The Path from Eugene to Paris 2024
Were you among the 34.5 million viewers who watched the 2024 Summer Olympic Games? If so, you likely saw a Duck fly by.
Dozens of athletes with links to Oregon competed in the games—several with direct ties to the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business.
But that’s not all.
Business Ducks were abroad representing top international brands on the ground at Paris 2024. College faculty also served as experts for major media outlets.
Showcasing how the path to the Olympics in business and sport starts in Eugene and at the college, we’ve asked our alumni, students, and faculty to share their experiences first-hand.
Setting the Stage at Hayward Field
Ariyahna Bernard
Just after classes ended, the Olympic Track and Field Trials came to Eugene once again and I had the incredible opportunity to work alongside my peers selling and promoting brand awareness for Coordinates—the official pajamas of Team USA, created by legendary track and field Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross.
Not only did I get the opportunity to work sales, but I also spent each day gifting Coordinates to the official members of Team USA representing the U.S. at the Paris Olympics.
Where else would these opportunities come my way if not for the University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business, and the connections we make through the UO Warsaw Sports Business Center?
Ariyahna Bernard, MBA ’25
Recruitment Assistant and Visit Coordinator, Lundquist College of Business
Nina Geissler
I gained valuable professional experience as a social media intern at TrackTown USA, contributing to some of the biggest events in track and field, including the Pre Classic and the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field.
It was a great way to finish my college tennis career and an opportunity to apply lessons learned, and build on other experiences at the college, including from Joshua Gordon’s Sports Law course, Jeanne Schneider’s sports sponsorship course, my group’s capstone consulting project for BCKR, and a project for the Portland Trail Blazers @ the Rose Quarter, evaluating their employer brand.
Nina Geissler, MBA candidate fall ’24
Live from Paris
Fresh off earning her degree in Eugene, Shana Grebo ’24 competed in Paris in the 4x400m relay and 4x400m hurdles representing France.
Jorinde van Klinken, MBA ’23, represented her home country of the Netherlands in shot put and discus throw.
Aneta Konieczak ’22 represented team Poland in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Alessia Zarbo ’23 represented team France in the women’s 10,000 meter.
Jocelyn Bourgault
I led Intel’s on-site projects in Paris, delivering technology solutions to solve problems for the Olympic Games including a universal accessibility application for Team USA for their Olympians and Paralympians at the training facility right here in Paris. Go Ducks!
Jocelyn Bourgault, MBA ’08
Team USA and Accessibility Programs Lead, Olympics and Paralympic Office
Ashley Kirsininkas
Iam an account director at the sports marketing firm 160over90, managing Visa’s Olympic partnerships and serving as an Olympic subject matter expert for Visa's sponsorship team. I lead the Olympic vertical for Visa, overseeing all Olympic-related matters including property management, timelines, negotiations, opportunity evaluation, and strategic guidance. My responsibilities include managing a team of six for global Olympic projects and handling various aspects of Olympic sponsorship including athlete deals, social media approvals, TV spot development, and campaign execution for multiple Olympic properties. My time at the Lundquist College helped open my eyes to the world of sports business, specifically sports marketing, paving the path to where I am today.
Ashley Kirsininkas ’11
Account Director-Visa Olympics
Meryl Fishler
I supported Team USA athletes on the ground as the representative from the Team USA Athletes’ Commission—the representative group and voice of Team USA athletes.
One of my major roles was facilitating all the flag-bearer elections. Team USA is unique as a delegation in that our athletes drive the election process and elect the athletes they believe best represent Team USA.
I was located in the athlete resources center in the Athlete Village to help athletes and act as their advocate if they had questions or issues around delegation policies and procedures, their rights and responsibilities, anti-doping conflict resolution and grievances, and to provide general athlete support.
My time at the University of Oregon helped prepare me for my role by providing me with an education in the sporting landscape that is paramount in my work supporting Team USA athletes.
