Executive Director, Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports, UCLA Anderson

Jay Tucker is a marketer, educator, and technology leader with over 20 years of experience in the technology, academic and entertainment sectors. At UCLA's Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment and Sports (MEMES), Jay is responsible for the Center's vision, thought leadership, educational offerings and major events - including the annual PULSE conference.

Previously, Jay handled marketing and programs at the Institute for Communication Technology Management (CTM) at USC's Marshall School of Business. In that role, Jay founded Silicon Beach @ USC, a two-day event featuring a venture competition and a conference focused on innovation, investment, and new ventures related to technology and digital content. He also partnered with executives at OgilvyRED to re-launch their Verge Summit, and with Variety magazine to launch the first-ever Big Data Conference in partnership with PwC.

As a seasoned technology leader, Jay is passionate about helping executives and entrepreneurs embrace disruption, drive innovation, and build powerful solutions. He has taught courses on technology management, technology convergence, digital media, and media literacy to professionals at corporations and non-profit organizations. Jay also speaks at academic and industry events, covering digital technologies and media, technology start-ups and other topics.

Professor of Marketing and Behavioral Decision Making, UCLA Anderson

Professor Sanjay Sood is a Professor of Marketing at UCLA Anderson, holding an MBA from Kellogg and a Ph.D. from Stanford. For over a decade, he has brought real-world experience into the classroom by co-teaching with executives from companies like MGM, P&G, and Google, and engaging students in live projects with brands such as NBC, Universal Studios, and TED. His academic research focuses on brand management and behavioral decision-making, exploring how firms build, manage, and protect strong brand names while also studying how people make decisions about products versus experiences.

Sood played a key role in developing UCLA Anderson’s Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports, reflecting the school’s strength in preparing students for careers in media and entertainment. Passionate about blending academic rigor with managerial relevance, he emphasizes applying psychological and marketing principles to real-world business challenges.

EVP, Revenue & Strategy, LAFC

Ryan Bishara is a front office executive with extensive experience in driving growth, building strategies, and leading organizational change in the sports industry. He currently serves as Head of Revenue and Strategy for LAFC, overseeing Corporate Partnerships, Ticket Sales and Service, and Business & Data Strategy. Under his leadership, LAFC has earned multiple league-wide awards, including recognition for Top Ticket Sales and Top Corporate Partnerships Revenue in 2024.

A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Bishara also founded LAFC’s Business and Data Strategy department, which was named MLS Business Analytics Team of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. His team has become a model for data-driven decision making, optimizing pricing, partnerships, customer insights, and reporting across the organization.

Before joining LAFC, Bishara spent four years with the Detroit Pistons, where he worked across strategy, finance, and sales during a major ownership transition. A proud UCLA alum, he earned his B.A. in Communications in just three years while completing 12 internships across professional and collegiate sports.

Sr. Director, Media Business Operations, NFL

Nam Nguyen is currently the Sr. Director of NFL Media’s Business Operations (Biz Ops) team and is based in the NFL LA office (in Inglewood next to SoFi Stadium). The Media Biz Ops team supports the NFL Media’s Owned & Operated (O&O) business, which includes the following media platforms: NFL Network (cable television channel on linear TV), NFL App, Fantasy App, NFL Network App, NFL+ App (Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Product), NFL.com Website, NFL FAST Channel (Free Ad-Supported Television), NFL YouTube Channel, and NFL Podcast Network. The Media Biz Ops function supports the NFL Media O&O business with the following capabilities: portfolio management, strategic program management, vendor management, on-air talent management, digital business management, and audit and compliance.

Nam grew up in Hawthorne, CA after his parents were displaced as refugees following the Vietnam War. He graduated from UCLA in 2003 (Mathematics of Computation, BS) and from Loyola Law School (JD) in 2008. He is barred in CA and OR and practiced law for six years as a business and employment lawyer. He was able to escape law to various business roles in sportswear brand (Nike) and sports media (NFL). Outside of his day job, he is passionate about mentoring (re: alternative career paths and navigating corporate spaces as an “other”) and being a present and engaged partner to his wife, Cathy, a working artist, and kids, Zoey (7 yo) and Myles (3.5 yo), in San Gabriel, CA.

Sponsorship Strategy, Octagon

Owen Pallenberg is a 2024 Economics and Entrepreneurship graduate from UCLA, passionate about business and marketing in the sports and entertainment industries. He is seeking a position at an agency, brand or property in the Los Angeles / New York area and is eager to experience and work in the partnership sales & marketing or business strategy & analytics sectors, where his team-first mentality and work ethic can add value and be rewarded. He hopes to involve himself in an organization at the forefront of the sports world and make a tangible impact no matter his job description.

CEO, Athlete to Athlete

Anthony Waller is the Co-Founder and CEO of Athlete To Athlete, a fast-growing mentorship platform connecting youth athletes with current Division I competitors through 1-on-1 virtual sessions. Founded in 2023, the company has already worked with more than 5,000 athletes nationwide, fostering meaningful relationships that go beyond training to support personal growth, resilience, and confidence.

A former walk-on Division I football player at UCLA, Anthony brings firsthand experience of the challenges young athletes face. His vision for Athlete To Athlete was shaped by his own journey, recognizing the need for mentorship that addresses not only athletic development but also the mental side of sports.

As CEO, Anthony oversees organizational growth, sales strategy, and investor relations, while leading a team committed to building an innovative and impactful platform. He takes pride in creating a company from the ground up that empowers athletes to thrive both on and off the field.

Account Executive, Google

Helping businesses & end users by optimizing GTM strategies with appropriate audiences. Supporting underserved communities as well by creating more equitable opportunities for youth sports & activity programs.

Some skills include being a self-driven team player with a growth mindset, integrity, and follow through. Some interests include outdoor activities, comedy, volunteering, mindfulness, and whatever sport is in season.

CEO/Founder, The Sports Psyched Group

Executive working with the world's greatest athletes, teams, and leagues. Business leader driving strategy for billion-dollar companies. Established entrepreneur shaping the future of sport and performance. Board member, author, lecturer, and mentor.