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10:40 – 11 a.m. | Networking break

Coffee and hallway conversations. Students are encouraged to approach speakers directly.

11 – 11:30 a.m. | Colorado Showcase: The Sports Media Jobs You Didn't Know Were Here

Presenters:

• Nick Garvin, CEO, Mobile TV Group (MTVG)

• Kartik Dakshinamoorthy, president and co-owner, Devlin Design Group

• Bevan Gibson, executive vice president, sales and operations EVS

• David Zur, senior vice president, operations and engineering, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

Colorado's Front Range is home to a growing cluster of companies powering live sports production across the country—from mobile production trucks and scenic design, to replay technology and network operations. This showcase spotlights the sports media jobs right here in Colorado that most people don't know exist.

11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Breaking In: Real Talk From the Newest Voices in Sports Media

(35-minute discussion, 15-minute Q&A)

Moderator: Jason Dachman, editorial director, Sports Video Group

Panelists:

• Cassidy Davis (StComm'23), corporate partnerships coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

• Carey Kronhart, CMDI student

• Justin Adams (Jour '09), reporter/sports anchor, CBS Denver

• Dakota Timmons, engineer, Mobile TV Group (MTVG)

This isn't a "how I got here" panel. These are people in the thick of it right now—early-career professionals still figuring it out, recent grads navigating first roles and a current student hustling to break in. They'll share what's actually working, what's not, what surprised them and what nobody warned them about. Honest, practical, real-time intel—not polished origin stories. In the final minutes, the panelists will flip the script and ask the audience the questions they wish someone had asked them.

Topics: What's actually getting people hired right now · Year-one reality check — pay, hours, culture shock · Side doors and smart pivots—non-obvious paths in · The flip: panelists ask the audience

12:20 – 1:30 p.m. | Networking lunch: Meet the panelists

Speed-networking format where students meet industry guests in small groups for career discussions and questions.

1:30 – 2:20 p.m. | A.I. at Work: What's Real Right Now in Sports Media

(35-minute discussion, 15-minute Q&A)

Moderator: Matt Nicholson, information science PhD student, A.I. sports expert

Panelists:

• Sam Goodell, data science master's student; director, data and analytics, Optimum Sports

• Stephanie Dessart, senior vice president, software architecture, EVS

• Alex Hay, vice president, business and development strategy, LiveLike

A.I. isn't coming to sports media—it's already here. But between the headlines and the hype, it's hard to know what's actually changing the way people work, produce content, tell stories and run the business. This panel cuts through the noise with practitioners who are building, deploying and working alongside A.I. tools right now. No jargon. No sci-fi. Just honest, practical insight into the tools and skills reshaping the industry in real time.

Topics: What "A.I." actually means in this industry—what's real and what's marketing · Real use cases across data analytics, fan engagement, generative A.I. in production, automated highlights and operations · How A.I. is changing day-to-day jobs—not replacing them, but reshaping the work · The skills question: What makes someone valuable in an A.I.-augmented workplace?

2:20–2:40 p.m. | Sko Buffs Sports Showcase

Presenters: Hannah Howell, Harrison Simeon, Nicholas Evans, Leopoldo Rivera IV

Topics: Want a head start on working in sports?Ìý, formerly ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Sports Mag and Buff Sports Live, is ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä’s beacon of experience and expertise needed to become a journalist, reporter, broadcaster, photographer, graphic designer or otherwise within a competitive industry. Four key representatives of the student-run club will discuss what’s in store for prospective sports media members and how they navigate professional challenges while studying for their futures.

2:40–2:55 p.m. | Closing Remarks

Delivered by co-chairs Neal Scarbrough and Michael Davies, and Pat Ferrucci, chair, CMDI journalism department.