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10 sports sponsorships experts
These ten professionals have managed sports sponsorships and sports partnerships inside the companies they worked for. A reader can learn how companies run sports sponsorship programs from the inside.
Professionals to explore
01—10Ashley Navarra Marusak
LinkedInExperience: Executive Director, Enterprise Sports Sponsorship Strategy & Activation · CVS Health
Executive Director, Enterprise Sports Sponsorship Strategy & Activation at CVS Health since April 2026. Former Head of Sports Sponsorships Marketing (2018–2021), Head of Sponsorships Marketing Strategy (2021–2024) and Senior Manager, Sports Sponsorships Marketing (2011–2018) at Cisco, and former Head of Sports and Entertainment Marketing at Kimberly-Clark Professional (2025–2026).
Chris Bigda
LinkedInExperience: Director of Sports Marketing Sponsorships and Activation · The Coca-Cola Company
Former Director of Sports Marketing Sponsorships and Activation at The Coca-Cola Company (2019–2023), and Senior Director, Sports Marketing there since January 2024. Former Director of Brand Connections, Planning, Sponsorships and Media Investment, Coca-Cola Trademark at The Coca-Cola Company (2009–2019).
Francesca Aguilar Mussapp
LinkedInExperience: Director, Global Sports and Entertainment Partnerships · The Coca-Cola Company
Director, Global Sports and Entertainment Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company since January 2024; the profile says this person led global partnerships with brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite and Powerade and managed multidisciplinary teams. Former Senior Manager, Global Sports and Entertainment Partnerships (2015–2020) and Senior Manager, NBA and Special Olympics (2010–2015) at The Coca-Cola Company.
JP Hussey
LinkedInExperience: Southeast Sponsorships Manager · Anheuser-Busch
Former Southeast Sponsorships Manager at Anheuser-Busch (2021–2024), where the profile says this person was responsible for managing sponsor relationships with all major sports teams in the Southeast US. Director, Sports Marketing - Michelob Ultra at Anheuser-Busch since July 2024.
Liz Martin
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Corporate Sponsorships · Red Bull New York
Senior Director, Corporate Sponsorships at Red Bull New York since January 2025, and former Director, Marketing Partnerships (2020–2024) and Senior Manager of Sales & Service (2016–2020) there. Former Director of Team Partnerships (2013–2015) and Vice President of Team Partnerships (2015) at Steiner Sports.
Mike Gendreau
LinkedInExperience: Director, Sports Marketing · T-Mobile
Director, Sports Marketing at T-Mobile since November 2024, where the profile says this person leads a team driving enterprise priorities through strategic sports partnerships and oversees sports portfolio strategy, partner negotiations, integrated campaign planning and asset fulfillment. Former Sr. Manager, Sports at T-Mobile (2018–2024).
Mike McAndrew
LinkedInExperience: Sr. Marketing Manager, Sports Sponsorship Activations (Pro Teams) · Verizon
Former Sr. Marketing Manager, Sports Sponsorship Activations (Pro Teams) at Verizon (2014–2018). Former US & Canada Sports and Entertainment Partnership Activation role at Uber (2021–2025), where the profile describes executing the Uber, UberEats and Postmates sports partnership marketing and mobile ordering strategy at live partner properties and managing day-to-day relationships with key contacts at leagues.
Paolo La Placa
LinkedInExperience: Head of Sports Marketing Teamsport at PUMA Global · PUMA Group
Head of Sports Marketing Teamsport at PUMA Global at PUMA Group since January 2022; the profile says this person is responsible for the management and coordination of key international assets, including AC Milan, Lega Serie A and all National Team partnerships in PUMA's global portfolio, and leads contract negotiations. Former Team Head Partnership Management at PUMA Global (2014–2021).
Ryan Djabbarah
LinkedInExperience: Director, Global Head of Sports Sponsorships & Governance · Citi
Former Director, Global Head of Sports Sponsorships & Governance (2018–2021) and SVP, Global Head of Sports Sponsorships and Governance (2015–2018) at Citi, and former Managing Director, Global Head of Sponsorships, Entertainment & Experiential at Citi (2021–2024). Head of Sports & Entertainment Marketing at Kraft Heinz since May 2025.
Tim Dignard
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director, Global Sports Partnerships & Operations · The Coca-Cola Company
Senior Director, Global Sports Partnerships & Operations at The Coca-Cola Company since January 2024. Former Senior Manager, Global Sponsorships (2021–2023) and Manager, Global Sponsorships (2019–2021) at The Coca-Cola Company, and former UEFA Champions League Sponsorship Manager at UEFA (2016–2019).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's role to your question: someone who managed day-to-day relationships with teams and properties suits questions about activation and asset fulfillment, while a head or director of a global sponsorship portfolio suits questions about which deals to sign, governance and budgets. Also ask which side of the deal they sat on, since a brand buying a sponsorship and a team or league selling one see the same contract very differently.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How did you decide which teams, leagues or events were worth sponsoring, and which deals to walk away from?
- 02How did you measure whether a sports sponsorship paid off, and what did you report to leadership?
- 03What did you negotiate into sponsorship contracts beyond the headline fee, and what would you change next time?
Reaching sports sponsorships experts
How can I contact one of these sports sponsorships experts?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 8 companies, including CVS Health, The Coca-Cola Company and Anheuser-Busch, based on profile data retrieved on October 4, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach sports sponsorships experts?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. It includes Instant Expert's 20% fee, so an offer that pays the person $100 costs you $125. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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