Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern University Athletics Appoints Daniel Nunes and Sean Dennison to Leadership Positions
11/6/2023 3:21:00 PM | General
EVANSTON, Ill. – Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Dr. Derrick Gragg announced two appointments on Monday, as Daniel Nunes has been named Senior Associate A.D. of External Affairs, while veteran sports business executive Sean Dennison joins Northwestern as Senior Associate A.D. of Strategic Initiatives & Communications.
Both Nunes and Dennison will serve on the department's leadership cabinet.
Nunes joined Northwestern in July 2022 as Associate A.D. of Marketing and Fan Engagement. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in driving revenue growth, enhancing fan engagement and executing strategic marketing initiatives.
"Daniel is an incredibly passionate and dedicated professional who has made a significant impact during his time at Northwestern," said Gragg. "His commitment to our university and his exceptional leadership have been instrumental in driving the outstanding work of our External Affairs team. We look forward to Daniel's continued contributions and his role in ensuring the continued success of our athletics programs."
"I am honored to be selected for this position, and want to thank Dr. Gragg, the hiring committee, members of external affairs, and its leadership for this opportunity," said Nunes. "Over the last year, I've watched firsthand as the entire department dedicated itself to the success of NU Athletics. I'm thrilled to remain a part of this talented team."
Dennison, who previously held leadership roles with the Chicago Fire and Major League Soccer, will manage all athletic department communications functions, including public relations, media relations, sports information, social media and digital media.
"Sean brings a wealth of experience and an innovative spirit that align seamlessly with our values and strategic plan," said Gragg. "His insights will undoubtedly broaden our reach and engagement, both within Northwestern and across the country. We are pleased to welcome Sean to our communications team."
"As a lifelong college sports fan, I'm excited to start this new role at Northwestern University," said Dennison. "I look forward to serving student-athletes, coaches, colleagues and the entire Northwestern community."
More on Nunes:
Under Nunes' leadership in the 2022-23 academic year, Northwestern's athletics department saw significant improvements in revenue and attendance across multiple sports. This included substantial increases in season revenue and attendance for both men's and women's basketball programs, football student attendance, as well as record volleyball revenue and attendance numbers during the 2022 season. His management of digital sales initiatives also resulted in a 12% increase in revenue in ticket sales. Nunes also coordinated marketing campaigns for the rebranded football premium experience, Randy Walker Terrace, and football mini-plan sales.
Prior to his time at Northwestern, Nunes served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Creative Services at Southern Methodist University (SMU) for five years. During his tenure, he oversaw ticketing and revenue generation, fan engagement, gameday experiences, MustangVision production and community outreach. He also served as a secondary sport administrator for the SMU Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
Nunes has also served as the Director of Marketing for Louisiana State University (LSU) Athletics, where he managed the marketing efforts for all sports programs. His passion for college athletics began when he worked as the marketing coordinator for the LSU Tigers.
Nunes, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earned his undergraduate degree in public relations from the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. He also holds a Master of Science degree in sport management from LSU. Nunes and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Stevie and Reese, and two Golden Retrievers, Rylee and Lucy.
More on Dennison:
As the Fire's senior vice president of communications and media, Dennison was a member of the club's executive team responsible for day-to-day management of Chicago's Major League Soccer team. For four seasons, he led communications and broadcast strategy and planning for the club as it moved back to Soldier Field. He re-imagined the club's approach to broadcast, playing a leading role in aligning with WGN-TV and bringing streaming rights in-house so fans could watch matches for free on the club's website and app. He also served as Executive Producer for the club's first-ever regional Emmy nomination.
At Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing, Dennison oversaw all business and non-sports communications for the League and its commercial arm. He worked closely with all MLS clubs, as well as all prospective expansion groups, to support growth in each local market.
During his nearly 13 years at MLS/SUM, Dennison worked on a variety of properties including MLS, U.S. Soccer, the Mexican National Team's annual U.S. Tour, CONCACAF Gold Cup and the historic Copa America Centenario. He contributed to the success of MLS marquee events including MLS SuperDraft, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. He also helped launch MLS WORKS, MLS' community outreach initiative.
Dennison regularly worked with MLS media partners, including ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision, and MLS/SUM corporate partners. During his tenure, MLS was named 2008 and 2016 Sports League of the Year by Sports Business Journal.
