Executive Bios
Casey Wasserman
Owner and CEO
Casey Wasserman, the owner and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Avengers, also serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Wasserman Media Group, LLC (WMG). Since forming WMG in 1998, Wasserman has steadily built the company into a powerhouse in the sports and entertainment world by integrating the management, marketing and content businesses. WMG's complementary divisions collectively represent some of the industries' most recognized athletes and brands. Wasserman became the youngest owner of a professional sports team in 1998 when the Arena Football League approved his purchase of the rights to the Los Angeles franchise. Extremely active within the AFL, Wasserman has served as the league's chairman, and in 2002 he negotiated the league's groundbreaking national television partnership with NBC and collective bargaining agreement with its players. Both landmark deals paved the way for future partnerships and moved the AFL into the top tier of sports properties in America. Wasserman also serves as president and chief executive officer of the Wasserman Foundation. In addition, he serves as a board member of New York University, The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library Foundation, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Wasserman has been widely acknowledged by peers and the industry for his accomplishments. Sports Business Journal has recognized Wasserman with their "Forty Under 40" accolade twice, a USC study named Wasserman as one of the "20 most influential sports business figures in Southern California," and UCLA named him in its "100 Significant UCLA Alumni" list. Recently Wasserman ranked prominently in the Los Angeles Business Journal's annual "Making a Mark" list, which acknowledges the 25 most powerful Angelenos. Wasserman holds a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA.
Matt Wikstrom
Executive Vice President
Matt Wikstrom, the executive vice president of the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his seventh season with the franchise. He oversees ticket and sponsorship sales as well as all of the team's marketing, grassroots marketing and creative efforts. Wikstrom is a member of the Arena Football League Board of Directors, Operations Committee and Marketing Advisory Board. During his tenure with the Avengers, he has created several programs and promotions, which have increased ticket sales revenue by more than 100 percent. Under Wikstrom's direction, the Avengers have had great success in the area of group sales, so much so that numerous other AFL teams have emulated Wikstrom's programs and promotions. He also has set franchise benchmarks in sponsorship sales. Wikstrom spent his first two seasons with the Avengers as an account executive and was a part of the 2002 sales staff that accomplished a 62 percent increase in season seats over the previous season. He then went on to direct grassroots marketing efforts in 2003, serving as the team's football outreach manager. Wikstrom's sales team currently blankets Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange Counties during the fall, attending over 300 events including high school football games, mall appearances, college home games, sports bars and other community events. In 2001, Wikstrom completed a sports marketing and sales program at Game Face Inc. in Tualatin, Oregon. A graduate of Trinity College (Hartford, Conn.) with a degree in history, Wikstrom was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He resides in Los Angeles.
Jason McKay
Vice President of Football Operations
Jason McKay, the vice president of football operations for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his fourth season with the franchise. He is responsible for implementing the organizational strategy for football operations, working closely with head coach Ed Hodgkiss and his staff to determine the composition of the Avenger roster and develop long-term strategies to ensure the team's success. McKay also is responsible for negotiating all player contracts, overseeing compliance with the Arena Football League's salary cap policies and monitoring the football operations budget each year. In his first season with the club in 2005, the Avengers captured their first Western Division championship and came within a game of securing the top seed in the AFL Playoffs. McKay came to the Avengers after five years with the Dallas Cowboys, working under vice president Stephen Jones in the player personnel department. In addition, McKay handled salary cap management, player contracts and player benefits for the Dallas Desperados franchise, which is also owned and operated by the Jones family. He joined the Cowboys in 1993, working in various areas, including the Cowboys' Pro Shop and gameday merchandising at Texas Stadium. McKay graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in mechanical engineering technology. A native of Dallas, he resides in Los Angeles.
John Tamanaha
Vice President of Communications
John Tamanaha, the vice president of communications for the Los Angeles Avengers, oversees the day-to-day public relations for the franchise. He has been with the Avengers since the identity of the team was unveiled on June 14, 1999. Tamanaha's duties include serving as the team's official spokesman, handling all media relations issues, supervising community relations efforts, overseeing all television and radio broadcasting partnerships and maintaining the Avengers' innovative website. He is a member of the Arena Football League's Media Policy Committee and has assisted with press operations at six ArenaBowls and Super Bowl XXXVII. Tamanaha is also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, teaching a sports public relations class within the Annenberg School of Journalism. In addition, he is a college football columnist for www.msnbc.com and works for the Sports USA Radio Network, which broadcasts a nationally syndicated "College Football Game of the Week" and two NFL games each weekend during the fall. Prior to joining the Avengers, Tamanaha spent four years as an assistant sports information director at USC. During his time with the Trojans, he was the men's basketball sports information director for three seasons (1996-98) and handled football interviews and credentials for one season (1998). He also served as the primary contact for USC track & field and golf, and held the title of director of athletic publications, coordinating the production of all Trojan game-day programs and media guides. In 1992, Tamanaha earned a bachelor's degree in English (creative writing) from USC, where he served as the sports editor of the Daily Trojan in 1990 and 1991. Following graduation, he was the editor of USC Report for three years and covered various assignments for the Associated Press and Los Angeles Times. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tamanaha resides in Los Angeles.
Marielle Banducci
Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships & Operations
Marielle Banducci, the senior director of corporate partnerships and operations for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in her ninth year with the franchise and second at her current position. In addition to heading up team operations as it relates to STAPLES Center, she is responsible for implementing the team's marketing plan, creating promotional materials, servicing all sponsor accounts and identifying cross-promotional opportunities involving sponsors, media partners, vendors and fans. Banducci was previously the team's corporate partnerships coordinator, working with the team's sponsors and helping to maintain their partnerships. She began her career with the Avengers as an operations intern during the inaugural 2000 season and secured a full-time position the following year. Banducci graduated from UCLA in 2000, with a bachelor's degree in Asian American studies. While at UCLA, she interned as a student athletic trainer for three years, working directly with the Bruin football, men's volleyball and track & field teams. In addition, Banducci also assisted the UCLA recruiting department. Born in Lakewood, Calif., Banducci was raised in nearby Cerritos. She resides in Agoura Hills with her husband, Eric and stepson Nick.
