Pro Sports Assembly
Vanessa Ward currently serves as Vice President of Event Services for the Phoenix Suns, overseeing guest experiences for a variety of events at the Footprint Center. Since September 2021, Vanessa has contributed to the Pro Sports Assembly as a member of the Virtual Event & Networking Task Force, promoting diversity and inclusion in professional sports. Previously, Vanessa held multiple roles at the Chicago Cubs, including Project Manager and Director of Guest & Associate Experience, where a focus on excellence in service significantly enhanced operational growth. Vanessa's background in project management includes pivotal roles at Disney Parks & Resorts and Walt Disney World, where key contributions improved guest services and technology integration in large-scale operations. Educational credentials include a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Kentucky and a Certificate in Executive Management from the University of Notre Dame.
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Pro Sports Assembly
Established in 2019, Pro Sports Assembly (“PRO”) is the association for professional sports organizations and business leaders. PRO organizations future-proof the industry by equipping leaders across tenure, rank and discipline with the relationships and resources necessary to succeed. Members of PRO are inclusive and believe in the power of uniting as a force for good to create a strong, healthy, and fair future for the professional sports industry. MISSION: Unite leaders in professional sports to advance our industry. VISION: The professional sports industry thrives in a culture of accountability, responsibility and meritocracy. PURPOSE: Create a strong, healthy and fair professional sports ecosystem by equipping leaders at all levels with the relationships and resources necessary to succeed. The professional sports industry employs 150,000+ individuals across the US (driving valuations of 500B). This influential workforce contributes economic, cultural and political capital in meaningful ways, but historically it has faced existential threats operating as “billion-dollar lemonade stands.” To advance and reach its full potential, our industry must understand how the lack of inclusive collaboration on industry-wide issues such as leadership development and public policy creates unnecessary vulnerabilities. As the industry matures, modernizes, and integrates with other industries, systems and economies PRO relies on member-driven leadership to provide executives across sport, geography, tenures, ranks, and disciplines a forum to safeguard, strengthen and protect their organizations and the industry. If you work in pro sports, you want to work for a PRO organization. This means your team, league, union, or venue invests in inclusive talent development to make the business more resilient through practices that support a strong, healthy, and fair future for the pro sports industry. #MemberLed #MemberDriven