michigan sport
BUSINESS CONFERENCE

Sarah Mensah is President of Jordan Brand, leading the end-to-end global strategy, marketplace, brand and business portfolio. Since joining NIKE, Inc. in 2013, she has held senior leadership roles across categories and geographies, including Nike’s North America and Asia, Pacific and Latin America geographies as Vice President/General Manager and is known for driving growth, sharpening brand distinction and building high-performing teams.

Gotham Chopra is an award-winning filmmaker at the forefront of the convergence of sports, science, and spirituality. As the creator and co-founder of The Religion of Sports, an Emmy Award-winning content and media company based in Los Angeles, CA, Gotham has worked with some of the most elite athletes in the world including Tom Brady (Tom v Time), Kobe Bryant (Kobe Bryant’s Muse), Lebron James (Shut Up and Dribble), Stephen Curry (Stephen v The Game), Simone Biles (Simone v Herself/Simone Biles Rising), Alex Morgan and Usain Bolt (Greatness Code), Shohei Otani (Searching for Shohei), Conor McGregor (McGregor Forever), Serena Williams (In the Arena: Serena Williams), and many more to produce content that pushes the boundaries of non-fiction cinema and brings the mythos of sports to a broad audience outside of those that simply follow the games.

Estee Portnoy is a senior executive with the Michael Jordan Family Office and has worked alongside Michael Jordan for more than 30 years, serving as the primary point of contact for his marketing, media and philanthropic activities. Throughout her tenure, she has played a key role in managing and growing Jordan’s brand and business interests, working with longtime partners including Nike, Gatorade, Hanes and Warner Bros.

Connor Schell is the founder and CEO of Words + Pictures, a nonfiction and live entertainment company he launched in 2021. Schell was the co creator and executive producer of ESPN’s Emmy, Oscar, and Peabody Award winning 30 for 30 documentary series, developing and producing more than 100 films. He served as executive producer of The Last Dance, ESPN’s documentary about Michael Jordan and the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls, which earned him a 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Series. In total, Schell has won 16 Emmy Awards.

Tim Pernetti is the commissioner of the American Conference. A dynamic leader with three decades of experience in the youth, college and professional sports, and media businesses. Pernetti has firmly positioned the American at the forefront of collegiate athletics. Pernetti has led initiatives to modernize the American’s national profile including the launch of American RISE Ventures, a wholly owned business arm to develop commercial growth. He introduced league-wide revenue-sharing minimums to directly benefit student-athletes and unveiled a modernized brand identity built on grit, innovation and service.