Today, on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, we celebrate the talented women who help power the San Francisco 49ers. From the front office to the field, these professionals play a vital role in shaping the organization's success. In this feature, women across the 49ers share their journeys, the paths that led them here and their advice for young professionals.
Take a look at their stories and learn more about the women behind the team:
Kate Fellman
Role at the 49ers: As a fan engagement assistant, my role at the 49ers includes capturing and engaging diverse fans through each of our fan clubs (Kids Club, Women of the Niners, 49ers PRIDE), fan events across the Bay Area and the globe and managing a database of thousands of fans.
Journey to now: My journey here was a rollercoaster! During the pandemic, I started my MBA in Sports Business and worked in collegiate athletics as a student. Once I graduated, I was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as a game presentation intern just after they won the Super Bowl during the 2021 season, which was a very exciting time to be part of the organization. Once my internship ended, I joined the 49ers as they made their Super Bowl run in 2023. Now finishing my second season here, I couldn't be happier with the work I've done in growing the Faithful.
Advice: Don't be hard on yourself and don't compare yourself to others.
Stephani Shawi
Role at the 49ers: As the senior coordinator for digital marketing at the San Francisco 49ers, I oversee and publish all content on our website and YouTube channel. This includes managing daily updates to ensure proper promotion and collaborating closely with the content team to create and distribute a variety of materials, from photo galleries to live press conferences. On gamedays, I am responsible for publishing game highlights, curating photo galleries and providing live coverage.
Journey to now: After graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Sacramento State, I joined the San Francisco 49ers as an intern in July 2022, focusing primarily on website updates. In December 2022, I transitioned into a full-time role as a digital associate, where I expanded my skills and responsibilities. Currently, as a senior coordinator, I support various aspects of content creation and publishing, continually striving to enhance our digital presence.
Advice: My advice to young professionals is don't let fear hold you back from chasing a dream. It's easy to get intimidated by the unknown, but each step you take is an opportunity for growth.
Grace Vincent
Role at the 49ers: As a senior SBL sales consultant, I get to work directly with the Faithful to ensure they are getting the best game day experience. By finding the best seating option for each fan, I get to contribute to filling up Levi's® Stadium every gameday with the most passionate fans!
Journey to now: My sports journey began in college, where I did everything from cleaning wrestling mats to working as a sales intern for Marquee Sports Network. When I was finishing up my final semester at the University of Iowa, I interviewed to be a SBL sales consultant with the 49ers and got it! I took the role, drove the 30ish hours to California and never looked back.
Advice: You're capable of more than you think!
Charis Mangulabnan
Role at the 49ers: I'm the senior coordinator for inclusion and culture! In my role, I support recruitment for our front office, including full-time, part-time, seasonal and intern positions. With guidance from the senior director, I manage the internship program and support all of our employee resource groups and affinity groups. I lead initiatives that elevate operational efficiency while fostering inclusive leadership and equitable systems.
Journey to now: Without having any sports experience, this seat came as a complete surprise. I had sent in a couple of applications and didn't end up moving forward. Two years later, I told one of my closest friends that it'd be incredible to work for the 49ers. She happened to know someone who worked in the HR department, so I asked for their contact information. We did an informational interview and my intention was to plant a seed of connection. Little did I know, they had an opening and I applied immediately. The interview process made me more excited after meeting members of the HR team. The rest was history! I've had the honor of taking the learnings I've gained through other industries and being able to bring that to sports.
Advice: No matter what title you have or who you are, know that your voice is equal and will provide a perspective in the room that can contribute to the organization. As an introvert, I learned that being bold and using my voice can unlock numerous opportunities and connections. I heard someone say, "Being shy is expensive," that resonated so much.
Grecia Barboza
Position at the 49ers: My position as counsel consists of overseeing and managing legal aspects of the operations of the 49ers and Levi's® Stadium. I provide day-to-day legal advice and support to internal business units, including corporate partnerships, marketing, people operations, football operations, sales, events and the 49ers Foundation, among various others. This consists of advising on a wide range of laws and regulations to ensure the 49ers are compliant, including, but not limited to, contract law, labor and employment law, privacy and data protection law, intellectual property law and California law, as well as NFL league policies and rules.
