Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Hollywood Park Expands Team
LOS ANGELES, October 12, 2021 – Hollywood Park continues to expand its team with new additions and promotions. It has significantly expanded its staff since 2019, and its workforce is currently made up of an 80 percent diverse population. Hollywood Park is the near 300-acre sports and entertainment destination being built by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, is the centerpiece of the development, and YouTube Theater, located under the same roof canopy as the NFL stadium, is a newly opened 6,000-seat venue for concerts, entertainment and more.
“We continue to add an accomplished and diverse group of leaders to our growing team,” said Jason Gannon, managing director, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “We are working hard to bring SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park to life, and we are excited to welcome these team members on our journey to deliver a global sports and entertainment destination.”
REVENUE
GREG KISH joins Hollywood Park as its Senior Vice President of Revenue, leading all revenue efforts, including overseeing the global partnerships, partnership marketing, and premium sales efforts, amongst other endeavors, across the campus’ 300 acres, including SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater. Kish has been a part of the Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium project via his role with Legends where he oversaw all premium, ticketing and hospitality efforts for SoFi Stadium over the past five years.
CHRIS SLOAN comes to Hollywood Park as Vice President of Global Partnerships. Sloan will oversee
corporate partnership growth and development at Hollywood Park, including SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater. He will work alongside the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers partnership teams and lead partnership efforts for Hollywood Park owned and operated events, such as Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. He reports to Greg Kish. Previously, Sloan was a member of the Legends Global Sales Division, where he was part of a team that completed over $1 billion in new partnership business and led historic naming-rights negotiations for SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater.
RICH WANG joins Hollywood Park as Vice President of Business Strategy and Analytics. Wang oversees the data team and overall strategy for the company, driving all revenue and analytic initiatives. Wang reports to Greg Kish. He joins Hollywood Park from The Minnesota Vikings. In his past experience, Wang managed analytics teams for two NFL stadium projects that generated over $1.5 billion in revenue. He has 15-plus years of team and agency experience across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and arena entertainment.
CHELSEA LIPOCKY has been a part of the Hollywood Park team since 2019 and serves as its senior director of partnership marketing. In her role, she co-leads all of the partnership marketing efforts on behalf of SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater. She reports to Greg Kish. Previously, she held a similar role at the Los Angeles Rams. There she had the unique opportunity of helping to initiate the NFL’s first local partnerships in Los Angeles in more than two decades.
KATIE CROSS joined Hollywood Park in 2019. She is the senior director of partnership marketing and co-leads all of the partnership marketing efforts on behalf of SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and YouTube Theater. She reports to Greg Kish. Cross joined Hollywood Park from BSE Global where she was responsible for managing corporate partners across a global portfolio of sports and entertainment properties, including Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets, New York Islanders and Webster Hall, among others.
FACILITY AND CAMPUS OPERATIONS
OTTO BENEDICT was promoted to Senior Vice President Facility and Campus Operations. Benedict oversees the day-to-day operations and management of SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater and the entire 300-acre Hollywood Park campus.
CHAN ONECHANH was promoted to Vice President of Facility Operations where he supports Benedict and oversees all facility and campus systems, equipment, as well as parking and transportation for Hollywood Park.
TINA SUCA joins Hollywood Park as Vice President of Event Operations where she will oversee all aspects of venue and event operations within SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater and Hollywood Park. She reports to Otto Benedict. Suca joins Hollywood Park from Comcast Spectacor where she was Vice President of Booking, responsible for the programming of over 180 Spectra venues.
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING
JOE SESIN was promoted to Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting. Sesin is responsible for all financial operations across SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
MATT KITTLE was promoted to Senior Vice President of Business Operations. In his role, Kittle oversees all day-to-day business functions of SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and YouTube Theater. Hollywood Park’s Human Resources, Marketing, Communications, and Community Affairs functions report into him.
JANICE IDE was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources. In this role, she is responsible for all the people management, recruitment, and implementation of company policies across SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater.
ANJALI RAVAL was promoted to Vice President of Marketing and Promotions. Raval is responsible for all marketing efforts across Hollywood Park’s entire 300-acre campus, including SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater.
