Heidi Pellerano

Chief Commercial Officer at Concacaf

“I’d like to thank Heidi Pellerano for sharing her exciting journey with us! As the revenue guru at Concacaf, she handles media rights, sponsorships, and more, blending her engineering and sports management backgrounds. Her career soared after earning her master’s degree and working with On Sport and Wasserman.

She tackles the challenges of a male-dominated industry with resilience and values mentorship highly. Balancing work and life, she finds joy in TV distractions and architectural Legos. Her advice for young women? Stay curious, embrace new experiences, and bounce back stronger. She’s also a space enthusiast, Star Wars fan, and lover of 80’s movies and Duke basketball!” – Zara Halabu

Please describe your role; responsibilities at that position?

I lead the team in charge of revenue generation for the Confederation. This includes media rights, sponsorships, digital, ticketing and merchandising.

What did you study in college and how did your educational background shape your career in the sports industry?

I studied electrical engineering in undergrad but then later got a master’s degree in sports management. The engineering degree has helped shape my analytical and problem-solving skills while the masters helped me understand the ins and outs of the sports industry.

Can you share the key milestones in your career that led you to your current position in the sports industry?

The first was getting my master’s degree as that opened the door into the industry. The second was getting the job at On Sport as that allowed me to meet one of my core mentors. Another major milestone came when Wasserman acquired On Sport and that allowed me to start working internationally. All of these experiences and key people I met along the way helped me get to Concacaf.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in sports business, & how have you overcome them?

It is never easy to be mansplained things or being offered help when I don’t need it. Before I would let the frustration get to me and that would backfire. With time I have learned to take breaths and share my feelings and equally listen so both sides can learn and grow from the experience.

Balancing a career is demanding. How do you manage a work -life balance? What strategies have worked well for you?

I don’t know if I have fully achieved it. But I do try to listen to my body and shut it down when the tank starts running low. I also try to make sure I take time every day to disconnect with something on tv that really distracts me.

How important is mentorship for women in the sports industry? Have you had mentors or role models who played a significant role in your career and can give some details?

Mentorship is extremely important. This is even more critical for women in sports so they can have someone they can bounce ideas with, seek advice in handling challenging situations, and can learn from their experiences.

In a male-dominated industry, do you feel women are given equal opportunities? What steps do you think can be taken to promote gender equality in the sports industry?

I don’t believe women get equal opportunities but I also don’t think it is on purpose. People tend to recommend from their network and like working with likeminded individuals so that naturally translates to men recommending men. In terms of steps, the women need to take the lead in recommending more women, mentoring them, building stronger relationships with their male colleagues so they can become allies.

What aspects of your work in the sports industry do you enjoy the most? What parts do you find the most challenging?

I love working in a team environment towards a common goal. I love working in an industry that generates so much passion. Plus, I know that everything we are doing is having an impact. The challenges are juggling a lot of very important tasks at the same time and giving your best for every one of them.

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to build a successful career in the sports industry?

I would focus on three things-
1. be very curious and never stop learning from the good moments and the difficult ones;
2. get out of your comfort zone and be open to new experiences;
3. and have a thick skin and learn how to get up stronger every time you get knocked down.

What is your long-term personal goal that you still want to achieve both business wise and personal?

I want to continue helping others in this industry fulfill their full potential. I want to keep facing new challenges that even surprise me for how they push me to grow.

Any fun facts you’d like the world to learn about you? Favorite food, hobbies, # of kids, pet peeves, etc. The more the merrier!!

I am a nerd so I love everything about space and the universe, Star Wars, Big Bang Theory. I love to travel specially to look at city’s architecture and outdoors- beaches, mountains. I love Duke and Duke basketball. I am an 80’s girl so loves the movies and the music. Finally, I love building architectural Legos.