For Women's History Month, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment is highlighting some of the many women that make up the organization.
On the Avs side, meet Meredith McClanahan, Vice President of Marketing for the Colorado Avalanche & Colorado Mammoth.
Q: Describe your journey to get to where you are today!
Meredith McClanahan: I began my career in sports as an intern here at KSE and have worked my way up from Avalanche Marketing Coordinator, to Manager, to Director, to my current role as the VP of the department. I’ve been with the company for 10 years!
Q: What does your day-to-day look like?
MM: No two days are the same, which makes this role very exciting and interesting. A typical day can include collaborating with team members and colleagues to plan our next big theme night or brand event, strategizing paid media campaigns, directing the Avs & Mammoth brand narratives, and producing new ideas for digital, TV, and in-arena content.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about working in sports? What’s your favorite part of your role, specifically?
MM: I find it incredibly rewarding to help bring people together from all backgrounds and walks of life over the common bond and camaraderie that only sports can provide. My favorite part of my role is how creative I get to be — I love getting to work with my talented colleagues to ideate unique, fun, and important brand activations.
Q: Do you have a favorite moment or couple of moments while working at KSE?
MM: There have been so many special moments over the past 10 years, but undoubtedly my favorite moment was winning the Stanley Cup in 2022! I’ll always cherish the parade, the time with Lord Stanley, and celebrating such a huge accomplishment with my teammates, family, and friends.
Q: Do you have a role model that inspired you in your journey to working in sports?
MM: I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful mentor in my very first season in sports, the incomparable Charlotte Grahame. As the VP of Hockey Operations who was with the Avs from day one in 1995, she taught me so much about being a sports professional, especially how to pay attention to the details, always triple-check your work, and wear the “A” with pride.
Q: What’s your best piece of advice to other women looking to work in sports?
MM: Don’t feel you have to stop being empathetic or kind to make a name for yourself as a female in a male-dominated industry. Building positive relationships with colleagues and caring about their wellbeing, regardless of where you fall on the hierarchy, fosters the most productive and efficient work environment that empowers everyone to be successful.
Q: As the woman in sports you are now, what would you tell your younger self entering the field?
MM: I would simply say, “don’t doubt yourself.” In any competitive industry, it’s easy to compare yourself to other people and to underestimate your value, but you can’t let imposter syndrome get the best of you. You’re in your role for a reason, and you have special skills you can bring to the table.
