Behind the sidelines, Warrington alumni influence change in the NFL

For these Warrington alumni, football season doesn’t start with the kickoff on September 5. Meet National Football League professionals Kelley Gazdak (BSBA ’94) and Ronika Carter (BS ’09, MSM ’10) who, though working beyond the collegiate level, keep their orange and blue roots close to heart.

Kelley Gazdak (BSBA ’94) | Vice President of Data and Analytics at the NFL

When the Florida Gators won the Sugar Bowl in 1994, Kelley Gazdak remembers tossing sugar packets like confetti to celebrate. As the vice president of data analytics at the NFL, she reflects on her immersion in the athletic events and finance program at the University of Florida and Warrington College of Business as the start of her career path.

Before joining the NFL in 2022, Gazdak served as the vice president of advisory services at Dun & Bradstreet where she established and managed a global team of experts in her specialization: advisors of data and analytics. Companies needed help connecting data science to business applications and outcomes, she had learned, and built her team to act as that bridge.

“I was always the translator to the business executives of how the data and analytics can drive their business,” she explained. “As the NFL was investing [in] and evolving their data and analytics strategy, I was brought in to lead the Fan Engagement initiative and support the 32 Clubs in their utilization and adoption of the data and analytics services and capabilities that the League is providing.”

Thanks to Gazdak, the NFL is the first sports league to create a “unified view of the fan” by bringing together data from the League and all 32 Clubs. Her work helps the NFL and Clubs connect with fans in critical ways that drive the success of the league, creating a meaningful experience for everyone in the stadium on Sundays.

To up-and-coming analysts and sports professionals, Gazdak recommends exploring the implications of math and science in the business world. Even more important than being able to build cool models with artificial intelligence, she says, is understanding how to apply data to make decisions.

“It is important to understand the math and science and be able to create insights, but it is critical to be able to apply business knowledge and to make those insights actionable,” she advised.

Since graduating from the University of Florida, Gazdak is more likely to be found at a NY Jets game than in the Swamp. Still, she values being a part of the Gator Nation and took her kids to their first Florida versus Florida State game to show them where her journey began.

Ronika J. Carter, Esq., MSM (BS ’09, MSM ’10) | Senior Director of Legal Affairs at Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC

The year is 2008, and Ronika Carter is among the throng of students watching Tim Tebow lead the Florida Gators to victory over their greatest rival, Florida State. This game and others in the glory days of Gator football highlight Carter’s student experience and all-time passion for the sport.

Although Carter loves football, she is even more interested in the business side of the sport. From childhood she dreamed of becoming an attorney within professional sports, a role that allows her to work in the areas she finds most meaningful.

“Honestly, I think I was born with a passion for sports, and when I realized I could combine my passion for sports and my interest in practicing law, I knew I’d found my path forward,” she said. “Over the years, my passion has been affirmed by my sustained excitement about this industry and my insatiable optimism about what’s to come.”

Carter found her path forward, but it wasn’t as linear as she’d hoped. After completing her education at the University of Florida and her juris doctor at the University of Virginia, she had to adapt her plan by starting her career in industries other than professional sports. Rather than giving up on her dream, though, she took advantage of the time to build her skills so that, when an opportunity to transition into sports became available, she was ready.

“Like many students with big dreams and audacious goals, I had a game plan for success; however, I quickly learned that the path to success is not a straight line and what matters most is how we navigate the curves along the road,” she said. “I would encourage students to adopt a similar mindset so that they are stubborn with their goals but flexible about the means to achieve them.”

In her current role as senior director of legal affairs, Carter describes herself as a business executive who is also an attorney. At the Minnesota Vikings, she regularly refers to her education at the Warrington College of Business, whether she’s drafting and negotiating contracts, developing a business strategy or risk profile or creating a compliance program. Business implications are entwined with legal analyses, she says; despite the curves in the road, every part of her past experiences have helped to build her into the professional she is today.

“Every day I wake up and get to be the person I said I wanted to be when I grew up,” she said. “That privilege is not lost upon me, and it stokes my passion for and interest in my work. Within the NFL, my goal is to continue to expand my reach and to effect change in a way that not only benefits the Minnesota Vikings, but the NFL as a whole.”