Meet your mentors!
Hayle Krigel - Director of Guest Experience, Houston Texans
Hayle Krigel Barbato has just entered into her 11th NFL season. Hayle started her sports career in broadcast journalism working at Fox 5 sports in New York City covering the New York Yankees and Mets. Shortly after that, she started working for the Miami Dolphins and worked for the team for 7 seasons, working in multiple departments including Sales, Guest Experience, and Human Resources. Hayle ended up assisting with the stadium renovation and ran all 6 Luxury Clubs in the building for the team and major concerts and events that took place.
After hosting Super Bowl in 2020 at Hard Rock Stadium, Hayle received a job offer as Director of Guest Experience at Allegiant Stadium, Home of the Las Vegas Raiders. Hayle moved out to Las Vegas and opened up the world class building, Allegiant Stadium in 2020. Allegiant Stadium ended being the #1 stadium in the NFL in 2021. In 2022, Hayle left Allegiant and moved out to Houston to be the Director of Guest Experience for the Houston Texans.
In her free time, Hayle loves spending time with her husband Johnny and dog Levi. She also fosters dogs in her free time, loves traveling, working out, and loves fashion & shopping! Hayle is originally from New York and loves a good NY slice and NY bagels!
Gwen Watkins - Chief Marketing & External Relations Officer at the Houston Symphony
Gwen Watkins is currently the Chief Marketing & External Relations Officer at the Houston Symphony. She began as CMO with the Symphony in 2019 and added responsibilities in the areas of Education & Community Engagement in 2022. Gwen oversees the areas of marketing/advertising, PR, digital presence, branding, customer service and patron experience, and education & community engagement while also leading several board committees.
Prior to joining the Symphony, Gwen had multiple positions in the marketing department of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where she worked for over seven years. A life-long Houstonian, Gwen has also worked in marketing at the Houston Zoo and the Houston Galleria.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Texas A&M University in College Station, and her Master of Business Administration from Rice University.
Kelley Rodriquez - VP of Media, Love Advertising
Kelley is a native Houstonian whose passion for media has taken her all over the world, from Australia to Austin. Today, she leads one of the region’s strongest media departments with a team of 12 media planners, buyers, and strategists.
With more than 25 years’ experience, Kelley began her media career at Saatchi & Saatchi, San Francisco, then returned to Texas and to GSD&M in Austin. She then came back home to Houston, to head up Richards/Carlberg’s media department. Along the way, she has delivered groundbreaking work for blue-chip clients such as MasterCard, Wal-Mart, LI Houston Super Bowl, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, CenterPoint Energy, YMCA of Greater Houston, John Moore Services, and many more.
In addition to being a past president of Media Alliance of Houston, Kelley has lent her media experience to multiple national panels, including the New York Ad Club Out-of-Home Symposium and Nielsen. She has also been recognized for multiple awards from her peers including Buyer of the Year, Media Director of the Year and Market Rock Star. She recently was recognized by the Houston Business Journal as a “Women Who Means Business” and is the 2024 Media Alliance of Houston Silver Star receipt for her contributions to the Houston media market.
In her personal time, you can find Kelley driving her three children around, doing Pilates or at a local Houston sporting event.
Mel Underhill - Chief Volunteer and HR Officer, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
As chief volunteer and HR officer, Mel Underhill is responsible for maintaining a positive and collaborative environment at the Rodeo. She oversees the Rodeo’s 140-plus staff and 35,000 volunteers, managing the hiring, training, professional development, and performance evaluation processes. Underhill also oversees all membership activities and internal communications across Rodeo staff and volunteers.
Prior to joining the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, she served as an executive vice president at Direct Energy and Centrica. As an EVP she was the Global Head of Organization Effectiveness and led Strategic HR Business Partnering for the Commercial Business Division. Underhill was responsible for leading a global team of HR partners, providing strategic consultation, and developing talent capabilities, as well as leading global internal communications and culture transformation. Throughout her 30+ years in Human Resources and Internal Communications, Underhill has worked in the financial services, technology, and energy industries.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin, has received multiple HR certifications. She serves as Vice Chair on the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and Vice Chair on the Executive Women’s Partnership, a part of the Greater Houston Partnership. Underhill has three adult children, two grandchildren another on the way. Underhill loves exercise, photography, Texas football and spending time with her family.
