Lisa Cradit

Managing Director and Head of Communications and Content for the United States Tennis Association

“Lisa, your path into sports—from philosophy and political science to leading storytelling for tennis—is such a brilliant reminder that careers don’t have to be linear. Your pivot toward working with mission-driven brands after losing your dad is both moving and deeply relatable, and your emphasis on fun makes perfect sense for someone whose industry is all about creating joy and healthier communities.

Your candid take on the “myth” of work-life balance, and your philosophy that you must drive your own destiny, feels refreshingly honest. It’s inspiring how you’ve carved out space in male-dominated industries and stayed true to building relationships and authenticity.

And your fun facts are awesome—Miss Teen Texas contestant, 37 countries visited, AND helping marine life conservation? That’s a life well-lived on and off the court!” – Zara Halabu

Please describe your role & responsibilities at that position?

Chief storyteller for the mission of the USTA to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere.

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

I attended a liberal arts college and studied philosophy and political science. I was never really sure what I wanted to do but wavered between creative interests – for a while I wanted to be a painter – and more analytical pursuits that involved reasoning and logic. Ultimately I attended law school after graduation. I dropped out after a year and moved into communications and marketing in what was then the pre-Internet era of information technology. I only found my way to sports later in life through my work leading teams in a public relations agency and then moving in house into the USTA where I reside today.

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

Five years or so ago I lost my dad really suddenly and it caused me to really step back and reevaluate what was important to me. Up to that point I’d spent my career focused on solving complex business issues through communications and working in intense industries like energy, technology, and financial services. I came to realize with my dad’s passing that what I really craved was to work for brands with a mission – ones that at their core were about leaving the world in a better place than they found it. And I also realized I wanted to work for brands that were about FUN! I was really over the intensity of business-to-business and business-to-government industries where you could not see the effect of your hard work on the end consumer or customer directly. Tennis gives me both. The USTA mission is to inspire healthier people and communities and of course because its sports, its all about fun!

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

My career really started in the early 1990s and I initially went into technology because at the time it was one of the only industries where women were treated as equals to men- both in compensation, intellectual capability, the kind of work they did, and their pathway for growth and promotion. In the early 2000s, I moved into industries where the glass ceiling was still very much alive -financial services, energy. It was a tough slog to fight for a seat at the table but I am proud of what I achieved. Thirty plus years later the world is very different and I am so grateful that the next generation behind me won’t have to face the same sort of prejudice.

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

There is no work life balance. That is a myth. You simply must choose between the two, esp. early in your career. You have to make choices and be happy in those choices because you can’t get the time back. Funny enough, having spent so much of my career working 10 hour days and being ‘on’ and available for work 7 days a week, when I do have down time, I hate it!

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 a game changer. I am very fortunate that I had a mentor in the early 2000s who remains today a trusted friend and confident for professional and personal matters. She was a barrier breaker herself – becoming one of the first women in investment banking on Wall Street in the 1980s. She has always given me the tough love and support I needed and it’s because of her that I had the confidence to accomplish what I have thus far.

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?

Male dominated, white dominated, Ivy league dominated, makes no matter. Today, your workplace and the opportunities available to you are all up to you. No one owes you anything. And you will not receive what you don’t ask for. You simply must take the wheel with both hands and drive your own destiny. Be a team player and go beyond what people expect you to do, show those around you that you are a trusted colleague, show your boss that you are an asset that will help them get ahead. Do that and the rest of it will simply fall into place.

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

I love promoting an industry that helps people live longer and healthier lives. Its that mission that gets me up in the morning. I also really genuinely like the people I work with and the athletes in the game that we publicize. There is this old saying that you don’t have to like the people you work with, its just a job. But I don’t think that’s true anymore. You spend more time with people at work than you do with your own family and friends so don’t waste that time with people you don’t get on with. The challenge is that life is short and its easy to think ‘oh, I’ll do that tomorrow’. Live your life like there is no tomorrow and leave the place better than how you found it.

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

Work hard, be authentic, treat other people how you want to be treated, use your voice, be a team player, keep a positive attitude and don’t let people walk over you. My mom always told me you get more bees with honey and that’s right. And most of all, have fun.

What are your long term personal goals that you still want to achieve both business wise and personal?

I want to always focus on a mission – professionally it’s all about helping people get healthy. Personally, my mission is marine animal conservation. In both cases, I’m feeding my passion to leave the world a better place.

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

I competed in the Miss TEEN Texas pageant in the 1980s! I lived in NYC during 9/11. I have visited 37 countries on five continents. I am on the Board of Directors for the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund that has donated tens of millions to rescue injured animals and protect them from extinction around the world.