James Jackson
Director of Ticket Sales & Service
James Jackson, the director of ticket sales and service for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his fourth season with the franchise and first at his current position. He oversees all season, group and individual ticket sales for the organization. Jackson also is responsible for creating and implementing new ticket sales programs and packages. In addition, he hires, trains and manages the Avenger ticket sales representatives. Jackson also oversees all day-to-day ticket operations and continues to sell season and group tickets. Prior to joining the Avengers, he was an intern for the St. Louis Rams. Jackson graduated from UCLA with a degree in sociology in 2004. While attending UCLA, he was a manager for the Bruin football team for five seasons.
Chris Holmes
Marketing & Operations Manager
Chris Holmes, the marketing and operations manager for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his third season with the franchise and first at his current position. He is responsible for implementing the team’s marketing plan, focusing on brand image, creating promotional materials and identifying cross-promotional opportunities involving sponsors, media partners, vendors and fans. Holmes also manages operations and continues to sell season and group tickets. In addition, he will go down in history as the man who brought the sport of dodgeball to STAPLES Center for the first time.
Jennifer Schwarzbach
Group Sales Manager
Jennifer Schwarzbach, the group sales manager for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in her fourth season with the franchise and first at her current position. She oversees all group sales initiatives for the organization, schedules grassroots marketing events, and manages relationships with high schools, youth football and other organizations. Schwarzbach also continues to sell season tickets, in addition to her other duties.
Evan Shapiro
Corporate Partnerships Manager
Evan Shapiro, a corporate partnerships manager for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his fourth season with the franchise and first at his current position. He is responsible for identifying potential new partners, creating solution-based proposals and negotiating contracts. Shapiro also implements contracted elements in partnerships including media, signage, in-arena, retail and grassroots promotions, hospitality and appearances. In addition, he continues to sell season and group tickets. Last season, Shapiro was a sales manager, overseeing the Avengers' full time account executives and also managing his own set of season seat holders. During the 2006 season, he was in charge of the team's group sales efforts. Prior to joining the Avengers, Shapiro worked for KPMG in San Francisco in the risk management division. He graduated from Rollins College (Winter Park, Fla.) in 2002 with a degree in international business. Born and raised in Baltimore, Shapiro currently resides in West Hollywood.
Ted Yeschin
Corporate Partnerships Manager
Ted Yeschin, a corporate partnerships manager for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his fourth season with the franchise and second at his current position. He is responsible for identifying potential new partners, creating solution-based proposals and negotiating contracts. Yeschin also implements contracted elements in partnerships including media, signage, in-arena, retail and grassroots promotions, hospitality and appearances. In addition, he continues to sell season and group tickets, which is what he focused on during his first two seasons with the club. Prior to joining the Avengers, Yeschin worked in the Arena Football League offices in New York, assisting the properties division. He graduated from James Madison University in 2000 with a degree in sports management. Yeschin also is the leftfielder and leadoff hitter for the infamous Toxic Avenger softball team.
Pamela Anderson
Database Marketing Manager
Pamela Anderson, the database marketing manager for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in her first season with the franchise. She manages database marketing initiatives, develops and implements web campaigns, and researches and analyzes prior campaigns to provide feedback and marketing recommendations.
Tara Weldon
Senior Account Executive
Tara Weldon, a senior account executive for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in her third season with the franchise. She sells Avenger season, individual and group tickets, in addition to servicing her season-seat accounts year-round. Weldon also manages the day-to-day activities of the inside sales executives.
Moses Keshishian
Account Executive
Moses Keshishian, an account executive for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his second season with the franchise. He sells Avenger season, individual and group tickets, in addition to servicing his season-seat accounts year-round. Keshishian spent the 2007 campaign on the Avengers' inside sales team. Prior to joining the Avengers, he spent three and a half years as a personal banker at Wells Fargo Bank. Keshishian graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2007 with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in sports marketing. He was born and raised in Pasadena and still resides there.
Eva Stefanac
Account Executive
Eva Stefanac, an account executive for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in her second season with the franchise. She sells Avenger season, individual and group tickets, in addition to servicing her season-seat accounts year-round. Stefanac spent the 2007 campaign on the Avengers' inside sales team and also assisted the football operations department with travel arrangements. Prior to joining the Avengers, she spent two years as a legal editor at the Rutter Group in Encino, Calif. Stefanac graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004 with a degree in political science, after transferring from the University of Vermont, where she was a member of the women's volleyball team. Stefanac grew up in Seattle, Wash., went to high school in Colorado Springs, Colo., and currently resides in West Los Angeles.
Achyutha Talkad
Account Executive
Achyutha Talkad, an account executive for the Los Angeles Avengers, is in his second season with the franchise. He sells Avenger season, individual and group tickets, in addition to servicing his season-seat accounts year-round. Talkad spent the 2007 campaign on the Avengers' inside sales team. After two years at San Diego State University, he transferred to the University of Southern California and graduated with a degree in business administration in 2006. While attending USC, Talkad was a marketing intern within the athletic department for two years, assisting with the game-day operations for several Trojan teams. He also was a member of a student group that developed and implemented a marketing plan for the USC baseball team. Talkad was born and raised in Northern California and currently resides in Santa Monica.
