The Ohio University AECOM Center for Sports Administration announced that Christina Wright Mehlon (MBA/MSA ’10), faculty member and alumnus of the dual degree program, will lead the engagement of the industry and alumni for undergraduate programs for the center from August 15, 2022.
Wright Mehlon joined the Department of Sports Administration faculty full-time in August 2017 and has set a record of success in numerous roles. She has won several awards from Ohio University, College of Business and Industry, and has served the University and its students with great efficiency and care since her arrival. Last spring, Wright Mehlon was named the first recipient of the Sport Management Accreditation Commission (COSMA) Hall of Fame Master Inclusion Leader Award and has been a finalist for the Ohio University Provost Award for Excellence in Teaching.
In his new role, Wright Mehlon will focus on industry outreach, including the annual Darren Butler Sports Business Forum for our Sports Management undergraduate students, which offers sports and entertainment internships, internships and job opportunities, as well as an undergraduate case-cutting contest. Additional AECOM CSA duties will include assisting with undergraduate athletic employer relations, alumni advancement, events, experiential learning opportunities and partnerships.
“Christina will be an incredibly valuable addition to our AECOM CSA team as she brings deep institutional knowledge, deep and genuine alumni relationships, and a high level of organizational effectiveness to her new role,” Matt Cacciato, executive director of AECOM’s Sports Administration Center, said. “Christina’s capabilities also include successful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certifications and counseling, student career coaching, DiSC behavioral assessments, and extensive experience as a seasoned practitioner at the highest level of sporting event operations including the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, Kentucky Derby, Indy 500 and CrossFit games.
Wright Mehlon is an associate professor of education, career coach in the Department of Athletic Administration, director of COSMA and coordinator of undergraduate program assessment, and multicultural professor-in-residence at the College of Business at the University of Ohio. As an academic practitioner, she teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in sports business, including facilities and events, diversity and inclusion, governance and public policy and cornerstone, in person and online. She leads a variety of events working on experiential learning opportunities in the sports and entertainment industry, as well as co-leads a new interdisciplinary undergraduate certificate program in Festival, Event and Entertainment Management. . Wright Mehlon is an established national voice in the field of diversity and inclusion in sport, having led over 100 webinars, workshops, conferences, executive trainings and coaching, as a guest speaker and moderator.
She currently serves on the National Sports Forum (NSF) Steering Committee, the Ohio University Sports Administration and Facility Management (SAFM) Alumni Advisory Board, and is Chair Emeritus of the Business of Diversity in Sports and Entertainment (BDSE) Committee of the NSF. In 2020, Wright Mehlon was named to the College Emojis, Inc. Advisory Board and is a former representative of the Patriot League’s Anti-Racism Commission.
She returned to her alma mater after spending six years in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). At the NCAA, she served as resident “career coach,” responsible for national office staff training and development, staff engagement, internal communications and performance management. In previous roles at the NCAA, she also served as a program and grants administrator, oversaw community and youth initiatives for the men’s and women’s Final Four and College World Series, and was responsible for several assessment-related initiatives. and educational program measures. In January 2012, she became an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Sports Administration at OHIO, teaching classes in the online Professional Masters in Sports Administration (PMSA) program.
After completing the MBA/MSA dual degree program at OHIO in 2010, Wright Mehlon was the Creative Services Graduate Assistant at the AECOM Center for Sports Administration. In 2009, she was an event management intern at The Ohio State University. Prior to enrolling at OHIO, she was part of the NCAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Graduate Internship Program. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication from the American University in Washington, D.C. Four-year letter recipient and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative for the Women’s Indoor Track and Field Team outdoors, Wright Mehlon ended his throwing career as the school’s record holder in indoor and outdoor shot put and second on the all-time best list for discus.
Some of Wright Mehlon’s awards and accomplishments include:
- The 2022 Ohio University Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Finalist;
- 2022 COSMA Hall of Fame:
- Master Inclusion Leader Award;
- 2021 Ohio University College of Business Outstanding Teaching Recognition;
- 2021 Mid-American Conference Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success Nomination;
- 2020 Ohio University College of Business Faculty Excellence in Professional Activity and Service Award;
- and the 2020 Ohio University Women’s Center Hidden Gem Award.