TRACIE JACKSON was promoted to Senior Director of Marketing. In this capacity, Jackson oversees all marketing strategy for Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and works closely with Raval on marketing initiatives across SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater.
KRISTI MEXIA was promoted to Senior Director of Communications. Mexia is responsible for all corporate communications strategies and efforts across Hollywood Park’s entire 300-acre campus, including SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater. Additionally, she works with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park stakeholders, including Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, NFL, and real estate partners.
VANESSA KROMER joins Hollywood Park as a Senior Director of Publicity. In her new role, Kromer will manage music and entertainment communications for SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater. She will report to Matt Kittle. Kromer comes to Hollywood Park after a long tenure at Nederlander Concerts, where she managed publicity for the concert division. Most recently, Kromer garnered over 20 million media impressions for the Drive-In OC series, and coordinated publicity for the chart-topping band, Grupo Firme’s historic West Coast run with 10 arena sell-outs.
JASON WITT was promoted to Senior Director of Community Affairs and Engagement. Witt is responsible for developing and implementing philanthropic programs, local hire outreach, and diverse business initiatives across SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park and YouTube Theater. In addition, Witt works closely with the City of Inglewood and local stakeholders as a liaison for Hollywood Park.
PROGRAMMING AND BOOKING
ADOLFO ROMERO was promoted to Vice President of Programming and Events, reporting to Senior Vice President of Programming Christy Castillo Butcher. Romero works to secure, market and promote major events within SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater and Hollywood Park.
ANDREW BRAGMAN has been a part of the Hollywood Park team since 2019 and serves as its Vice President of Ticket Operations. In this role, Bragman oversees all event ticketing across the 300-acre Hollywood Park development, including SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater, and events across the property. As part of his responsibilities, Bragman works with stakeholders, including team and league partners as well as event promoters to deliver a world-class ticketing experience at Hollywood Park. Bragman reports to Castillo Butcher.
JEN SANDSTROM is the Senior Director of Programming and Booking. In this role, she runs the day-to-day management and business operations for the Programing and Booking department. In addition, Sandstrom works with all departments to execute deliverables on announced and confirmed events across Hollywood Park. She reports to Castillo Butcher. Previously, she was Senior Director of Events for SoFi Stadium.
TECHNOLOGY
JANETTE SMRCKA is the Vice President, Information Technology. Reporting to CTO Skarpi Hedinsson, Smrcka directly oversees all enterprise technology services and infrastructure for Hollywood Park, SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater, including 365 IT services, event day service, and the Wi-Fi network in SoFi Stadium and throughout Hollywood Park. Smrcka joined Hollywood Park in 2019 and previously spent 26 years at Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN, where she led the IT team that evolved Mall of America into one of the nation’s most profitable destinations in the country.
JASON E COTHERN joined Hollywood Park in 2019 and serves as its Vice President of Production and Broadcast Operations. Reporting to Hedinsson, Cothern is responsible for the creation and implementation of the audio and visual content throughout Hollywood Park, SoFi Stadium – including the 70,000 square-foot Infinity Screen by Samsung – and YouTube Theater. Additionally, he works with the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and various other production partners to enhance their game day or event productions. Previously, Cothern worked at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, from 2015-2019 as the Director of Game Presentation and Productions, developing and executing shows and broadcast technology for the Atlanta Falcons, MLS Champions Atlanta United, Super Bowl LIII, 2018 CFP National Championship and 2018 MLS Cup. Cothern was instrumental in the construction and integration of the HALO, Mega Column and all audio and digital displays.
LEGAL
NATE GOLDSTEIN was promoted to Senior Counsel. Goldstein is primarily responsible for managing Hollywood Park’s real estate legal process, including new ground-up developments, leasing and entitlement, land use, and planning-related issues. In addition, he advises the Hollywood Park Operations teams on various contractual, operational, and risk-related questions in connection with the operation of SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. Goldstein also serves as a liaison between the Hollywood Park team and the City of Inglewood. He joined Hollywood Park in 2020 and reports to Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel Marlene Nations.
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