We have personnel news today from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A; International League), Mahoning Valley Scrappers (MLB Draft League) and Volcanoes Stadium, home of the Mavericks League.
Heather Sahli is the new General Manager of the Scrappers, just the fourth General Manager in team history. Sahli has been with the Scrappers organization for nineteen seasons, originally joining the Scrappers in 2001 as an Account Executive and holding additional positions of Box Office Manager, Client Services Manager and Director of Marketing. Most recently she has spent the past twelve seasons as the Assistant General Manager, Marketing for the Scrappers.
“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity to lead the Scrappers,” Sahli said via press release. “I look forward to working with our amazing front office as we strive to provide the best affordable, local fun in the Mahoning Valley. Eastwood Field has been my home for the best of twenty years, creating memories and working with incredible partners in the Valley. I can’t wait to open up the gates at Eastwood Field this summer and welcome fans back to celebrate our 25th anniversary season.”
Sahli succeeds Jordan Taylor as General Manager of the Scrappers. He will remain with the team in his role as Executive Vice President of HWS Baseball. Taylor has been with the team for twenty-two seasons after joining the Scrappers in 2001 as a Corporate Sales Executive. He was promoted to General Manager in 2011 and has held the position for the past twelve seasons along with Vice President of HWS Baseball since 2013.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced key promotions and additions to their front office staff.
“The 2023 season will be here before we know it and we are thrilled to promote several staff members while also adding talent to our staff,” said Katie Beekman, General Manager of the RailRiders, via press release. “Any new season in Minor League Baseball always brings some change in every front office. We believe these promotions will put our staff in a tremendous place to succeed. Our new hires are primarily focused on expanding our ticket and premium sales departments to improve customer service and make it easier for fans to enjoy a game at PNC Field.”
In December, Matt Hamilton was promoted to the role of Assistant General Manager. Kristina Knightwas promoted to Senior Director, Partnership Management & Marketing. Ryan Long has been promoted to Senior Director of Stadium Operations and Dustin Spiegel is now the team’s Manager of Field Operations.
Hamilton joined the RailRiders staff before the 2022 season as the Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. He graduated from West Texas A&M University in 2010 and spent seven years as a news reporter and anchor before a transition to media sales. He joined the Amarillo Sod Poodles in 2018. In three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate, Hamilton advanced from serving as a corporate partnerships executive to leading the department. In his new role with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Hamilton’s responsibilities will include overseeing corporate partnerships, premium sales, group sales and ticketing.
Knight joined the RailRiders front office team in January 2006 as a Ticket Account Executive. After the announcement of the New York Yankees affiliation, she was promoted to Group Sales Manager. After one year in Group Sales, she was named Sponsor Service Manager. She was then promoted to the position of Senior Sponsor Service Manager. In addition to handling sponsorship accounts and activations, she will oversee the RailRiders Marketing and Game Day Entertainment. She is a 2001 graduate of Riverside Jr./Sr. High School and in 2005 earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Bloomsburg University.
Long joined the RailRiders staff in January 2021 as Director of Ballpark Operations. He attended Lackawanna College, graduating with an Associate Degree in Sports Administration. He then went on to Misericordia, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Management. Long has over 15 years of experience, serving in buildings such as Comerica Park in Detroit, the American Airlines Center in Dallas and the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
Spiegel has been with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since the 2019 season as the Assistant Groundskeeper. Before joining the RailRiders, he spent three years in the same role for the Lexington Legends in the South Atlantic League. Spiegel is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Turfgrass Management.
In addition to these promotions, the RailRiders have added seven staff members to the front office over the last few months.
Patrick Cawley has rejoined the RailRiders front office as the Director of Finance. He is a 2002 graduate of Pittston Area High School and a graduate of Misericordia University. During his time at Misericordia University, he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2007 and went on to complete his MBA in 2010. Cawley worked for SWB as their Senior Accountant from October 2020 through December 2021.
Mark Ambrose joined the RailRiders in December as an Account Executive in Season Ticket Sales. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management in 2021 and will finish his masters in Business Administration in 2023, earning both degrees from Keystone College. Ambrose, a Honesdale, PA, native was a member of the men’s basketball team as a walk-on from 2018 through 2021.
Colby Emma has been hired as a Group Sales Executive. He grew up in Scituate, Rhode Island. He attended Clarkson University, where he received his bachelor’s degree, as well as attending Northeastern University, where he received his master’s degree in Sports Leadership.
Spencer Barberree joins the staff as an Account Executive in Premium Sales. He is from Carlsbad, California, and after high school attended Texas A&M at Galveston, graduating in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Maritime Studies.
During the 2022 season or shortly after, Anthony Daniel, Krista Lutzick and Dan Ross were added to the front-office roster in full-time positions.
Daniel joined the RailRiders last summer as Account Executive in the Season Ticket Sales department. A native of Easton, PA, he attended East Stroudsburg University and majored in Sports Management. After graduating in 2021, he went on to work for Kevin Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports as their event operations intern.
Lutzick was a Community Relations Intern at the beginning of the 2022 season and was hired as the Community Relations Manager in August. Originally from Northeast Pennsylvania, she moved to Nashville in 2013 to attend Belmont University to study the music business. She graduated from Belmont University in 2016 and worked in the music industry for seven years. Lutzick will graduate with her Master of Science in Sport Management from Liberty University this spring.
Ross joined the franchise’s front office in January 2022 after serving as a sales intern for the 2021 season. In October, he was hired full-time as the Ticket Operations Manager. He is a native of Stroudsburg and attended East Stroudsburg University. Ross graduated from ESU in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Management.
Kim McKay is the new Director of Marketing and Promotions for Volcanoes Stadium, home of the independent Mavericks League.
McKay made a name for herself in the Professional Watercross Racing community by racing jet skis for the last 23 years, placing fourth in the world in 2017 in the IJSBA sanctioned World Finals, in the “women’s runabout” class. Kim mentors young racers and has taught water safety classes. She is certified in water rescue, has been a flagger for Professional Watercross Racing and a contributing journalist for Pro-Rider Watercraft Magazine.
“I’m beyond grateful to the Walkers for the opportunity to serve the community,” McKay said via press release. “I have been passionate about sports my whole life. I love the atmosphere that the stadium offers, of presenting a unique experience that everyone can enjoy. I’m so excited to use my entire life’s knowledge and passion for sports over the years, to partner with the Walkers, to truly offer an epic experience.”
“It’s great to have Kim join our staff,” said Mickey Walker, CEO of the Mavericks League, via press release. “She brings excitement, energy and overall exuberance to our front office which will quickly be felt and appreciated by our marketing partners and fans. Her vast expertise in marketing and event management through her involvement in world-class events across the world will benefit the overall fan experience at Volcanoes Stadium during Mavericks League games.”