UGA Alumni Sports Industry Council
Created in 2018 by Michael Cheney (BBA ’85, MAcc ’86) and Dr. Steven Salaga (MEd ’04), the UGA Alumni Sports Industry Council serves students and faculty in UGA’s Sport Management program by providing access to professional experience and executives across sports business disciplines. The Council contributes to the success of UGA students through guest lectures, career development opportunities, access to industry internships, providing scholarships, sponsoring an on-campus internship, and fundraising.
The Council is comprised of a dedicated group of sports industry executives with a wide range of expertise in sports media, sports agencies, sports marketing, sports properties, and sponsorship. Current members of the Council include:
Vince Thompson, Founder and CEO, MELT
Susan Goodenow, VP of Marketing and Communications, Chicago Bulls
Chris Brearton, Chief Operating Officer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) & Chair, USA Swimming
Chip Caray, Play-by-Play Announcer, Atlanta Braves and Fox Sports South
David Koonin, Head of Endorsements & Marketing, CAA Sports LLC
Sarah Davis, VP Business Leadership and Brand Experiences, Momentum Worldwide
Bryan Johnston, CEO/Founder, Adjacency Partners
Brian Doud, Chief Marketing Officer, Thompson Tractor
Scott Williams, Senior Director Sales, SEC Network Multimedia
Becca Elliott, Product Track Lead for Mobile, Carvana
Percy Vaughn, Vice President, Kia Motors America; Chairman, Chick-Fil-A Bowl Board; Board of Trustees, Chick-Fil-A Corporation
Michael Cheney, Sr. Director Partnerships, Partech, Inc.
In alignment with their mission to serve students, the Council created and funded the first two scholarship programs for Sport Management students at UGA. Each year, two students are selected to receive scholarships based on academic achievement, program participation and leadership. The first scholarship is funded by the Johnston Family in memory of Teri Johnston, a 1985 graduate of the Sport Management program. The second scholarship is funded through tax deductible alumni donations received by the UGA Foundation. If you are interested in supporting this scholarship, you can make your gift online or by mailing a check to the UGA Foundation (1 Press Pl. Ste. 101, Athens, GA, 30601) with the account number #90273000 – MFE College of Education included.
If you are interested in learning more about the UGA Sports Industry Council, please contact Michael Cheney via the Council email address ugasportscouncil@gmail.com.