Journey to now: Before joining the 49ers, I worked as a corporate law associate in the New York City and London offices of a multi-national law firm, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and also as a corporate law associate at a Silicon Valley law firm, Wilson Sonsini. My experience representing and advising companies based in the U.S., Europe, Africa and Latin America on complex legal issues meant that I received a lot of responsibility early in my career and became accustomed to working in a fast-paced, demanding and constantly evolving environment. Beyond my professional experience, I am also a Bay Area native and I have always loved football and the 49ers. So, when I saw the positing announcing a sports law job with my favorite team in my favorite sport, I applied immediately. I have now been at the 49ers since September 2021 and it's been an amazing five seasons so far!
Advice: Go for it—don't be afraid to take risks and step up for opportunities.
Cassandra Jobe
Position at the 49ers: As the manager of event sales at Levi's® Stadium, I am responsible for booking the venue during non-game and non-public event days. I collaborate with companies across the Bay Area to host corporate gatherings, private functions and social events, ensuring a seamless and memorable experience for all clients.
Journey to now: I began my sports career in college, interning for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the Springfield Cardinals, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. After college, I launched my professional journey with the San Francisco Giants in sales before transitioning to their business development team, where I played a key role in opening the organization's first all-inclusive space, the Cloud Club. Following my time with the Giants, I spent over four years with the Golden State Warriors in sales, consistently ranking as a top-five seller in group sales revenue across the NBA and celebrating an NBA Championship victory. Now, having been with the 49ers and Levi's® Stadium for over a year, I've embraced the exciting challenge of event sales, expanding my expertise into a new sales realm while continuing to create memorable experiences for clients.
Advice: Be a sponge. Take every opportunity to learn and absorb as much as you can. Connect with people from different departments to understand their roles, processes and strategies. The more knowledge you gain about the sports business as a whole, the more valuable you become as an employee and teammate. Expanding your understanding not only enhances your current role but also positions you for future success in the industry.
Morgan Mariano
Position at the 49ers: In my role as senior coordinator, revenue programs & administration for the 49ers Foundation I oversee our in-game fundraising initiatives, the 50/50 Raffle presented by Venardi Zurada and the Dig for Gold Auction & Sale, and provide administrative support to the 49ers Foundation staff and our board of directors. I also serve as the programming chair for our Women Connect employee resource group!
Journey to now: After finishing undergrad at the start of the pandemic, I spent that first summer as a Junior Giants AmeriCorps Ambassador with the Giants Community Fund. Through that role, I realized my passion for the intersection of sport and philanthropy and went back to school to earn a Masters Degree in Sport Management from The University of San Francisco. Along the way, I worked part time with the 49ers and spent a season with the Sharks Foundation before I made my way back to the 49ers in my current role. Since then, I've gotten married, become a mom, been to a Super Bowl and more! I couldn't be more grateful for the support of my 49ers Foundation family over the past three years of personal and professional growth.
Advice: Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things! Applying to be part of our Women Connect governance board was very out of my comfort zone at the time, but I couldn't be more grateful for the relationships I have built both across our organization and throughout the Bay Area as a result.
Alexis Geh
Role at the 49ers: As a corporate partnerships activation manager, I manage relationships between corporate partners and the 49ers in order to help both organizations achieve mutually beneficial goals. I work closely with many other departments to assist in developing and implementing sponsorship strategy and initiatives.
Journey to now: Before this role I was pursued my MBA from USC Marshall School of Business where I knew I wanted to transition into a career in sports and in corporate partnerships more specifically. I had previously been working in luxury retail as a buyer. During business school I interned with Elevate and their insights team where I executed projects on sponsorship valuation, feasibility studies and market/industry research. That experience helped connect me to our BSA team at the 49ers and I enjoyed getting to know them. When my role became available I knew I wanted to apply since I grew up in the Bay Area and a big 49ers fan!
Advice: Resharing advice that I was given from multiple people as I was making my transition into sports: network as much as possible to get your name out there. Whether you're applying for a role or just wanting to learn more about working in sports, I would recommend doing lots of informational interviews.
Kym Fortino
Role at the 49ers: One of the team photographers.
Journey to now: I am heading into my 18th season, and when I began, internships/seasonal opportunities didn't exist, which made it difficult to find direction or resources. I was lucky enough to connect with Terrell Lloyd who took me under his wing in an industry that lacked female representation.
