Panel #1 Sports Lawyers Leading the Game
Woodie Dixon, Chief Legal Officer – Golden State Group
Woodie Dixon is the Chief Legal Officer of the Golden State Group, overseeing legal and business affairs for the Golden State Warriors and related entities, after previously serving as Chief Legal Officer at Chegg, General Counsel and SVP of Business Affairs of the Pac-12 Conference, and General Counsel of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sapna Pandya, EVP & General Counsel – Red Bull
Sapna Pandya is Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Red Bull, where she leads legal strategy across the company’s U.S. business, advising on commercial, marketing, sales, and operational matters to support growth across Red Bull’s brand‑driven platforms.
Lauren Strackbine, SVP & General Counsel – Sharks Sports & Entertainment
Lauren Strackbine is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, where she oversees legal affairs, human resources, and diversity, inclusion, and belonging for the San Jose Sharks and related sports and entertainment operations, after previously serving as General Counsel for the Jacksonville Jaguars and All Elite Wrestling.
Marissa John, Vice President & General Counsel – Seattle Seahawks & Lumen Field
Marissa John is Vice President and General Counsel of the Seattle Seahawks and Lumen Field, where she serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, provides legal counsel across a wide range of business matters, and oversees litigation and compliance with NFL rules and regulations.
MCLE Materials
Streaming Wars Expand to Sports Media, Spark Antitrust Concerns
The Revenue Game: Transforming Sports Business Development From Transactions To Partnerships
Top 10 Legal Challenges for the Sports Industry in 2025
Big Baller, Shot Caller: High School Athletes and the Emerging NIL Framework
Panel #2 - Diversity & Inclusive Excellence in Sports
Myka Bell, Counsel – PGA TOUR
Myka Bell is Counsel with the PGA TOUR. In her role, she advises across intellectual property, digital operations, live events, and emerging sports technologies. Her work sits at the intersection of law, business, and innovation, supporting high-impact initiatives across tournaments, media, and consumer-facing platforms. Prior to this role, she served as Associate Counsel for the San Francisco 49ers and as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago. In addition to her legal practice, Myka has been actively involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts throughout her career, including supplier diversity and BIPOC employee resource group leadership.
When Myka is not working, you can find her . . . playing flag football, practicing her golf swing, and spending quality time with her 2-year old and her husband, Chris.
Anne Doepner, Sr. Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Minnesota Vikings
Anne Doepner is in her 20th overall season with the Minnesota Vikings where she leads the team’s DEI strategy and works to implement employee engagement, inclusion, and learning initiatives aimed at creating a sense of belonging in the workplace. In her previous role as the Vikings’ Director of Football Administration, Doepner was responsible for matters of salary cap management and compliance with the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. She worked closely with the personnel department on contract proposals, negotiations and player budgets, and performed research and analysis to assist the club’s strategic efforts. She served as the primary contract negotiator for rookie contracts for three seasons. A staunch advocate for women’s career and professional development, Doepner is the founder and chairwoman of the Twin Cities chapter of Women In Sports and Events (WISE), which was established in 2017.
When Anne is not working, you can find her . . . cheering on her 14-year-old daughter on the volleyball court, her 12-year-old son on the soccer pitch or exploring the Twin Cities dining scene with her husband, Aaron.
Nona Lee, Founder/ CEO – Truth Is. Consulting; former Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer – Arizona Diamondbacks
Nona Lee is an attorney and certified diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practitioner. Nona started her legal career in private practice as a litigator, and she went on to become a "sports lawyer", working for over 22 years in the professional sports industry in Phoenix, Arizona, before leaving her position as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for the Arizona Diamondbacks to start her own consulting business. Nona is the Founder & CEO of Truth Is. Consulting and the co-founder of Truth Retreats, immersive courageous leadership retreats in Montgomery and Selma, Alabama. In addition to her DEI work, Nona recently returned to private practice as Senior Division Counsel in Womble Bond Dickinson's GC Solutions practice group, and she also currently serves on the sports, commercial and consumer arbitration panels for the American Arbitration Association, and as a neutral for FAIR Sports LLC, a dispute resolution service for NIL-related matters.
