NY METS
Former Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer
Katherine (Katie) Pothier has more than two decades of experience in professional sports. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer for the New York Mets, where she led the legal department for three years. She is currently serving as a consultant for the Mets, advising on a variety of matters including plans to pursue an ambitious $8 billion, 32-acre integrated resort and casino development adjacent to Citi Field.
Pothier has unique experience having served as the chief legal officer for three professional baseball teams. Her career in sports began in 2002 with the San Diego Padres, where she initially served as outside counsel before being recruited to become Executive Vice President, General Counsel. In this role, she supported the Padres in the financing, construction, and opening of PETCO Park and the ancillary development around the ballpark. After leaving the Padres in 2010, she joined a women- and minority-owned law firm in San Diego, where she became a litigation partner, managing complex litigation and employment-related litigation for Fortune 50 clients. In 2016, Pothier was recruited to return to baseball as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Texas Rangers, where she led the legal efforts surrounding the financing, construction, and opening of Globe Life Field, the repurposing of the team's old ballpark and the creation of hotel, residential and entertainment joint ventures. In addition to her background in legal and HR, Pothier has a broad range of experience advising on corporate matters, business growth strategies, joint ventures, acquisitions, organizational structuring, strategic planning, risk management, crisis communications, and international matters.
Pothier is a native of New Jersey. She earned both a B.A. in History and her J.D. from Rutgers University.
METRONET SYSTEMS HOLDINGS, LLC
EVP, Finance
As CFO, Sarah is responsible for leading the broad financial operations of Metronet as well as the Supply Chain. A trusted business partner across the organization, she possesses tenacity and the ability to make esoteric financing practices easy to understand and implement. She brings more than 15 years of corporate finance and accounting experience to her role, having risen to leadership within the global footwear retailer, Payless ShoeSource.
In her rich tenure at Metronet leading FP&A, Accounting and Treasury, Sarah has played a paramount role in completing three of the company’s first-in-class asset-backed securitizations within the FTTP sector, valued at $2.6B and counting. Her leadership has been integral in multiple successful acquisitions, including Vexus Fiber.
Sarah earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA from Washburn University. She, her husband, and 4 daughters reside in KC, and are on a quest to visit every US national park.
The Players Impact
CEO
Education: J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law | B.A., Wagner College
Expertise: Executive Leadership | Entrepreneurship | Venture Investment | Sports & Media Innovation
Tracy Deforge is the founder of The Players’ Impact (TPI), a venture platform built to empower professional athletes through investment opportunities, business education, and entrepreneurial support. With over 25 years of experience launching, scaling, and advising early-stage companies, Tracy brings a unique blend of legal, operational, and strategic expertise to the worlds of sports, media, and innovation.
An attorney by training, Tracy’s early career included roles with the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball Advanced Media. She later became a partner in a pioneering venture fund investing at the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment. Throughout her career, she has been deeply involved in every facet of entrepreneurship—from founding and funding companies to driving growth, forging strategic partnerships, and navigating successful exits.
A passionate advocate for elevating women in sports, Tracy launched the Boston chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and continues to serve as an advisor. She is also the Chair of the Advisory Board for the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association, a board member for Team USA Handball, and sits on the Board of the Positive Coaching Alliance (New England chapter).
Outside of business, Tracy is a mother of two, a six-time marathon finisher, a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a 2018 Haymakers for Hope fighter—demonstrating her relentless spirit both in and out of the boardroom.
BLUE OWL CAPITAL INC
Managing Director
Kaitlin Howard is a Managing Director at Blue Owl and the Head of BDC Unsecured Funding. As the Head of Unsecured Funding and Bank Relationships for the Blue Owl BDCs, Kaitlin brings nearly 15 years of experience in investment banking and financial services.
Prior to joining Blue Owl in 2022, Kaitlin served as Managing Director, Head of FIG Debt Capital Markets at SMBC Nikko, where she was responsible for building and overseeing the investment grade financials underwriting business. Prior to SMBC, Kaitlin held various positions on the debt capital markets desks at Citigroup and Mizuho, where she executed a variety of multi-currency debt, liability management and M&A-related financings.
Kaitlin received a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond.
UNITED RENTALS, INC.
Vice President, Treasurer
Sybil Collins is Vice President, Treasurer of United Rentals (URI), where she is responsible for the organization’s debt funding, cash operations and return of capital. She brings nearly two decades of banking and corporate finance experience to the role. Prior to United Rentals, Sybil spent 16 years at Morgan Stanley. While at Morgan Stanley, Sybil was most recently the Head of Treasury Planning and Strategy within the Treasury Department, where she managed the firm’s funding projections, transfer pricing, debt investor relations and the firm's credit ratings. Before that, she spent 12 years in Investment Banking and Debt Capital Markets advising Industrials and Basic Materials clients.
