Founder

Chris Herman is the founder of Storyoftheseason.com  A 2017 graduate of Oberlin College, Chris played quarterback at Oberlin College and was involved in several organizations on campus.  While at Oberlin, Chris saw firsthand the untapped sports media, program building and fundraising opportunities in high school and college sports.  After graduating from Oberlin with a degree in Economics and Hispanic Literature, Chris worked in finance in Cleveland, Ohio before transitioning to working full time on Storyoftheseason.com in the Summer of 2018.  

Chris’ company started with a flagship product called Story of the Season, a weekly magazine, yearbook and fundraising tool for football programs.  Over the last 8 years Storyoftheseason.com has evolved into a leading sports marketing and media company serving hundreds of high school and college athletic departments across multiple sports with a range of digital media and fundraising solutions.

Chris is currently working on running a sub 3-hour marathon. Chris is originally from Niskayuna, NY and currently based in Roanoke, VA with his fiancé Emma and GSD puppy, Coco.

Director of Operations

Patrick Higgins joined Story of the Season in the summer of 2022. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design in 2022. Patrick brings experience with a FBS football program as prior to joining Story of the Season he worked as a graphic designer for the University of Connecticut Football Program.

Patrick is an avid soccer fan and player having been involved in the sport from the age of 4. In his free time, he still finds time to play as he runs his own pick-up soccer league where he is currently the two-time defending champion.

Director of Marketing

Keelyn McNamara joined the Story of the Season team in the summer of 2023. She graduated as Valedictorian from Trinity College in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Computing with a concentration in Studio Arts. Keelyn was a midfielder for the Bantams women’s lacrosse team and achieved All-American status for Strength and Conditioning.  

During her time in Hartford, she worked within Trinity’s Athletics Communications department as a graphic designer. She now resides in Boston, Massachusetts and has recently qualified for the Boston Marathon. She enjoys running, spending time at the beach and walking her english bulldogs.

Vice President of Operations

Jakob Hipolito joined the Story of the Season team in the summer of 2023 after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design from San Jose State University. His professional experience includes an internship as a graphic designer for the SJSU Football team, where he honed his design skills and gained valuable industry insights. He continues to live in his hometown of San Jose, California.

A passionate sports enthusiast, Jakob has been deeply involved in basketball from a young age, drawing inspiration from Kobe Bryant's legendary "Mamba Mentality," which he strives to embody in his own life. He also is a devoted Disney aficionado, immersing himself in its magic and creativity. Proud of his Filipino heritage, Jakob actively embraces and celebrates his cultural roots in all aspects of his life.

Senior Account Manager

Ashley Baumgard joined Story of the Season in the winter of 2024. She recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science degree in Motion Pictures Production and a minor in Art. During her time at the university, Ashley worked as a social media manager for the hockey team and as a photographer for various club sports organizations on campus. Outside of her professional pursuits, Ashley enjoys playing pickleball, tennis, and golf. She also has a passion for photography. 

Senior Account Manager

Madison Moore joined the Story of the Season team in the spring of 2024. She graduated cum laude from Binghamton University in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and minor in Spanish. Madison was a captain for the Binghamton University Division 1 Swim and Dive Team and was a member of the National College Athlete Honor Society.

During her time in Binghamton, she worked with Binghamton University’s newspaper as a graphic designer. She now resides in Long Island, New York. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outside.

Director of Sales

Aleks Keys joined Story of the Season in the summer of 2024. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing from Western Michigan University back in 2019. Aleks has valuable experience as a former Division 1 football player. Following his active playing years, he went back to his alma mater and served as an Offensive Line Graduate Assistant Coach for two years prior to joining the Story of the Season team.

Apart from his professional pursuits, Aleks finds joy in hiking, weightlifting, and attending movies and concerts. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado.

Account Executive

Alex Oswald joined Story of the Season in the summer of 2022. He graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He transitioned from being an article writer to being a sales representative at the end of 2023. In his free time he enjoys watching football, gaming and playing basketball. Alex currently resides in his hometown of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 

Account Executive

Connor O'Keefe joined Story of the Season in January 2025. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Management with a focus in Sports Marketing & Management from Indiana University Bloomington in 2020. While at Indiana University, Connor worked in the Athletic Department in different areas for the basketball and football programs within the media department. Connor is currently the Head Freshman Basketball Coach at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, Illinois, where he's also assisted at the Sophomore and Varsity levels for three years.