Advice: One piece of advice I find myself giving to young professionals is to always keep an open mind to opportunity. Meaning, don't set your heart on one place or sport. There are opportunities all over the country in college, pro and beyond. And always remember that the next 'you' is already watching and taking notes. Move with intention, purpose and inspiration.
Angela Denogean
Role at the 49ers: I'm the social media manager. I work with an incredibly talented team of content creators to ensure we are providing content to our fans across the world. We provide football news updates, player personality and hopefully a laugh here and there.
Journey to now: I studied Sports Journalism at Arizona State. My first sports internship was with the Arizona Diamondbacks where I fell in love with social media because you really have a hand in all aspects of content. After graduation, I worked with the NFL and MLB as a seasonal live content creator. My first "big girl job" was with the Arizona Hotshots of the Alliance of American Football. When the league folded after just 6 months, I really thought I wasn't going to get back into sports. I worked part time again with NFL/MLB until an opening at the Carolina Panthers came along. I got the job, and started in 2019 as a social media coordinator. Six years later, I'm back on the West Coast!
Advice: Internships, internships, internships!!! Get as many internships as you possibly can, and try to diversify them. Working in polar opposite fields, can really help you understand what you like and don't like in the industry. Last thing, you get what you put in at these internships!
Tori Madison
Role at the 49ers: I am the CFO's executive assistant. One thing that I love about my job is that every day is different. Although my main role is to act as the right hand for our CFO by managing his calendar, travel and internal/external communication, I am also project and task support for his eight direct reports.
Journey to now: Early on, I always knew I wanted to work in sports. At the start of my academic career, I thought I wanted to be a physical therapist for a sports team. I got my undergraduate degree in exercise science from Long Beach State, and I took a job at a PT clinic as an administrative assistant so I could learn more about the PT field. After spending some time in a clinic, I learned that PT wasn't the right path for me. I went back to school and got my Master's Degree in Sports Management at San Jose State. During my last semester of grad school, I participated in the San Jose Earthquakes internship program where I learned a lot about front office operations and that I do not have a future in sales. As a Santa Cruz native born and raised, I always dreamed of staying local and working for one of my favorite teams. Dreams do come true, folks.
Advice: When it seems like all doors are closed, find a window. The universe works in mysterious ways.
Briana McDonald
Role at the 49ers: I'm a digital media reporter for the 49ers, covering the team across 49ers.com and our digital platforms, brining fans across the world closer to our team.
Journey to now: As a Bay Area native, my love for the 49ers started the second I was born. My journey with the team began during my final year at the University of Miami when I joined as a digital media contributor, writing articles for 49ers.com. After earning my bachelor's degree, I stepped into a full-time role as a digital media coordinator. Now, I'm entering my fifth season with the team as a digital media reporter, and it's been one of the most full-circle moments of my life. I feel incredibly grateful that this job is a part of God's plan for me. A special shoutout to former (but forever) 49ers: Haley Jones, Meg Ryan and Keiana Martin—women who paved the way before me and believed in me from the very start. Their guidance, support and leadership have meant everything in my journey.
Advice: Lead with radical kindness. In many professional industries, people often underestimate the power of generosity. Kindness opens doors, builds trust and creates lasting relationships. Whether it's showing up for your colleagues, celebrating others' successes or simply offering a helping hand, the way you treat people will always be remembered. Being excellent at your job is important—but being someone others want to work with is just as valuable.
Michelle Kazmier
Role at the 49ers: I am a physical therapist with the 49ers and work as a part of the sports medicine team in the athletic training room. My primary role is to provide care to our athletes to help return from injury and get back on the field.
Journey to now: I first started working in athletics in college where I was a sports medicine intern in the athletic training room. I absolutely loved my experience and decided to pursue my doctorate in Physical Therapy after completing my undergrad degree. I knew I wanted to work in athletics, so after PT school I applied to a sports residency program to become a sports specialist. As part of the residency program I spent a season working with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After completing my residency I took a position as a performance physical therapist at Exos headquarters in Phoenix, AZ for 3.5 years, but when the opportunity came to get back into the NFL and work with the 49ers I knew I had to take it.
Advice: Be really good at the basics first, no matter your career. Work hard, be curious, be professional, be kind and put yourself out there for opportunities. Treat every opportunity or connection as if it could lead to something bigger, and every first impression as an important one.
