Evening of Sports Talk & Career Advice

Moderated by Dr. J. Keith Motley New Balance Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration Endowed Chair, Dr. Joseph Cooper

Dr. Joseph N. Cooper is the inaugural Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Prior to UMass Boston, Cooper served as an associate professor at the University of Connecticut in the Sport Management program in Department of Educational Leadership and Neag School of Education. Cooper earned his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master's degree in Sport Administration in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science from UNC-CH, and doctorate in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Management and Policy from the University of Georgia.

Keith P. Carroll
Co-chair, Sports & Entertainment Practice, Mintz

Keith is an active trial attorney and Co-Chair of the Sports & Entertainment Group. He regularly advises prominent professional sports franchises, senior executives and athletes with regard to league investigations, business disputes and other sensitive and high-profile matters.

In 2020 alone he has successfully represented multiple clients in investigations conducted by Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. He has also successfully represented clients in multiple sports-related arbitrations, including National Basketball Association and NHL related business disputes, and a disciplinary matter before the NBA Players Association.

Mary O’Brien ’82
Retired, Former VP of Global Marketing Saucony

Mary O’Brien was the vice president of global marketing for Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide and a global performance running footwear and apparel brand that is committed to empowering the human spirit through running. In this role, Mary created and executed strategic plans in international markets with Saucony’s global brand strategy.

Prior to Saucony, Mary held a variety of roles at Reebok International, including marketing director of footwear, and served as vice president of product marketing at the all-women’s footwear brand Ryka. Mary has both a BS and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts.

Justin Prettyman
Executive Director, San Francisco 49ers Foundation

Justin Prettyman joined the 49ers Foundation in 2017 from the Boston Red Sox Foundation where he served as the assistant director of marketing and development.
Justin spent the past 11 years with the Boston Red Sox Foundation, serving as the assistant director of marketing and development since 2012. Justin was responsible for the Red Sox Foundation’s cornerstone education initiative, the Red Sox Scholars Program where, under his leadership, the program won the inaugural Major League Baseball Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence in 2009. The Foundation also won the Robert Wood Johnson Award for Best Team Charity in Professional Sports in 2010.

Marcita E. Thompson
Vice President Boston Red Sox/Fenway Park Tours

Marcita Thompson was named Vice President of Fenway Park Tours in November 2015. In her role, she is responsible for the operation and business development of Fenway Park Tours. Recognized as Major League Baseball's most successful tour program, Fenway Park Tours offers unique, memorable experiences to over 300,000 fans and international visitors.
Marcita enters her 20th year with the Boston Red Sox, which began in marketing as the Promotions Assistant, where her responsibilities included pre-game ceremonies, the mascot program, promotional giveaways, and club events. In 2003, she was tasked with the development of the club's non-baseball events and ballpark tours. Marcita played an integral role in the 1999 All Star Pre-Game ceremony and produced the 2004 and 2007 World Series Galas for the Red Sox and MLB.