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Dennison earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from McGill University and a Master of Science in Sports Business from New York University. Prior to joining MLS, he held internship positions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and IMG.
Dennison and his fiancée, Michele, live on Chicago's North Side.
Both Nunes and Dennison will serve on the department's leadership cabinet.
Nunes joined Northwestern in July 2022 as Associate A.D. of Marketing and Fan Engagement. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in driving revenue growth, enhancing fan engagement and executing strategic marketing initiatives.
"Daniel is an incredibly passionate and dedicated professional who has made a significant impact during his time at Northwestern," said Gragg. "His commitment to our university and his exceptional leadership have been instrumental in driving the outstanding work of our External Affairs team. We look forward to Daniel's continued contributions and his role in ensuring the continued success of our athletics programs."
"I am honored to be selected for this position, and want to thank Dr. Gragg, the hiring committee, members of external affairs, and its leadership for this opportunity," said Nunes. "Over the last year, I've watched firsthand as the entire department dedicated itself to the success of NU Athletics. I'm thrilled to remain a part of this talented team."
Dennison, who previously held leadership roles with the Chicago Fire and Major League Soccer, will manage all athletic department communications functions, including public relations, media relations, sports information, social media and digital media.
"Sean brings a wealth of experience and an innovative spirit that align seamlessly with our values and strategic plan," said Gragg. "His insights will undoubtedly broaden our reach and engagement, both within Northwestern and across the country. We are pleased to welcome Sean to our communications team."
"As a lifelong college sports fan, I'm excited to start this new role at Northwestern University," said Dennison. "I look forward to serving student-athletes, coaches, colleagues and the entire Northwestern community."
More on Nunes:
Under Nunes' leadership in the 2022-23 academic year, Northwestern's athletics department saw significant improvements in revenue and attendance across multiple sports. This included substantial increases in season revenue and attendance for both men's and women's basketball programs, football student attendance, as well as record volleyball revenue and attendance numbers during the 2022 season. His management of digital sales initiatives also resulted in a 12% increase in revenue in ticket sales. Nunes also coordinated marketing campaigns for the rebranded football premium experience, Randy Walker Terrace, and football mini-plan sales.
Prior to his time at Northwestern, Nunes served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Creative Services at Southern Methodist University (SMU) for five years. During his tenure, he oversaw ticketing and revenue generation, fan engagement, gameday experiences, MustangVision production and community outreach. He also served as a secondary sport administrator for the SMU Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
Nunes has also served as the Director of Marketing for Louisiana State University (LSU) Athletics, where he managed the marketing efforts for all sports programs. His passion for college athletics began when he worked as the marketing coordinator for the LSU Tigers.
Nunes, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earned his undergraduate degree in public relations from the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. He also holds a Master of Science degree in sport management from LSU. Nunes and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Stevie and Reese, and two Golden Retrievers, Rylee and Lucy.
More on Dennison:
As the Fire's senior vice president of communications and media, Dennison was a member of the club's executive team responsible for day-to-day management of Chicago's Major League Soccer team. For four seasons, he led communications and broadcast strategy and planning for the club as it moved back to Soldier Field. He re-imagined the club's approach to broadcast, playing a leading role in aligning with WGN-TV and bringing streaming rights in-house so fans could watch matches for free on the club's website and app. He also served as Executive Producer for the club's first-ever regional Emmy nomination.
At Major League Soccer/Soccer United Marketing, Dennison oversaw all business and non-sports communications for the League and its commercial arm. He worked closely with all MLS clubs, as well as all prospective expansion groups, to support growth in each local market.
During his nearly 13 years at MLS/SUM, Dennison worked on a variety of properties including MLS, U.S. Soccer, the Mexican National Team's annual U.S. Tour, CONCACAF Gold Cup and the historic Copa America Centenario. He contributed to the success of MLS marquee events including MLS SuperDraft, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. He also helped launch MLS WORKS, MLS' community outreach initiative.
Dennison regularly worked with MLS media partners, including ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision, and MLS/SUM corporate partners. During his tenure, MLS was named 2008 and 2016 Sports League of the Year by Sports Business Journal.
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Dennison earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from McGill University and a Master of Science in Sports Business from New York University. Prior to joining MLS, he held internship positions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and IMG.
Dennison and his fiancée, Michele, live on Chicago's North Side.
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