Hannah Hinsch
Role at the 49ers: I'm the manager of operations & events for the 49ers Foundation. I oversee all of the Foundation's fundraising and community events, gameday activations and marketing.
Journey to now: Growing up in a family that is involved in the sports business world, I knew this industry was for me from an early age. I went to college to play Division I lacrosse and dedicated my education and experiences from being a student-athlete to sports management. I interned at the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund and obtained my Master's Degree in Sports Administration. I went on to work in collegiate athletics for the past seven years, but ultimately wanted to fulfill my dream working in professional sports utilizing the team's platform to make a greater impact in the community.
Advice: Network, network, network! Networking helps young professionals to get out there meeting others in this industry. I have been so fortunate that this industry has not only given me so many amazing experiences but it has provided me with incredible colleagues that have become lifelong friends.
Carmen Ewing
Role at the 49ers: I am currently the suite activation coordinator.
Journey to now: I was a former Division I collegiate athlete at Boston College and knew I wanted to be in a sports related field as my career. I worked for Boston College's Athletics Department in Equipment for 4.5 years to gain experience on the team side of sports. I completed a fifth year at BC, earning my MS in Sports Administration, in which I then applied for the Denise DeBartolo York Fellowship position in 2023. My first season with the Niners was amazing, and it was definitely a unique experience rotating through traditionally male dominated fields such as business strategy and analytics, stadium operations and security, SBL sales, premium service, and partnership sales, but made me so grateful to be a woman in sports. When an opening was available on the Suite Activation team, I went through the internal interview process using the knowledge gained from my fellowship and earned myself my current position where I will be entering my third year with the 49ers this upcoming 2025 season.
Advice: A piece of advice I would give is to be open to exploring many different paths if you feel as if one isn't quite sticking with you and reach out to people all across the industry, no matter the job position. Although my path with the fellowship was semi-non-traditional, I think it was one of the best things I've ever been able to be part of for my career. Rotating through different departments allowed me to see the entire industry as a whole and find my calling, rather than jumping into one singular box that I most likely would've done if I didn't do the fellowship. It also helped me in my day to day, being able to draw on knowledge that I gained in other departments to help my own now. I'm not afraid to reach out to others now and I think networking with those outside of your department scope will help you achieve your goals and perform better in your current role.
Keana Jurado
Role at the 49ers: I'm the senior coordinator of social media. My role allows me to connect with the Faithful all over the world and show them a side of the team they might not get to see every day both on and off the field!
Journey to now: I always knew I wanted to work in social. Once I graduated college, I started my career at a health company doing more community management where I eventually got to lean into content creation. Once I started creating content, I knew that was a real passion of mine and I wanted to combine that with another passion of mine - sports. The 49ers had a role open and I made the decision to go for it and move across the country. Going into my fourth season, it was one of the best choices I made!
Advice: Continue to work on your skills, even if it is on your own account. Being prepared will help you when the perfect opportunity arises.
Rachelle Hill
Role at the 49ers: I am the manager of membership service. My role here is to ensure our season ticket members' experience is always up to par – on top of member account management; I get to assist our leadership team with our annual member benefits – including coordinating and executing all of our annual member events. I have had the opportunity to take our clients feedback and help evolve that into new activations, member gifts, account benefits and day-to-day duties for the reps and intern on our team. We also thrive in giving our members a unique gameday experience!
Journey to now: Being born and raised in the Bay Area, I have been lucky enough to have so many sports opportunities right here in front of me. Fresh out of college, I started dipping my feet into the sports world solely by networking. From there, networking evolved into opportunities where I got to show my skills and passion for the sports industry and allow my drive and hard work to speak for itself. At one point, I ended up juggling four sports internships at once – across different teams and leagues in the Bay Area while focusing on different departments and roles at the same time. Once I landed a part-time role with the 49ers shortly after Levi's® Stadium was opened, I realized that membership service was my calling and this organization has given me the drive and passion to run with that and give it my all!
Advice: Two things that have always stuck with me: always be unapologetically yourself, never change who you truly are. Just keep working harder until you get the yes you are working towards! Also, never turn down an opportunity – even if it doesn't necessarily align with what you're aiming for. It can open so many doors! You never know where something can take you unless you give it a chance!
