Twenty women leaders selected for nine-month program advancing Indiana’s 2050 Vision

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Sports Corp and Bloombase today announced the 20 women selected for the second cohort of W.E. ARE NEXT, a groundbreaking leadership initiative designed to accelerate the next 100 W(omen) E(xecutives) across the sports industry. The cohort advances Indiana’s 2050 Vision to become the global epicenter of sport, where events, technology, academia, business, and women’s sports converge to create lasting impact.

Facilitated by Bloombase, W.E. ARE NEXT is a nine-month, high-impact leadership experience grounded in neuroscience, organizational psychology, and real-world performance pressure. Participants will participate in immersive labs, receive executive coaching, and connect with C-suite faculty and industry leaders.

Members of the second cohort represent organizations throughout Indiana’s sports ecosystem and beyond:

  • Mary Ashton Doyle – Senior Account Director, College Sports, Pivotal Sports & Entertainment
  • Stevie Baker-Watson – AVP Student Wellness/Theodore Katula Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports, DePauw University
  • Mariah Barber – Director, Safety & Emergency Management, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
  • Brynna Barnhart – Managing Director of Enforcement, NCAA
  • Lindsay Catavolos – Director of Partnership Marketing, Indianapolis Colts
  • Cecilia Click – Director, Marketing Communications, Strategic Initiatives, Cummins
  • Angela Cretors – Director of Compliance Strategies and Partnerships, The Good Game
  • Lauren Gaudion – Vice President, Communications & Marketing, Arrow McLaren
  • Cat Graham – Director of Merchandise & E-commerce, USA Track & Field
  • Michelle Kimpel – Director of Sports and Recreation, Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities
  • Kylie Kinder – Senior Director of Corporate Sales & Activation, Indianapolis Indians
  • Anna Logan – Associate Director, Finance & Accounting, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
  • Julie Lysiak – Associate Director, Partnership Activation, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
  • Alivia Mattioli-Hodge – Senior Manager, Partnerships, Penske Entertainment
  • Ashleigh Newbold – Vice President, Engagement, Indiana Sports Corp
  • Madeline Partain – Former Senior Retail Partnerships Manager, England Rugby
  • Schnette Queisser – Senior National Sports Account Director, Visit Indy
  • Laurie Schneider – President and COO, BaM Sports
  • Carrie Snyder – Associate Director of Championships, NCAA
  • Christina Toler – Vice President, Development, Indiana Sports Corp

“Our first Cohort proved that W.E. ARE NEXT isn’t just another development program—it’s infrastructure, creating meaningful opportunities for women leaders to grow, advance, and shape the future of sports,” said Sarah Myer, Chief of Staff & Strategy at Indiana Sports Corp. “We’re excited to build on that momentum with this next group to continue developing the bold leaders who will help bring Indiana’s 2050 Vision to be a women’s sports capital to life.”

“W.E. ARE NEXT was never intended to be a one-time leadership experience—it’s a long-term investment in the women who will shape the future of sports,” said Sheri Fella, Founder & CEO, Bloombase. “With Cohort 2, we're continuing to build a community of leaders who will influence organizations, strengthen our industry, and create lasting impact for years to come.”

This initiative is made possible in part through the support of Visionary Partners Cummins and Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

“At Cummins, we have long believed that investing in people creates lasting impact—and we're proud to support a program that develops future leaders while strengthening Indiana's sports ecosystem and the communities it serves," said Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO, Cummins Inc. “Congratulations to the women selected for the second W.E. ARE NEXT cohort. Indiana's vibrant sports industry drives economic growth and community pride across our state, and we look forward to seeing how these talented women help shape its future.”

“We're proud to see W.E. ARE NEXT continue to grow because it represents what we envisioned when Indiana’s 2050 Vision was created, not simply attracting the biggest events and building the strongest sports ecosystem but developing the people who will lead it into the future,” said Julie Roe Lach, EVP of external affairs and community engagement at Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “Investing in women leaders is an investment in the future of Indiana sports, and this cohort is filled with women who have the talent, ambition and perspective to help shape what comes next.”

W.E. ARE NEXT delivered measurable results for its first cohort: 95% of participants reported improved or sustained growth within their organizations, including 72% who advanced in their roles within nine months of graduation. Additionally, 16 of the 22 participants made a concrete career move during the program.

In 2023, Indiana Sports Corp unveiled its 2050 Vision, a bold plan to cement Indiana as the global epicenter of sport. A key pillar of that vision is making Indiana the capital of women’s sports, not only through events and teams, but also by building a leadership pipeline that ensures women are at the forefront of the industry.

W.E. ARE NEXT directly fuels this strategy by investing in women leaders who will power the events, organizations, and innovations shaping the next generation of sports.

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About Indiana Sports Corp 
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.

About Bloombase
Bloombase is a leadership development firm that fuels high-impact individuals and teams to lead with clarity, connection, and impact. Through immersive customized experiences, executive coaching, and strategic partnerships, Bloombase fuses neuroscience, behavioral science, and systems design to transform leaders into system-shifting catalysts for their organizations and communities.