When Nona is not working, you can find her: learning to embrace the fine yet elusive art of relaxing, attending sports events, and spending time with family.
Liz Mireles, Vice President, People & Culture at Sharks Sports and Entertainment
Liz leads the organization’s overall people strategy including talent development, employee experience, labor relations, HR operations, and DIB and benefits/wellness initiatives. A proud double Bronco and Bronco parent, Liz brings nearly two decades of human resources leadership across the nonprofit, higher education, and professional sports & entertainment sectors. Prior to joining the Sharks, she served as Vice President for Human Resources at Hope Services and held progressive HR leadership roles during a 13-year tenure at Santa Clara University, following earlier positions at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Liz is passionate about fostering cultures of inclusion, belonging, and high performance, partnering with leadership teams to align people strategies with business priorities, driving both employee experience and organizational growth.
When Liz is not working, you can find her: Of course at Sharks games and concerts. Born and raised in San Jose, Liz enjoys spending time with her daughter, large extended family, and her dogs.
MCLE Materials
Panel #3 - It’s Our Time - Women’s Sports Is Here To Stay
Katie Steiner - Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at OneTeam Partners
Katie Steiner is Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at OneTeam Partners. OneTeam partners with world-class Players Associations, including the NFLPA, MLBPA, MLSPA, NWSLPA, USWNTPA, and WNBPA and college-athletes, to help athletes maximize their name, image, and likeness rights through commercial opportunities, such as licensing, athlete marketing, sponsorship, ventures, and media/content production. Katie specializes in drafting and negotiating complex commercial transactions and provides strategic legal advice to OneTeam’s internal and external stakeholders with respect to all business initiatives of OneTeam. Prior to joining OneTeam in January 2023, Katie spent five years on the Legal and Business Affairs team at Major League Baseball and two years in college athletics. Katie received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet and Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Utah.
Derrick Davis - General Counsel of Angel City FC
Derrick, the General Counsel of Angel City FC—one of the most valuable teams in women's sports—brings a unique mix of experience as a sports and entertainment executive. His diverse background spans roles in a professional sports league (Major League Soccer), soccer events and media promotion (Relevent Sports), pre-IPO experience at a leading social media and content platform (TikTok), player and athlete commercial representation (OneTeam Partners), and his current role at Angel City FC. Derrick's passion for being part of innovative and disruptive companies is reflected in his involvement with emerging organizations: Angel City FC was founded in 2020, OneTeam in 2019, TikTok in 2016, Relevent Sports in 2012, and Major League Soccer in 1993. Before entering sports and entertainment, Derrick was an associate based in the New York office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (Cleary). Derrick’s practice at Cleary focused on corporate and financial transactions, particularly mergers and acquisitions. Derrick received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Morehouse College.
Kate Porter - General Counsel of Bay FC
Kate Porter is General Counsel of Bay FC, where she advises on all aspects of the Club’s business, including player transactions and relations, league compliance, commercial partnerships, ticketing, and real estate development.
Prior to joining Bay FC, Kate was a partner and head of the sports practice at Vela Wood in Dallas, where she represented sports organizations, athletes, and agents in complex commercial matters and disputes. She began her career at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, advising international sports organizations, soccer officials, and professional teams and leagues in high-stakes investigations and disputes, including before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and FIFA.
Kate holds a J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, an LL.M. in International Sports Law from ISDE in Madrid, and a B.A. from Wake Forest University.
