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49ers Women Execs to Speak at Stanford

The San Francisco 49ers organization is proud of the talented women leaders it has in front office positions. Three of those executives will share their professional experiences with undergraduate and graduate students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business on November 9.

Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Sports Management Club will host a panel featuring professional women in sports, a program designed to offer unique insights about career opportunities in the sports industry. This joint effort between the 49ers and Stanford is part of the team’s marketing programs for women. The forum is free for Bay Area high school and college students. If space allows, registration will be open to 49ers season ticket holders and the general public, as well.

The event will be held at the Knight Management Center at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. The 49ers will be joined by women executives from corporate partners e2K, KNBR Radio, SF Gate, Stanford Hospital and Rambus.

Hannah Gordon, Director of Legal Affairs, Joanne Pasternack, Community Relations/49ers Foundation Director, and Ali Towle, Director of Marketing, will represent the 49ers. The event will be moderated by veteran sports journalist Andrea Kremer, who currently works for NBC Sports and HBO Sports.

Gordon, who recently joined the 49ers from the NFL’s league office, works under Executive Vice President Patty Inglis and helps negotiate business deals for the organization, including those relating to the new stadium project. She also provides legal advice to football and business executives on a daily basis.

Pasternack’s passion for sports and helping others was fostered early in her career while working at the Special Olympics. In her role at the 49ers, Pasternack oversees all community relations programming, creates activities to generate revenue for the 49ers Foundation, and facilitates the awarding of Foundation grants to non-profit organizations.

As the head of marketing, Towle supervises a creative team that is responsible for promoting the 49ers and implementing programs to enhance the fan experience. Among her recent projects was the new 100,000 square foot Grand Plaza that surrounds Candlestick Park. The Grand Plaza includes a new 49ers Museum, an outdoor sports bar, games for kids and plenty of food and beverage options for fans looking for pre-game entertainment activities.

“Women have certainly made inroads within professional sports management, but there’s still work to be done,” said Towle. “I’m proud to work for an organization that not only recognizes this fact, but is actively trying to help move women’s careers forward. Earlier this year, our President and CEO Jed York established the Denise DeBartolo York Fellowship, a 12-month entry level position exclusively for women. The Stanford Forum is another attempt to give bright young women information, access, and opportunities for fulfilling careers in professional sports.”

Women in Sports Forum

Date:            Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Time:            6:30-8:30 p.m. PT

Location:       Stanford University

Gunn 101, Knight Management Center-Stanford Graduate School of Business

Parking:         Free parking is available in the visitor’s parking lot on Serra Street

For more information or to register for the event click here.