The business of professional sports offers many different pathways to a media career, from reporting, producing, and podcasting to marketing, management, and licensing. Hear from top flight pros about how they followed their passion and got their start in this dynamic media arena.
Natasha Crawford, Senior Director, HR Business Partner, Major League Baseball
Natasha Crawford is a Senior Director, HR Business Partner at Major League Baseball, where she advises technology leaders on organizational strategy, talent development, and employee engagement. With over a decade of HR experience across industries including sports, finance, advertising, and publishing, she brings a strategic lens to leadership growth and business performance. Natasha holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and HR Management and is passionate about helping leaders build high-performing teams.
Originally from Jamaica, Natasha migrated to the U.S. in 2004. She now lives in New Jersey with her family and enjoys traveling in her free time.
David Hollander, Assistant Dean of Real World, NYU School of Professional Studies; Clinical Professor, Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport
David Hollander is an assistant dean and clinical professor with the Tisch Institute for Global Sport at New York University and received NYU’s highest faculty honor, the Distinguished Teaching Award. His innovative courses have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, SLAM, Axios, and CBS News. He is the author of four books including How Basketball Can Save the World: 13 Guiding Principle for Reimagining What's Possible (Random House 2023) and teaches the popular NYU course by the same name. He led a national movement of academics to create the historic first-ever "Sport Major" in higher education. He sits on advisory boards for FIBA Foundation, espnW, The Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, and the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute. He persuaded the Pope to recognize the first-ever Saint of Basketball and founded United Nations World Basketball Day. He holds his high school’s record for most technical fouls.
Jon McLeod, Multimedia Producer & Chairman of ESPN T.R.U.S.T., ESPN
Jon McLeod is a Multimedia Producer, Public Speaker on Mental Health/Communication and a Career and Success Coach. Jon is also one of the founders of ESPN’s first Mental Health Awareness Affinity team, ESPN TRUST.
Jon has spoken to over 48 countries, 100+ companies, such as Blue Shield California, ESPN, Disney, Inspirational COGICJ Inc., Booz Allen Hamilton, Disability IN, Inclusion Works, and the Health Action Alliance. He’s also made national and international podcasts appearances. Jon seizes every opportunity to support communities around the globe. He uses those acquired skills and experiences to uplift and educate the next generation.
Dana Nathanson, Director, Strategy, Initiative, Nike
Dana is an award-winning strategist based, currently leading the Nike Jordan media business at Initiative (IPG). In just four years she’s had a hand in shaping globally recognized work like building Jordan's 2024 Olympic 1v1 tournament ‘The One Finals’ streamed on Twitch. As a 2025 US Young Lions Gold and Titanium winner, and silver medalist at Cannes International Festival of Creativity, Dana is known across the industry for her “why-not” mindset, sharp instincts, and enduring passion for women’s sport.
Moderator: Van Adams, Founder & Principal Officer, Van Adams Sports Group
Van Adams is a visionary entrepreneur, strategist, and founder of VanAdams Sports Group, a boutique marketing agency that has spent two decades elevating brands through sports, entertainment, and leadership. Renowned for translating complex business strategies into bold, actionable campaigns, Van drives visibility, revenue and lasting influence across industries.
Her career began in intercollegiate athletics at Grambling State University, where she earned degrees in Biology/Pre-Med and Sport Administration while working with the legendary Tiger Football and Baseball programs. She later held key roles with the Buffalo Bills (NFL), United States Golf Association, and Sports Illustrated before launching her own firm in 2004 to work with iconic athletes, helping them strategically leverage their brand, influence and legacy.
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Van is the founder of Gathering on the Greens®, a national platform using golf to advance professional women’s leadership. Through curated experiences, strategic partnership and movement-focused activations, the initiative empowers women to connect, lead and build with intention—on and off the course.
A founding member of the NYC Metro chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE), Van brings clarity, creative rigor and operational discipline to every engagement. She is a STEM-trained problem solver, a connector of people and ideas and a master at turning vision into action.
Outside of her professional work, Van hones her short game on the golf course and experiments in her test kitchen developing desserts for her upcoming culinary project, She Kneads Dough®.
Presented with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and SVA Theatre.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Center's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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