Prodigy Search Presents

 Episode 22 of Prodigy Search Presents features Elisa Padilla, a sports and entertainment brand marketing expert who cultivates loyal, community-centric fanbases at the highest level. Padilla shares her unique approach and strategy to what has become a diversified career as she has overseen the design and evolution of iconic brands at the intersection of sports, entertainment and pop culture—including Barclays Center, Brooklyn Nets, NY Islanders, Miami Marlins, and Apple.

In each of her roles, Padilla has effectively and authentically integrated marquee organizations, professional sports teams and entertainment centers into their native communities. In Brooklyn, she introduced the Nets with the award-winning ‘Hello, Brooklyn’ campaign, which garnered her accolades in the media. In Miami, she transformed an ailing Marlins baseball team into a thriving symbol of the vibrant local landscape.

In her most recent role with Roc Nation, Padilla oversaw creative strategy and partnership marketing across the brand’s music, sports and event businesses. While now actively seeking her next great move, she has turned her focus to leading and inspiring women in sports and entertainment with her 70+ episode, original leadership series on Instagram Live, ‘Kick It with EP’.

Episode 21 of Prodigy Search Presents features Andrew D. Bernstein, Hall of Fame sports photographer and the official photographer of the National Basketball Association and NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.  

Bernstein, who received the Curt Gowdy Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, discusses his 40-year career of shooting some of the most iconic images in the history of sport.  Bernstein’s work has appeared in thousands of newspapers and magazine covers as well as major advertising campaigns throughout the years.  From his exclusive assignment covering the legendary 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team, featuring future NBA Hall of Famers including Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, to shooting every NBA Finals over the last 30+ years as well as numerous Olympic Games.  He also speaks about his recent experience shooting for the NBA in the “bubble” in Orlando, culminating with the Lakers’ 17th NBA title.  

Bernstein, who worked with Scott Carmichael dating back to their days with the Los Angeles Kings and Clippers in the early 1980’s, speaks about his collaboration with Kobe Bryant on the worldwide bestselling book “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play”, a unique look at Bryant’s brilliant NBA career through Bernstein’s lens. 

Our sincere gratitude to Andy for spending an hour modestly chronicling his Hall of Fame career.  A true champion.

Episode 20 of Prodigy Search Presents features Meghan Duggan, 3X Olympic Medalist, 7X National Champion and former Captain of the US Women’s National Team. Duggan shares insights on her leadership style and how it’s evolved over her career as well as her growing involvement as an advocate and mentor surrounding women’s sports, specifically hockey.   

More on Meghan’s career accolades are found below:   

A native of Danvers, Massachusetts, Duggan has achieved sustained success at all levels of her hockey career in international and collegiate play. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin (Biology) where she won 3 NCAA Championships, led the nation in scoring her senior year which was a precursor to her sustained success with Team USA.  During her Team USA career, Duggan has won 3 Olympic medals, including the first Olympic Gold in 20 years in February 2018 at PyeongChang, South Korea where she led the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team as the Captain. A member of the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2007, she additionally has won 7 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships which is tied for 3rd most won all-time.  Professionally, she has been a 3-time All-Star in the two different women’s leagues in the U.S. (NWHL) and Canada (CWHL), a 2-time Clarkson Cup champion while playing for the Boston Blades of the CWHL and a two-time Isobel Cup finalist while playing in the NWHL for the Buffalo Beauts & Boston Pride. In 2019-20, she was a member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association and the U.S. Women’s National program while on maternity leave.  In the Spring of 2018, she became a member of the Athlete Advisory Panel of the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) for two years and in 2020, Duggan was voted onto the WSF Board of Trustees. In the Summer of 2020, she became a member of the National Hockey League’s Player Inclusion Committee serving with active and retired NHL players and women’s hockey players. Meghan additionally holds board seats with USA Hockey and is a founding member of the Athlete x Impact Athlete Council.  

• Olympic gold medalist, 2018

@mduggan10 - twitter / instagram

Mandisa Diggs is a Human Resources leader, spearheading global diversity and inclusion initiatives and talent acquisition strategies for both corporate sectors and higher education institutions.  

Currently, Diggs is Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity for Marvell Semiconductor.  Diggs Most recently, Diggs led and drove D&I strategies within the technology pillar of Facebook. Diggs also served as the first VP of Inclusive Diversity at Octagon Sports & Entertainment Network. In that role, she partnered with the executive leadership team to design a value-driven model centered on data intelligence and leadership capabilities. Prior, Diggs led global D&I strategies for Cisco, Ford, and GE and talent acquisition solutions for Humana, Purdue and Indiana State University.  

Diggs holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and a Master’s Degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education, with a focus on multicultural competence and adult development.

Ron Li is Director of Growth and Commercialization: esports at Electronic Arts (EA), where he helps build the organization’s competitive gaming initiative, including fanbase growth and developing sponsorship. 

Prior, Li spent nearly five years helping the PGA TOUR establish its international business, focused on strategy, business development and market research. Having lived in Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore, Canada and now the U.S., Li believes in the power of sport as a means of connecting the world. As a former pro gamer, he definitely thinks “there’s something to this esports thing.”  

