Sports and tech have been notoriously male-dominated industries but women are making strides in both fields, according to the NFL's very first chief information officer, Michelle McKenna, who combines both fields and uses A.I. technology to improve the player and fan experience in professional football.
"I'm responsible for all things technology related," McKennna told Cheddar. "I'm responsible for instant replay, coaches communications, and the tablets you see on the sidelines."
Technology has had an impact on almost every industry, but both the tech and sport's world are combining at a notably rapid clip, she said. "They're coming together like every other industry, but sports seems to be accelerating at a very fast pace from everything, from the data we collect on player's movements to analyzing anything and everything fans do," the CIO said.
Her daughter will be graduating from college next year, and even though the workforce has changed since McKenna began her own career, she still offers some advice to her daughter and her daughter's friends on how to navigate the workforce.
"I just talk to them about finding their voice early and finding advocates, both women and men, and not just shutting men out," McKenna revealed.
She advises women who want to advance their own careers to be "bold." "Don't be afraid to try something you might not have mastered yet. We know that our male peers do that in large numbers," she said. "And speak up for what you want. People can't read your mind."