Catherine Chow - Chief Legal Officer of the Vancouver Canucks Sports & Entertainment
Catherine Chow is the Chief Legal Officer of the Vancouver Canucks Sports & Entertainment, home of the Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club (NHL), Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) Vancouver Warriors Lacrosse (NLL), and esports team Vancouver Surge (CDL), Rogers Arena, Rogers Forum and the Toptable Group. With decades’ experience in commercial law across Canada and US from her in-house and private practice career, Catherine leverages her diverse expertise to guide executive decision-making. Catherine has been appointed as an adjudicator to the Law Society of British Columbia for a second four-year term to hear cases of lawyer’s professional misconduct and disciplinary action. She holds numerous awards including Top 25 Inhouse Counsel in Canada and the Adam Albright Award for teaching excellence as an Adjunct Professor at UBC Allard School of Law. In addition to her local and national non-profit work, Catherine coaches competitive youth sports while spending time with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia. Catherine holds a LLB’97 and BA’94 from the University of Calgary (Dean’s List), and an LLM’07 from the University of British Columbia.
Jenn Flynn - SVP, Business Affairs & General Counsel for the Professional Women’s Hockey League
Jen Flynn serves as SVP, Business Affairs & General Counsel for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). The PWHL consists of eight teams across North America, each with rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Following its launch on January 1, 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and continues to break records, including the worldwide attendance record for a women’s hockey game.
Responsible for overseeing all legal, finance and human resource matters associated with the operation of the League and its member teams, Flynn provides advice and counsel regarding the League’s organizational growth strategies and plans, including with respect to structuring for expansion and investment opportunities, and the evaluation of new lines and places of business. She leads the negotiations for all arrangements relating to the expanding commercial footprint of the League and the implementation of its strategic business plans, including all national and regional media rights deals, and all licensing, partnership and new business venture agreements. She otherwise provides counsel for matters relating to the day-to-day business and hockey operations of the League, including providing guidance for labor and employment matters associated with the organization’s front office personnel and players across North America.
Prior to joining the PWHL, Flynn held a variety of legal and business strategy roles with Fenway Sports Group and its subsidiary entities including the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management, WME Sports and MLB Advanced Media. She is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Boston College Law School.
MCLE materials
Beyond the Draft: How the NWSL's CBA Challenges Labor Restrictions in Professional Sports
Women's Professional Sports Continues to Grow by Courts (and Rinks) and Bounds
Women's Sports Isn't Having a Moment It's Rebuilding The Capital Stack
WNBA and WNBPA Reach Tentative Deal on Historic Collective Bargaining Agreement
Women's Sports Growth Is A Win For Investors, Brands, And The Planet
What's next for women's sports: Fueling growth by proving value
Beyond the billion-dollar barrier: Charting the next phase of growth
Panel #4 - Hot Topics in Sports Law – AI/Tech/Data/Privacy
Marykaren Ripple - Associate Counsel, Data Privacy for Major League Soccer
Marykaren Ripple is the Associate Counsel, Data Privacy for Major League Soccer. As the first and only privacy professional in the organization she provides counsel regarding personal data and AI for all business units in the organization. She also leads the League’s privacy strategy, governance, and compliance efforts, and sits on the League’s AI Center of Excellence as the AI Risk & Governance Committee co-chair.
Kate Sheets - Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Affairs for AEG Global Partnerships
Kate Sheets is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Affairs for AEG Global Partnerships, where she advises on global strategy, revenue growth initiatives, and major partnership deals across AEG’s portfolio of sports and live entertainment assets. Previously, she served as Vice President, Legal Counsel at AEG, leading negotiations for high-profile sponsorships and naming rights agreements, including the record-breaking Crypto.com Arena deal. Prior to AEG, she practiced corporate and sports law at Proskauer Rose and Foley & Lardner. Sheets is a 2025 Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree and a 2022 Game Changers award recipient.
John Bhullar - Deputy General Counsel for the San Jose Sharks
Joth Bhullar is a Santa Clara University graduate, where he studied Computer Science and Engineering. He is now the Deputy General Counsel for the San Jose Sharks, after previously serving as a lawyer for the Pac-12 Conference and FuboTV. His practice focuses on a wide range of matters, including an emphasis on shaping the usage of data and management of Intellectual Property on behalf of the Sharks brand.
MCLE Materials
Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior by Sandra Matz [book]
Gauging Professional Sport Biometric Data Privacy Concerns | Foley & Lardner