Li earned his MBA from the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of British Columbia. In 2019, he received one of 32 scholarships from the National Sports Forum’s Business of Diversity in Sports and Entertainment initiative.

Glenn Merry is Executive Director of Move United, one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing multi-sport organizations serving people with disabilities in the U.S.  

Merry previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Rowing Association, an Olympic National Governing Body (NGB), where he expanded membership by 50% and created the D&I movement within their sport, resulting in the USOC Diversity & Inclusion Award- twice.  

At U.S. Rowing, Merry captured bids for the 2017 World Rowing Championships and 2018 FISA Masters Regattas. He created the D&I movement within their sport, resulting in the USOC Diversity & Inclusion Award.

Vince Pierson is currently CEO & Principal Strategist at VSP Diversity Solutions. He previously served as Diversity and Inclusion Client Partner with Bloomberg LP.  

Pierson spent five years with the MiLB, developing their diversity efforts. He launched the MiLB FIELD Program, providing more than 110 students the opportunity to learn the business of baseball, to attend the Baseball Winter Meetings and to compete for jobs in the industry. Pierson also assisted with the Copa de la Diversión and MiLB Pride platforms and implemented many educational programs during his time.  

Pierson was awarded The Change Agent award from the 13th Annual ADCOLOR Awards for his success in enhancing corporate culture and creating a more inclusive environment.

 Episode 19 of Prodigy Search Presents features Matt Sawicki, Senior Director, Championships for the USGA.

A longtime golf executive who spent nearly 20 years in the sport, Sawicki discusses both his personal and the organization’s growth over the last 10 years at the USGA. He currently oversees all staff in charge of major golf championships from inception to close, including the US Women’s Open, US Senior Open and US Senior Women’s Open. He shares his experience working for some of golf’s most inspirational leaders in Sara Hirshland and Mike Davis and highlights the incredible transformation and modernization of the US Open, led by Davis.  Sawicki also gets into the USGA’s adaptability due to COVID-19 and how they pivoted to hosting one of golf’s most prestigious events, the US Open, without fans; not to mention being postponed 4 months from its usual home on Father’s Day weekend. It was an incredible event with an impeccable course design that clearly opened the eyes of golf enthusiasts around the world…virtually, however.

Sawicki ends the interview talking about the expansion with respect to their new HQ at Pinehurst in North Carolina. Also, he highlights USGA’s schedule for the remainder of 2020 as well as the complete 2021 championship event schedule, leading up to the US Open at prestigious Torrey Pines in San Diego, California. Last, he shares a great story as he began his career as a caddie with Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, Colorado.

 Episode 18 of Prodigy Search Presents features Hallie Yavitch, Vice President of Booking for the STAPLES Center and Microsoft Theater - AEG.  

A recipient of VenuesNow 2020 Women of Influence Award, Yavitch discusses her track record within the venue booking space and the humbling experience in being recognized with some of our industry’s most influential women.  A recent placement of Prodigy, landing her role at STAPLES Center in January 2019, Hallie now oversees all booking and event/venue marketing initiatives for both the STAPLES Center and Microsoft Theater as part of LA Live and AEG. Prior to her joining AEG, Yavitch served over 10 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena (now Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse). With the hundreds of events she brought to Cleveland during her time there, Yavitch shares a special “win” as she worked with the city on the bid for the 2016 Republican National Convention.   

Yavitch continues to be a leader in the event and booking space, blazing trails for the next generation of female executives. She is part of Women in Sports & Events (WISE), and has served on both the Cleveland and, now the Los Angeles chapter. A challenging time in our industry, but Yavitch believes events will be back sooner than later and with some sort of capacity in the building. The live events landscape is changing and Yavitch is at the forefront of bringing concerts, family shows, and comedy acts back to one of the worlds largest, and most competitive, markets in the world.

Episode 17 of Prodigy Search Presents features Chris Overholt, President and CEO with OverActive Media Group.  Overholt discusses his role at OverActive Media Group and the phenomenal growth they've endeavored over the last two years. Coming from the traditional sports side of the business, Overholt speaks to his transition to  esports and the success he's had building, in his eyes, the greatest team in esports in the world. The organization currently owns the Toronto Defiant of the Overwatch League and the Toronto Ultra of the Call of Duty League. They also have global presence in Spain with MAD Lions with teams in League of Legends European Championship and Counter-Strike Global Offensive. OAM is a founding founding equity partner of B Site Inc and a franchise holder in the Flashpoint CSGO league. The future for OAM is bright as they own a live events division and are in development of a new multi-use arena in Toronto, centered around esports and gaming.   A longtime industry veteran and friend of Prodigy Search, Overholt spent time with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the Florida Panthers, Miami Dolphins and most recently over eight years as CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee. He also attended Harvard Business School for their Executive General Managers Program. A Canadian native, Overholt now resides in Toronto and works out of OverActive Media's headquarters.