Sybil received a BA from Columbia University, an MBA from Columbia Business School and an MA from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
NY METS
Former Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer
Katherine (Katie) Pothier has more than two decades of experience in professional sports. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer for the New York Mets, where she led the legal department for three years. She is currently serving as a consultant for the Mets, advising on a variety of matters including plans to pursue an ambitious $8 billion, 32-acre integrated resort and casino development adjacent to Citi Field.
Pothier has unique experience having served as the chief legal officer for three professional baseball teams. Her career in sports began in 2002 with the San Diego Padres, where she initially served as outside counsel before being recruited to become Executive Vice President, General Counsel. In this role, she supported the Padres in the financing, construction, and opening of PETCO Park and the ancillary development around the ballpark. After leaving the Padres in 2010, she joined a women- and minority-owned law firm in San Diego, where she became a litigation partner, managing complex litigation and employment-related litigation for Fortune 50 clients. In 2016, Pothier was recruited to return to baseball as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Texas Rangers, where she led the legal efforts surrounding the financing, construction, and opening of Globe Life Field, the repurposing of the team's old ballpark and the creation of hotel, residential and entertainment joint ventures. In addition to her background in legal and HR, Pothier has a broad range of experience advising on corporate matters, business growth strategies, joint ventures, acquisitions, organizational structuring, strategic planning, risk management, crisis communications, and international matters.
Pothier is a native of New Jersey. She earned both a B.A. in History and her J.D. from Rutgers University.
METRONET SYSTEMS HOLDINGS, LLC
EVP, Finance
As CFO, Sarah is responsible for leading the broad financial operations of Metronet as well as the Supply Chain. A trusted business partner across the organization, she possesses tenacity and the ability to make esoteric financing practices easy to understand and implement. She brings more than 15 years of corporate finance and accounting experience to her role, having risen to leadership within the global footwear retailer, Payless ShoeSource.
In her rich tenure at Metronet leading FP&A, Accounting and Treasury, Sarah has played a paramount role in completing three of the company’s first-in-class asset-backed securitizations within the FTTP sector, valued at $2.6B and counting. Her leadership has been integral in multiple successful acquisitions, including Vexus Fiber.
Sarah earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA from Washburn University. She, her husband, and 4 daughters reside in KC, and are on a quest to visit every US national park.
The Players Impact
CEO
Education: J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law | B.A., Wagner College
Expertise: Executive Leadership | Entrepreneurship | Venture Investment | Sports & Media Innovation
Tracy Deforge is the founder of The Players’ Impact (TPI), a venture platform built to empower professional athletes through investment opportunities, business education, and entrepreneurial support. With over 25 years of experience launching, scaling, and advising early-stage companies, Tracy brings a unique blend of legal, operational, and strategic expertise to the worlds of sports, media, and innovation.
An attorney by training, Tracy’s early career included roles with the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball Advanced Media. She later became a partner in a pioneering venture fund investing at the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment. Throughout her career, she has been deeply involved in every facet of entrepreneurship—from founding and funding companies to driving growth, forging strategic partnerships, and navigating successful exits.
A passionate advocate for elevating women in sports, Tracy launched the Boston chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and continues to serve as an advisor. She is also the Chair of the Advisory Board for the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association, a board member for Team USA Handball, and sits on the Board of the Positive Coaching Alliance (New England chapter).
Outside of business, Tracy is a mother of two, a six-time marathon finisher, a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a 2018 Haymakers for Hope fighter—demonstrating her relentless spirit both in and out of the boardroom.
BLUE OWL CAPITAL INC
Managing Director
Kaitlin Howard is a Managing Director at Blue Owl and the Head of BDC Unsecured Funding. As the Head of Unsecured Funding and Bank Relationships for the Blue Owl BDCs, Kaitlin brings nearly 15 years of experience in investment banking and financial services.
Prior to joining Blue Owl in 2022, Kaitlin served as Managing Director, Head of FIG Debt Capital Markets at SMBC Nikko, where she was responsible for building and overseeing the investment grade financials underwriting business. Prior to SMBC, Kaitlin held various positions on the debt capital markets desks at Citigroup and Mizuho, where she executed a variety of multi-currency debt, liability management and M&A-related financings.
Kaitlin received a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond.
UNITED RENTALS, INC.
Vice President, Treasurer
Sybil Collins is Vice President, Treasurer of United Rentals (URI), where she is responsible for the organization’s debt funding, cash operations and return of capital. She brings nearly two decades of banking and corporate finance experience to the role. Prior to United Rentals, Sybil spent 16 years at Morgan Stanley. While at Morgan Stanley, Sybil was most recently the Head of Treasury Planning and Strategy within the Treasury Department, where she managed the firm’s funding projections, transfer pricing, debt investor relations and the firm's credit ratings. Before that, she spent 12 years in Investment Banking and Debt Capital Markets advising Industrials and Basic Materials clients.
Sybil received a BA from Columbia University, an MBA from Columbia Business School and an MA from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.