SJ Luedtke - Chief Marketing Officer, Houston Dynamo FC & Houston Dash
SJ Luedtke joined the Houston Dynamo FC in February of 2023 and immediately took over strategic planning for media relations, creative content, advertising, retail, youth programs, community engagement and fan development for the Dynamo, Dash, Shell Energy Stadium and Houston Sports Park. Prior to her role in Houston, Luedtke spent four years as the vice president of marketing for the NTT IndyCar Series, expanding its marketing strategy .Her responsibilities included the development of new entertainment, licensing, and merchandise projects for the series. Additionally, she restructured the cause and grassroots marketing efforts of the organization. Luedtke spent nearly a decade with Nike, where she began with the sportswear company as a regional event manager and climbed the ranks over time to global football brand director, leading key campaigns such as “Make ‘Em Miss” and “Who You With”. Her responsibilities also included pitching and securing athlete contracts with elite professionals like Russell Wilson and Saquon Barkley. Prior to Nike, Luedtke’s experience includes nearly seven years with two leading sports marketing agencies, Wunderman Thompson and rEvolution, working with brands including Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Craftsman, Motorola, and Target. Luedtke graduated from the University of Wisconsin and as an endurance athlete has completed eight marathons and three Ironman triathlons.
Denise Janowski – Senior Marketing Consultant, Bally Sports Southwest
Denise Janowski graduated from Texas A&M in 1990 with a Communications degree. She has worked in the Houston market her entire career where she started out selling outdoor advertising, eventually transitioning in 1992 to selling broadcast television.
Denise spent six years from ’92-’98 at KTXH Ch 20 where she was lucky enough to be part of Houston sports history when the Houston Rockets win their first NBA Championship in 1994. In 1998, Denise was recruited by KTRK ABC 13 to take over an account list from a gentleman who was retiring after 33 years in the business. As she was settling into her new job, Denise realized her predecessor had binders older than she was!
At the time, KTRK represented an opportunity to sell high-profile sports including college football, golf and Monday Night Football. Two years later in 1998, Denise made the move to the NBC affiliate, KPRC where she successfully sold multiple Olympics, the Super Bowl, the finales of Seinfeld and Friends along with many other high profile programs. After a short stint as a Local Sales Manager at KPRC where she lead a new business development team, Denise made the move to FOX in 2005 where she still is today. The role at KRIV FOX 26 eventually led to FOX Sports Southwest where she has spent the last 18 years selling collegiate and professional sports across Texas including the Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans.
Denise likes to say that she is not selling, she is connecting brands with fans helping them tell the stories that make sponsorships a valuable part of many marketing plans. After the Regional Sports Net was sold four years ago, FOX Sports Southwest is now known as Bally Sports Southwest. There is nothing more constant than change!
Denise is especially proud of the work she’s done to advance women and people of color in the Houston Media Community as part of American Women in Radio & Television, now known as Media Alliance Houston. Finally, Denise is one of six executive board members for the Houston Media Classic, a charity golf tournament that funds scholarships for college students wanting a career in the Marketing & Advertising industry. She recognizes we all have a role to play in pulling those who are coming up behind us.
One of the many perks of being IN the business is being able to be part of sports history…from attending game 7 of the first Rockets NBA World Championship in ’94 to the Texas Rangers first World Series appearance last year Denise has been there to see it, to experience the all the excitement and heartache sports delivers for their fans.
