McCormack Scholars : Isenberg School of Management : UMass Amherst

The McCormack Scholars program is a new initiative that celebrates distinguished sports industry leaders.

We have created a new platform for some of the most exciting and important sports management leaders to spend a full day on campus with us, meet with our faculty to share notes and perspectives, create long-form and short-form content for our archive and social media, and connect with our students to thoughtfully share their leadership journey with depth, reflection, and insight.

To be selected as a McCormack Scholar, a sports executive or entrepreneur must have:

At least 10 years of impactful senior industry leadership.
A record of outstanding, game-changing achievement.
Demonstrated innovation and creativity in their work.
A leadership philosophy and style that is effective, transformational, and heartfelt.
A clear passion for advancing not only the commercial interests of their own organization, but also a passion for advancing the sports industry as a whole through a commitment to equity, social responsibility, and sustainability.
And, finally, recognition as a subject matter expert in their discipline and also recognition as a collaborator and thought leader.

The goal of the McCormack Scholars program is to bring the best and brightest industry practitioners, students, faculty, and staff together to share their stories and inspire one another. Kim Davis and Jennifer Todd are preeminent leaders in our industry and appropriately set a high bar for this exciting new program. Our intention is that, over time, participation in the McCormack Scholars program will be a coveted opportunity.

Jeffrey Pollack

Lecturer & Professor of Practice

McCormack Scholars represents a dynamic new platform for our students to access and learn from connected and authentic industry leaders. The design, substance and tone of this event is geared entirely towards intimate, in-person learning and professional development.

William Norton

Graduate Program Director, Director of McCormack Center for Sport Research and Education, & Senior Lecturer

Accordion Content

Expand Section Meet the 2024 McCormack Scholars

Jennifer Todd

Senior Vice President of the Boston Celtics

As SVP for the Celtics, Todd drives overall strategy and execution for the team’s diverse corporate partnership portfolio and manages Jr. Celtics, its youth basketball offering. She joined the Celtics from The Tournament (TBT / TST), where she served as co-founder and executive vice president of the groundbreaking $1 million winner-take-all tournament. She has alternated between entrepreneurial and established ventures throughout her career, also spending time at Super Soccer Stars, Octagon, and at various boutique and established management consulting firms.

Kim Davis

Senior Executive Vice President for Social Impact, Growth, and Legislative Affairs; President of the NHL Foundation

In her capacity as a senior executive, Davis reports to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining fans—with a specific focus on multi-cultural audiences—through culture, youth participation, and social impact initiatives. As NHL Foundation president, she leads strategic funding and philanthropic investments aimed at community development, health and wellness, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the sport across North America.

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