I was born and raised on an acreage southwest of Okotoks, Alberta. Hockey was a big part of my childhood: playing shinny, travelling to watch my younger brother’s games and playing Okotoks Minor Hockey for 13 years. I never thought hockey would be part of my career, though. Having always been strong in math and science, and seeing my dad achieve success as a mechanical engineer, I enrolled in engineering at the University of Alberta after graduation. But it didn’t take long for me to realize engineering didn’t provide me with a sense of fulfillment.

As I was beginning to consider other options, my dad took my brother on a tour of campuses in Atlantic Canada. He thought I’d love the small-town feel of the Maritimes. The following year, I moved across Canada to study sociology at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. In my final year at St. FX, I completed a thesis on hockey culture in Canada. Through my research, I learned about the people behind the scenes in professional sports. The idea of working in the sports industry began to take shape.

I’ve always been a big country music........

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