Stefanie Chiguluri
Role at the 49ers: Denise DeBartolo York Fellow
Journey to now: Toward the end of my senior year in college at Washington and Lee University, I was contemplating what I really wanted to do with my life. I had told my advisor I wanted to work in the NFL and was told to "start a little smaller." Reflecting on that, I decided why not just try? The worst that can happen is that I get rejected and do have to start smaller, which was ok with me. I worked between class hours in my favorite coffee shop sifting through what was out there. It was overwhelming, and after multiple rejections, I slowly started feeling slightly defeated, but remained determined to find something for me. As cheesy at it may have been, I told myself each door closed meant I was one door closer to the right place. I found this fellowship, targeted toward helping a young woman who's a recent college graduate build a career in sports business, the day before the application was due and knew I had to jump on the opportunity and see what would happen. I made it out on the other end and find myself here with the Niners now, learning more and more as I rotate through departments where women have been historically underrepresented in sports business. I'll never forget my advisor coming to me around graduation time after I had told him I accepted this role and he said, "Wow, you did it. I told you to start smaller but you made it to the NFL." (p.s. my adviser was fantastic).
Advice: As someone who has been an athlete my entire life, everything from triathlons as a kid, to playing lacrosse in college, I often seek advice that applies to athletes and the professional world. one of my favorite pieces of advice comes from a former NFL quarterback (Peyton Manning). He says, "If you ever stop listening to coaching or stop asking questions, you probably need to be doing something else." So what I would tell others is - seek feedback and stay curious. It's much easier said than done, especially as women. We fear asking the "wrong questions" or being criticized, but there's almost never a wrong question and learning from what we do and being unafraid to fail only helps us grow.
Tameka Poland
Role at the 49ers: I am the event coordinator for Levi's® Stadium events services. I work closely with event managers to plan, execute and coordinate events. I am responsible for collaborating with multiple departments, managing event staff, scheduling on-site vendors and creating lasting memories with each event we host. I also serve as the chair for the Black Unity in Leadership and Development, B.U.I.L.D, employee resource group.
Journey to now: My journey to get here was nothing short of resilience and believing in myself. Growing up in a sports family, I dreamed of working for a professional team. I would have never imagined landing a job with my favorite football team, The San Francisco 49ers. My passion for sports started early in life. In high school, I worked as the water girl and recorded stats for several varsity football games. In college, I served as the senior sports writer/editor and award-winning sports photographer for my college newspaper. I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Sports Journalism and Communications from California State University Fullerton. I have worked multiple internships, including GAMETIME Sports in San Bernardino, the Ontario Fury Soccer Team and The Big West Conference in Irvine, CA, before landing here in the Bay Area as the Denise DeBartolo York Fellow. While serving as the Denise DeBartolo York Fellow, I had the opportunity to rotate through multiple departments, where I gained insight into day-to-day operations at a professional level. With the knowledge and skills acquired along my journey, I was accepted for a full-time position with the 49ers. This upcoming season will be my fourth year with the organization.
Advice: Trust the process and never stop believing in yourself and your abilities. Regardless of the obstacles you face, stay committed to your goals and be true to yourself.
Anna Warwick
Role at the 49ers: I am the coordinator of premium & suite sales.
Journey to now: My journey to the 49ers began as a Division I athlete at Clemson University, where I interned as a graphic designer for Clemson football. That experience led to a summer internship at Nike on the NFL brand marketing team, solidifying my passion for sports. After graduating, I joined the 49ers as a graphic design intern and later transitioned into suite sales, expanding my skill set within the industry.
Advice: Be adaptable and ready for anything in order to achieve your goals. To work in sports its rarely a linear path. Be willing and open to any opportunity and learn from those experiences to take with you to the next.
Lindsey Pallares
Role at the 49ers: I'm the 49ers team reporter, working as one of the in-house on-air personalities for the franchise. You can catch me on our official podcast network, our YouTube channel, in-stadium hosting on gamedays and on our local TV affiliates' channels.
Journey to now: Prior to landing my job with the 49ers, I spent the better part of eight years working at local TV stations and a regional network covering sports. I'm originally from Southern California, but my job has taken me all around the country from Colorado to Green Bay to San Diego to Sacramento and now the Bay Area.
Advice: My best piece of advice is take advantage of every local networking opportunity in your area. I've made so many professional connections and met some of my mentors by showing up to networking nights hosted by various organizations. Also, I recommend having a digital business card for these events!
