Staff
STAFF
Greg Fante, President and CEO
Office: 502-560-1479
Cell: 502-472-6021
email: gfante@louisvillesports.org
Greg Fante was named president and CEO of the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) on Jan. 1, 2023. He has been with the organization since 2007 and helped the Sports Commission team attract and support events that have generated more than $1 billion in local economic benefits for the community. He oversees a team of professionals who have led Louisville’s strategic planning, marketing, and sales efforts for sports event attraction and creation for the region. Before joining the LSC, Fante served as national sales manager for Louisville Tourism. He began his career in the local hotel industry. He currently serves on the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center board. He previously served on the boards of Louisville’s lodging association, the Louisville hotel sales association and the National Association of Sports Commissions.
Julie Howell, Chief Revenue Officer
Office: 502-587-6742
Cell: 502-376-6450
email: jhowell@louisvillesports.org
Julie Howell joined the Louisville Sports Commission in September 2009. During her time with the Sports Commission, Howell has increased the number of companies supporting the organization from 10 to more than 250, leading to a 750 percent increase in annual contributed revenue. The organization’s revenue-producing activities created and overseen by Howell include event sponsorships, the Corporate Partners program and the annual Golden Ticket raffle. She has secured sponsorship portfolios for the following owned and operated events: the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, Live in Lou Cross Country Classic, the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon, Louisville Pure Tap® 5k, Norton Sports Health 4-Miler the Louisville Corporate Games and the Louisville Indoor Games. Howell also played an integral part in obtaining funding to host the 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships and has been instrumental in securing sponsorships for IRONMAN® Louisville. In 2016, Howell led the effort to secure funding for a $1 million facility enhancement of the BMX Track at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. Prior to that, Howell was director of development for the Louisville Ballet. Before she moved to the Ballet, she was vice president, partnerships for the Fund for the Arts.
Lisa Mills, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations
Office: 502-814-0200
Cell: 502-689-2976
email: lmills@louisvillesports.org
Lisa Mills joined the Louisville Sports Commission in October 2011. In her role as vice president of marketing & PR, Mills is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and public relations initiatives for the Louisville Sports Commission and its owned and operated events, as well as for inbound third-party sports events hosted in full or in partnership with the Sports Commission. She also is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the organization’s Louisville Active community engagement programs: Kids Finish First, Playing it Forward, Sports Fun(d) and We Play. She previously worked with Fellon-McCord, an energy management company where she oversaw the company’s internal and external marketing efforts. Mills also provided leadership for Faulkner Real Estate’s overall marketing, communications and public relations strategies. She served as marketing director for Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) where she spent more than 15 years providing marketing leadership and support for market research, advertising and special projects. Mills is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Spalding University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. She currently is a member of the Spalding University Athletic Advisory Council, Spalding University Business Advisory Council and the Cabbage Patch Marketing & PR Committee.
Vicki Baumgardner, Accounting Manager
Office: 502-587-7767
email: vbaumgardner@louisvillesports.org
Vicki Baumgardner joined the Louisville Sports Commission in May 2021 as Accounting Manager. She provides primary oversight of the organization’s financial records and leads the implementation and maintenance of accounting systems, procedures, and policies. Baumgardner ensures the organization remains in good standing with the Kentucky Department of Charitable Gaming and serves as liaison with external auditors during the annual financial and 401(k) audits. A Louisville native, Baumgardner began her career in public accounting before joining KFC’s International Group. She later held several leadership roles with Churchill Downs Inc., including Vice President of Finance, and served as Vice President of Finance for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Baumgardner holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Louisville and a master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Kentucky.
Corbin Maynard, Director of Event Operations
Office: 502-587-6730
Cell: 502-619-0001
email: cmaynard@louisvillesports.org
Corbin Maynard joined the Louisville Sports Commission in June 2023 as Director of Event Operations. He is responsible for the planning, organization and execution of the Sports Commission’s owned and operated events, as well as hosted client events. In this role, Maynard serves as the primary liaison between rights holders and local agencies, facility operators and other partners critical to event success. A Louisville native, Maynard attended Bellarmine University, where he played basketball from 2011 to 2015 and was part of two NCAA Final Fours (2012, 2015). He earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a minor in Business Administration from Bellarmine and later completed a Master’s in Sports Administration while serving as Director of Basketball Operations at Eastern Kentucky University from 2018 to 2022. During his tenure at EKU, he contributed to 18 program records.
MiKayla Morton, Manager of Events and Programs
Office: 502-379-6052
Cell: 502-553-4748
email: mmorton@louisvillesports.org
MiKayla Morton joined the Louisville Sports Commission in June 2022 as Manager of Events and Programs. She manages outreach and support for the Sports Fun(d) active lifestyle initiative and provides key support for the organization’s community programs — Kids Finish First, Playing It Forward and We Play. Morton also assists in planning and executing both owned and hosted events, providing operational and logistical support across the Sports Commission’s portfolio. In 2022, Morton was selected to participate in the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission’s Professional Development Program Summit. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Louisville, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Administration while attending on a Woodford R. Porter Scholarship. Morton received the Savannah Walker Award for Social Justice and served as a leadership peer mentor for African American freshmen through the Caring of New Students Experiencing College Transition program.
Zach Norris, Manager of Partnership Activation
Cell: 859-240-5916
email: znorris@louisvillesports.org
Zach Norris joined the Louisville Sports Commission in January 2025 as Manager of Partnership Engagement. In this role, he supports the maintenance, growth and creation of revenue streams through philanthropic gifts, event sponsorships, special events and raffles. Norris played a lead role in launching and executing a 50/50 raffle in partnership with the Louisville Bats and works to connect revenue initiatives with marketing, public relations and operations to enhance participant and client experiences. He also assists with planning, organizing and executing the Sports Commission’s owned and operated events, as well as hosted client events. A Cum Laude graduate of the University of Louisville, Norris earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Administration with a minor in Management. While at UofL, he served as the school mascot for 2.5 years, managing social media and marketing efforts for the program.
Dave Patrone, Director of Sports Development
Office: 502-736-3498
Cell: 502-552-0013
email: dpatrone@louisvillesports.org
Dave Patrone joined the Louisville Sports Commission in January 2023 as Director of Sports Development. In this role, he develops and implements the organization’s hosted event sales plan, overseeing bid development efforts and ensuring the successful execution of awarded events. Prior to joining the Sports Commission, Patrone worked with ASM Global to position the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center as a premier venue for sports, concerts, corporate events and more. He spent two decades with Kentucky Venues as Vice President of Client Services, helping attract some of Louisville’s largest and most notable sports events, including the Dew Action Sports Tour, National Senior Games, Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge, National Archery in the Schools National Tournament, National Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championship, National Veteran’s Wheelchair Games, and the Run 4 the Roses girls’ exposure basketball tournament. Earlier in his career, Patrone served as Front-of-House Manager at Richfield Coliseum and Rocket Mortgage Field House in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.