Erin Blecha-Ward, President, Founder
With over 12 years of experience in the sports, entertainment and public relations industries, Erin’s roles have included heading up marketing, service integration and fan experience teams in college, pro and agency settings. Erin founded Evolved Solutions Group in 2017 to help grow the sports and brand experience industry's use of data driven strategy.
Erin’s previous experience leading fan experience teams in collegiate and professional sports settings includes overseeing strategy and activation for marketing, entertainment and service experiences for premier brands. She was responsible for designing and activating over 250 events annually ranging from small training groups to multifaceted game productions for 55,000+ guests. She has been instrumental in piloting and integrating innovative technology into the game-day experience.
With a background in communication and psychology, and a focus on research and the psychology of sports consumers, she uses data and analytics as an integral piece of all she does. Erin has been published in several research-based academic journals for her work on media depictions of athletes and the effects of racial stereotyping on fan perception and bias. Erin has applied these research skills to creating a quantifiable approach to the fan experience. Her patent-pending, automated tracking tool is the first of its kind in the industry and has been adopted by collegiate and professional teams internationally to optimize their experience.
Erin is an avid sports fan and adventurer. She enjoys traveling, working out and spending time with her husband Andy and their dogs.
BUSINESS & EXPERIENCE TEAM
Megan Lodestro, Director of Experience Analytics
Megan has spent a total of fourteen years in the sports and entertainment industry and has been with EES since 2019. Prior to joining the team, she focused on guest services, building operations and security for pro and college teams. She specializes in customer service, security operations and training including emergency training, procedures, and security equipment for large events and venues. She has helped with event production for Live Nation, festivals and Division I sports at her alma mater, Coastal Carolina University.
Megan lives in the north Georgia mountains and loves being outdoors with her two dogs Mila and Mae, going hiking, and painting.
Tanyn Madison, Senior Manger, Experience & Operations
Tanyn has over thirteen years of experience in the professional sports and entertainment industry. She has worked with teams in the CHL, AHL, WNBA, and G League. On the venue side she has helped produce and host a wide range of events including concerts, Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, NASCAR at COTA, Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, non-profit events, etc.
Tanyn lives in Texas with her husband, Sean, and their son, two dogs, and cat. She enjoys reading, camping, and evening strolls with her husband and son.
Laura Wakefield, Experience Specialist
Laura has over ten years of experience in the collegiate athletic industry with a focus on fan experience, special events and sponsorship activation. Laura was born and raised in San Francisco and has worked for various Bay Area sporting entities including Stanford Athletics, the Golden State Warriors, Positive Coaching Alliance and NBC Sports. She recently graduated with a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California.
Outside of work, Laura enjoys working out, Pinterest and watching sports. She lives in Menlo Park, CA with her husband Jesse.
Katie Judge, Design & Marketing
Katie has over thirteen years of experience in the collegiate and professional sport industries. She spent most of her career in intercollegiate athletics as a marketing director focusing on game day atmosphere, fan experience and leading her team in digital marketing.
In 2015 she chose to turn her focus towards raising her children. Never stopping being involved in athletics. She became the executive director of a non profit, Coaches Cure CF, she volunteers on the boards of Scituate Foster Little League, Scituate Youth Basketball and with the Potterville Volunteer Fire Department.
A graduate of Michigan State University and the University of Illinois, Katie currently resides in Scituate, RI with her husband and two sons.
Audrey is a recent UCLA graduate with experience working in collegiate athletics. She spent three years working in both gameday operations and planning marketing promotions for UCLA Athletics. Coming from a background in research and psychology, she enjoys using data to tell a story — especially one with practical applications for the sports and entertainment industry.
Audrey lives in Southern California and likes to run, climb rocks, and watch/play various sports in her free time.
Audrey Lai, Experience Assistant
DATA & TECHNOLOGY TEAM
Jason Petit, Solutions Architect
Jason is an expert solution architect with over 14 years of experience building software platforms and architecting enterprise solutions. His technical expertise and broad range of experience allow him to create cutting-edge and elegant solutions to complex problems.
Jason lives in Illinois with his wife and their two children.
Jason Nikowitz, Data Analyst, Mathematician
Jason has over three years of experience analyzing large data sets, applying cognitive computing, predictive modeling, and traditional analytical approaches. He also develops intelligent automation solutions, applying both scripting and robotic process techniques. Previously he spent over five years teaching mathematics and statistics at the high school and college level. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, a Chartered Property Casually Underwriter, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Purdue University.
Jason lives in Illinois with his wife, Caitlyn, and their two sons. When not programming or analyzing data, he often combines spending time with his family with cheering on his favorite sports teams, playing one of many musical instruments, or upgrading and maintaining his saltwater fish tank.
Christopher McKinley, Statistician
Christopher brings years of experience working with primary and secondary data, leading advanced analytics and managing research programs at top RI academic institutions. With a focus on media, Chris’ expertise lies in applying quantitative approaches to measure the effects of messaging (both persuasive and informational) on diverse audiences. Chris received his MA from San Diego State University and his PhD from the University of Arizona. Currently an Associate Professor in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University, Chris focuses on education and research in and out of the classroom.
Chris lives in New Jersey with his wife Faye and their two children.