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ESPN’s Kati Fernandez Announced as Keynote Speaker for 2025 New England Sports Summit




Senior Director of Development at ESPN to Lead Discussion



Worcester, MA- The Worcester Bravehearts & New England Sports Summit have announced today that ESPN Senior Director, Head of Development Kati Fernandez will keynote the 2025 New England Sports Summit Event.

 

A Holy Cross Graduate, Fernandez is an Afro-Latina born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Cambridge, MA, with a wealth of experience in content creation, strategy, production, management, operations, and marketing. As ESPN's Senior Director of Content Development, Kati currently oversees the strategy and development of compelling content across ESPN+ Originals, ESPN Films, 30 for 30 documentaries, and ESPN Special Projects.


“I’m incredibly honored to be joining this conference as the keynote speaker, especially to do so at Holy Cross, my alma mater," said Fernandez. "Coming back here, 10 years after graduation, truly feels like a full-circle moment. So much of my career is a testament to the mentors and sponsors who believed in me—not for where I was, but for who I could become. I’m excited to be surrounded by the next generation of students and early-career professionals who are attending this conference. It’s inspiring to see so many brilliant minds ready to chart their own paths forward.”

 

Before ESPN, Fernandez was an Associate Producer on NFL Media, developing and executing segments for NFL Network. Her work included features aired on Thursday Night Football, and popular segments such as Gameday Morning and NFL 360. After the NFL, Fernandez spent two years at Hulu, where she worked on multi-channel storytelling with Live TV from 2017-2019.

 

“As far as someone who truly walks-the-walk, there is no better fit for a Keynoter than Kati,” said New England Sports Summit creator & Host Donny Porcaro. “She has flown through the ranks of the industry while also dedicating so much of her time to mentorship. I know all who attend will gain valuable insight from her discussion.”

 

In addition to her role at ESPN, Kati serves as a HearstLab Scout and Advisory Board Member, evaluating investments in women-led, early-stage companies. She is also a dedicated board member at Camelback Ventures, an organization focused on supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

 

A friend of the program, Kati was originally a panelist for the 2023 Worcester Sports Summit where she participated in the “Diverse Voices in Sports” panel. Fernandez also serves as the Vice President of Women in Sports & Events (WISE) Boston.


 

Tickets to the New England Sports Summit are still available, but limited. To purchase, go to NewEnglandSportsSummit.com or email Host Donny Porcaro (Don@worcesterbravehearts.com).

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