This work has reshaped how the SUNS are experienced socially and how they show up within the broader AFL digital landscape.

Her approach is emotion‑first and grounded in humanising athletes. Rather than focusing purely on performance, Somha seeks out the moments before and after the action. The anticipation, the exhaustion, the tears and smiles that come with the vulnerability to reveal athletes as people.

She believes skills create belief, but personal storytelling creates love, and that connection is what keeps fans engaged through every high and low. Furthermore, taking the fans on the journey with you, translating into long-term club success. Using varied shooting techniques and formats, she focuses on intimacy, presence and timing, knowing that being in the right place at the right time is often what transforms content into culture. Put yourself there, don’t miss that chance.