UCFB is delighted to announce its Alumni panel for this year's Future Leaders in Football & Sport Conference, set to take place virtually on Wednesday 3rd March.
These former UCFB students have excelled in the sports sector since graduating, and will share their advice and expertise to give current students the best chance possible of progressing in the industry.
Amy O’Connor
Amy O’Connor is the Sponsorship & Partnership Account Manager at UCFB partner Watford FC having graduated from UCFB with First-Class Honours in 2016, after studying on the BA (Hons) Football Business & Marketing degree programme.
She says: “My role is liaising with the sponsors. At Watford I’m their only account manager, so I look after top line to entry level sponsors, from the front of the shirt, the sleeves and our van supplier, to our official airline partner.”
Having risen through the ranks at Vicarage Road, Amy has progressed from her initial role as a Matchday Hostess to Business Development Executive, before being offered her current managerial role. Amy has aspirations to become Chief Executive of a football club in her future career.
With experience in the Championship and The FA, that she gained during her time at UCFB Wembley, Amy has extensive knowledge of the industry and will provide a fascinating insight into the future of sponsorship within the game.
Jake Rodgers
As a Social Media & Content Executive at Sheffield United, Jake Rodgers works in the club’s marketing department, with his primary focus being the Blades’ social and digital platforms. The BA (Hons) Football Business & Media graduate has helped grow the club’s online audience from 400k to 1.6 million since the team’s promotion to the Premier League, and is constantly looking to increase this with creative online content.
He says: “The type of work can vary from large-scale production projects and assisting in the filming and editing of features for YouTube, to more quick-turnaround, reactive content streams. I also work on matchdays themselves, which includes capturing pre-game video and photo content inside the stadium, in-game graphics and post-match interviews.”
Having also worked at a PR consultancy and The Fan Experience Company during his time at UCFB, Jake is well-experienced in engaging and growing digital audiences in the football and sports industry.
Mya Graham
Mya Graham landed a sought-after role as a Journalist Apprentice at talkSPORT last year, beating over 1,800 other applicants to the job. The BA (Hons) Football Business & Media graduate works across the live programming, audio production and social media sectors, immersing herself in several aspects of sports media.
Having hosted her own show on The Football Terrace YouTube channels and worked with experienced broadcaster Jacqui Oatley - who initially informed Mya of the role at talkSPORT - she capitalised on the wealth of networking opportunities available to her during her time at UCFB’s Etihad Campus, and believes this is vital for success in the industry.
Mya says: “I would say that grades will not define your future. I didn’t walk out of UCFB with a First-Class degree, but I have worked extremely hard to network with the right people and at times step out my comfort zone too because playing it safe doesn’t always get you where you need to be.”
On her way to becoming a fully NCTJ qualified journalist, Mya will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced, multi-faceted world of sports media.
Sunny Dhillon
As a Partnerships Analyst at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Sunny aims to drive the club’s commercial growth through capitalising on the Premier League’s global audience. He is currently focusing on the Mexican, European and Asian markets for expansion opportunities, with the aim of securing more international brand partnerships for the club.
The BA (Hons) Football & Finance graduate has also worked for Manchester United, The FA and Champions Soccer LLC in the United States, all of which have provided him with some in-depth knowledge of the global football industry.
Sunny will offer a unique insight into the financial and analytical aspects of the Premier League, and what it takes to get there.
Click here to register your attendance for the 2021 UCFB Future Leaders Conference.