Dawn Keen - VP of Corporate Partnerships, Houston Rockets
Dawn Keen is the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for the Houston Rockets, where she oversees all aspects of partnership sales, development and activation. With over 20 years of experience in sports marketing and corporate development, Dawn has built a reputation as an industry leader. Dawn has activated during her tenure with leading brands such as Toyota, Anheuser-Busch and Credit Karma. Additionally, Dawn has worked closely with Clutch City Foundation, the Houston Rockets Charitable arm, providing hope, help, and inspiration for youth and underserved communities through partnership lead initiatives. Prior to joining the Rockets, she held positions with the San Antonio Spurs and Washington State University’s Athletic Department (Go Cougs!).
Dawn is a Seattle native and graduate of Washington State University. She now calls Houston home where she has resided for nearly 20 years.
Natara Branch - CEO, Houston Exponential
Natara Branch, is a thought-leader and an experienced business strategist and investor. She currently serves as a Director for Super Group (SGHC) and as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Bleuacacia ltd (BLEU). She has recently joined the startup movement and assumed the role as CEO for Houston Exponential, an initiative to energize the Greater Houston region’s efforts to foster the growth of innovation in entrepreneurship.
In 2022, Natara “hung up her cleats” from the National Football League (NFL), where she was in senior management positions for two decades. Her career with the NFL reflects her ability to lead in dynamic business environments over multiple disciplines. Prior to leaving, she served as the Vice President of Football Business Operations and Strategy overseeing emerging football innovation, strategy, administration and football pipeline development. This included leading football initiatives to analyze the future of football from new game-related innovation and the evolved athlete.
Other roles within the NFL included serving as the Vice President of Youth & High School Football Strategy, Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Retail Development for Consumer Products, and Vice President of Corporate Development – New Business Development. She started her career with the NFL as part of the management team that launched the NFL’s Internal Audit department where she also served as the first non-legal, League Compliance Officer. Notably, Natara was the first African-American female to be promoted to the level of Vice President at the NFL League Office and she dedicated her career to opening doors for other women and people of color in sports. This included leading football efforts to strengthen the diversity pipeline amongst club executives, partners and most importantly, potential ownership groups.
She joined the NFL from ExxonMobil where she worked across multiple accounting and financial functions within the Controllers department and was a Team Lead for Downstream accounting during the merger between Exxon and Mobil.
Natara has won many honors over her career including three NFL Commissioner Awards, an industry Pro Award, and she was recently named to Diversity Magazine’s Elite 100 Black Women Leaders and Houston Business Journal’s Top 25 Houstonians to watch in 2023. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston with an Accounting degree and earned her certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She serves on the Advisory Board for SxSW Pitch, the marquee technology and innovation event at South by Southwest (SXSW), she is an investor/mentor with the Minnesota Twins Techstars Sports Accelerator, on the advisory board for several private startups, and proudly serves on the advisory board for the University of Houston Bauer School of Business. She recently joined the UH Board of Visitors and previously served on the University’s Power Athletics Task Force.
Natara is most passionate about her family and spends most of her time with her husband and daughter. Together, they promote youth mentorship and community outreach through the family’s work with UWANTGAME, a student-athlete mentorship program.
Alex Singer – General Manager, Houston Dash
Sports executive and former NWSL player, Alex Singer was named the Houston Dash General Manager, in August of 2022. As first General Manager appointed to the Houston Dash, Singer oversees all soccer operations including player personnel and roster management for the team and works closely with the coaching staff to build and construct the roster. Before coming to Houston from Octagon, Singer led strategic operations, across several departments, including talent recruitment, negotiating, and drafting agreements such as player contracts and endorsements, and managing key partnerships. Singer played seven years of professional soccer in some of the top women’s leagues in the world including the NWSL, Germany’s Bundesliga, Australia’s W-League, along with Sweden’s Damllasvenskan and Norway’s Toppserien. In the first Women’s Professional Soccer draft in 2009, Singer was drafted No. 8 overall by the Washington Freedom. She played in the UEFA Champions League while competing in Europe and won the German title with Turbine Potsdam in 2012. The New York City native also coached at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York and helped the Red Foxes make their first MAAC Tournament appearance in program history. Singer earned a Master of Professional Studies in Sports Industry Management degree from Georgetown University in 2017 and played at the University of Virginia, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology in 2010.