RENTON, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks announced today strategic updates to its front office leadership team. The changes include restructured titles for its senior leaders, as well as the promotion of four front office staff members to Vice President.
In an effort to distinguish their roles as top executives in their respective fields, as well as to better establish the team's overall leadership structure, members of the Seahawks senior leadership team will have the following updated titles: Ed Goines, Chief Legal Officer; Cindy Kelley, Chief Human Resources Officer; Dave Pearson, Chief Communications Officer; Amy Sprangers, Chief Revenue Officer; and David Young, Chief Operating Officer. These are in addition to Karen Spencer, who continues to hold the title of Chief Financial Officer. All six senior leaders report to team president Chuck Arnold.
"As we emerge from the pandemic and work toward creating a stronger and more diverse leadership team, I'm excited to make these changes to further strengthen the Seahawks front office," said Arnold. "Our newly appointed Vice Presidents have each been an integral part of our front office staff over the years and will offer a unique, fresh perspective and a deep understanding of our business as we strive for continued excellence both on and off the field."
The following front office staff have been promoted to Vice President:
Sarita Carter, Vice President of Human Resources
Carter is entering her 33rd season with the Seahawks, and 19th season in the Human Resources department. Her career started in 1988 as the team's front desk receptionist and she later worked in the Community Relations department before moving to Human Resources. She most recently served as Managing Director of Human Resources from 2016-21. In her role, she is responsible for the day-to-day human resources functions for the Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. including: employee relations & engagement, benefits administration, performance management, recruiting & onboarding, HRIS, compliance, training, policies and strategic planning. She also oversees the team's hospitality department and office administrative staff. She serves on the Seattle Leadership Council for UNCF. Born in Seattle, Wash., she is a graduate of Cleveland High in Seattle and earned her degree in Business Administration from Central Washington University. She resides in Federal Way, Wash.
Alen Cisija, Vice President/General Counsel
Cisija joined the Seahawks in 2018 as Associate Counsel. In his role, he is responsible for guiding clients on a variety of legal transactions, in addition to overseeing litigation and organizational compliance with NFL rules and regulations. Most recently, he helped lead the efforts that transformed the Lumen Field Event Center into a temporary hospital and mass vaccination site in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the Seahawks, Cisija was an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C., and prior to that, worked for the NFL Management Council in New York. Cisija is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Oberlin College. He was born and raised in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and resides in Seattle, Wash.
Peter Fonfara, Vice President of Finance
Fonfara is entering his 10th season with the Seahawks after joining the team in 2012. He most recently served as Managing Director of Finance. In his role, Fonfara oversees the Seahawks and First & Goal Inc. finance teams and manages the team's financial and accounting policies, systems and processes, treasury management, and ongoing financial modeling and budgeting of Football Northwest LLC and First & Goal Inc. He is also responsible for ensuring operational efficiency as well as providing accurate and reliable financial information for the team's ownership, senior management, the National Football League, and the Public Stadium Authority. Prior to the Seahawks, he worked as an auditor for Deloitte. He currently serves on the board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound and the Downtown Seattle Association. A graduate of Gonzaga University, he lives in Mercer Island, Wash.
Lisa Young, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships
Young has been with the Seahawks since 2005 and has held numerous roles within the organization since, including most recently as Managing Director of Corporate Partnerships. In her role, Young oversees business operations for the team's Corporate Partnerships group, including all departmental sales, as well as activation strategy and execution. Prior to the Seahawks, she started her career in advertising at a boutique firm in San Diego. A graduate of Washington State University, she lives in Woodinville, Wash.
Additionally, the Seahawks have promoted Zach Hensley to Vice President of Operations & General Manager of Lumen Field. Hensley was previously the team's Vice President of Venue Operations & Guest Experience. He has more than 20 years of industry experience in stadium operations, hospitality, and customer service. Prior to joining the Seahawks in 2015, Hensley has provided venue support and guidance for numerous sports and entertainment entities and events, including the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, the University of Louisville, Super Bowls, NHL All-Star Games, NCAA Football Championships, WrestleMania, NHL Stadium Series and NCAA Final Four Championships.
Earlier this year, the Seahawks also announced the addition of Karen Wilkins-Mickey as the team's first Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
For more on the Seahawks front office management team, click here.