Meryl Fishler, MBA, JD ’20
Team USA Athletes’ Commission Manager
Ashley Paget
My time in Paris included hosting and managing our space at Team USA House, some private events, and preparing for the Olympic flag flight.
In partnership with LA28, we curated a special flight and arrival to transport the Olympic flag from Paris to Los Angeles.
My time with Warsaw enabled me to add value in the sponsorship space and forge connections for this incredible opportunity. I’m so grateful! 'Sco Ducks!
Ashley Paget, MBA ’22
Project Manager, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Marketing, Delta Air Lines
Ben Cooke
I worked on Deloitte’s Global Olympic and Paralympic Partnership in Paris. As the worldwide management consulting partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Deloitte is using its considerable business acumen to help the IOC realize the possibilities of its strategic roadmap for the future, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, and its vision to build a better world through sport.
My responsibilities on-site in Paris were focused on managing Deloitte’s signature talent activations (including the Torch Relay and Marathon Pour Tous), as well as rights management, where I reviewed and approved all marketing content that ultimately got distributed to viewers globally.
Ben Cooke, MBA ’20
Senior Specialist for Global Partnerships and Sponsorships at Deloitte
Kyle McKinnis
I had the privilege of working at my fifth Paralympic Games in Paris, leading a team focused on optimizing sport preparedness and medal count through strategic planning and implementation.
My primary responsibilities in Paris included overseeing our performance infrastructure, encompassing our applied sport science team in the Paralympic Village and at our off-site high-performance center.
The values of passion, integrity, and leadership instilled by the Warsaw Sports Business Center continue to influence my daily approach, proving essential for success in both performance environments and the diverse, multicultural relationships formed in international sports.
Kyle McKinnis ’10
Director of Paralympic Performance for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Katrina Galas
Before the games began, I was in Eugene working for Tracktown USA as the VIP and partner/vendor services lead for the 2024 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field. It was extra special to see athletes qualify for the games, then compete in Paris only a few weeks later, some medalling for the first time in their career, including Sha’Carri Richardson!
In Paris, I was supporting our SPORTFIVE client, Sanofi–a first-time sponsor of the games, specifically leading the programming for the Sanofi Board of Directors and executive leadership team on the ground.
Paris 2024 was my fifth Olympics, and I have had the chance to bring my games knowledge to the Lundquist classroom on multiple occasions.
Paris 2024 set new standards for sustainability and gender equality. I look forward to connecting with other UO, Lundquist, and Warsaw alumni near and far, at future games.
Katrina Galas, MBA ’13
Olympic Project Director, Olympic Games and Major Events (OME) at SPORTFIVE
Braden Buerk
My role at Octagon allows me to support our clients with their Olympic and Paralympic partnerships. I currently manage category rights and approvals, assist with the planning and activation of athlete ambassador programs, and lead social media integrations. During this year’s Paris games, I supported a media-focused hospitality program and various partner activations. I also consulted with our clients to identify opportunistic social media moments to capitalize on throughout the games.
Braden Buerk
Senior Account Executive, Octagon
Oregon Faculty, Olympics Experts
T. Bettina Cornwell
As part of the 2024 summer games coverage, I was called upon by several members of the media to comment on subjects ranging from lower calorie Michelob Ultra’s Olympic investment to the storytelling star power of Simone Biles.
T. Bettina Cornwell
Department of Marketing head and Philip H. Knight Chair, Lundquist College
Yoav Dubinsky
During my time in Paris, I presented at a sports business conference and met with members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as part of my research focusing on sports nation branding and public diplomacy. I am also working on a book about the new era of Olympic movement. This fall, I am continuing this research, visiting faculty at the Olympic Studies Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the German Sport University Cologne.
Yoav Dubinsky
Senior Instructor of Sports Business, Lundquist College
When it comes to the business of the Olympics, our Ducks are there before, during, and after the games, bringing a bit of University of Oregon spirit wherever they go.
Next up, we’re off to paint the town green and yellow when even more alumni head down for the next Olympic summer games, LA 2028!
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