Connor is a sports nerd, with other hobbies that include watching college basketball, running a Fantasy Football league, and anything else that involves competition. Taking sports out of the picture, Connor loves to take his dog for walks and car rides, eat out at restaurants, and watch movies and TV shows. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Marketing Associate / Video Editor

Don joined Story of the Season in Fall 2024, bringing a creative edge honed through a year of professional development. A graduate of Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in the Philippines, Don showcased a knack for design during college by creating impactful publications. This passion for visual storytelling seamlessly transitioned into their role as a Junior Graphic  Designer in the IT consumer industry, where He specialized in social media and refined his graphic design expertise.

His love for Basketball fuels his commitment to excellence, whether capturing the spirit of the moment through design or engaging audiences with compelling narratives.

Marketing Associate

Katrina Andrews joined Story of the Season in the Fall of 2024. She studied at the University of the Philippines, College of Fine Arts, Majored in Painting. Katrina is also a national rugby player, having represented the Philippines in both 15s and 7s rugby. Her artistic background and athletic experience inspires her work with sports teams, allowing her to combine her passion for creativity and sports. Based in Quezon City, Philippines, Katrina enjoys painting, sunset surf sessions and riding her dirt bike.  

Junior Account Manager

Ryleigh Mack joined the Story of the Season team in July 2024. She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology and a minor in Digital Communication, Information, and Media. During her senior year at Rutgers, Ryleigh was a graphic design intern for the university’s athletics department.

Ryleigh developed a passion for sports during her time as a rower on her high school’s crew team that continues to influence her creative work. She currently resides in her hometown Ocean City, New Jersey. In her spare time, Ryleigh enjoys spending time at the beach, attending concerts, and traveling when possible.

Junior Account Manager

Maria Victoria "Mavie" Villa del Rey joined Story of the Season in the fall of 2024. A magna cum laude graduate of the Information and Communications Technology Academy in the Philippines, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree specializing in Multimedia Arts and Design in August 2024. Mavie’s background reflects a dynamic blend of creativity and discipline. A former student-athlete, she spent much of her youth as a competitive swimmer and also explored her passion for design through school journalism. In her free time, Mavie indulges her curiosity by watching documentaries and reading books. She also enjoys channeling her artistic side by building figurines and creating various forms of art.

Junior Account Manager

GJ Fajilan joined the Story of the Season team in the summer of 2024. A visual artist from the Philippines, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Arts from De La Salle Lipa in August 2022, where he was a nominee for the prestigious Br. Mutien Marie Wiaux Award for Top Performing Visual Artist.

During his time at De La Salle Lipa, GJ honed his creative talents as Director of Graphic Design for the Interactive Artists of Multimedia Design (2020) and later as Photography Advisor (2021). In 2023, he expanded his horizons, joining MEGA—the Philippines' first and largest homegrown fashion magazine brand—as an Editorial Multimedia Artist, where he contributed to print editorials, creative direction, and design asset creation.

Now based in Batangas City, GJ channels his artistic passions into content creation: exploring street and food photography, movie reviews, and a growing interest in beauty and makeup.

Junior Account Manager

Lisandro Irinco joined the Story of the Season team in the spring of 2024. He graduated from the University of the City of Manila, where he served as the creative director for the Association of Civil Engineering Students in 2021. The following year, he held the same role for the Junior Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers - Manila City Chapter.

In high school, he was also a campus journalist and layout artist for the school newspaper, The Torres Torch. In addition to being a graphic designer, Lisandro is a licensed civil engineer who enjoys roller skating and exercising in his spare time. He currently resides in Manila City.

Junior Account Manager

Carl Mendoza joined the Story of the Season team in the summer of 2024. He graduated from Far Eastern University Manila with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication with a concentration in Filmmaking. Carl's professional experience includes working as a multimedia artist for Kaya-Iloilo FC, one of the top soccer teams in the Philippines.

Outside of his professional pursuits, Carl enjoys watching soccer, films, reading, and playing games. He also has a passion for filmmaking and photography.

Junior Account Manager

Joe Layola joined Story of the Season in the fall of 2024. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in Advertising Arts, from the University of San Carlos in the summer of 2024. Joe brings valuable experience in graphic and publication design. From 2018 to 2020, he worked as a layout artist for his alma mater’s student news organization, Today’s Carolinian. He then moved into commercial publishing, serving as a layout artist and graphic designer for Lantawan, a Philippine-based architecture and design magazine, from 2019 to 2022.

Outside of work, Joe enjoys experimenting with culinary arts, trying new ingredients and cooking techniques. He is also a passionate volleyball fan, closely following both local and international leagues. Joe currently resides on the island of Cebu in the Philippines.

Senior Account Manager

Emma Hinkle joined the Story of the Season team in the Spring of 2025. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in May 2024. She currently resides in her home state of North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys watching horror movies, reading, and crocheting. 

Senior Account Manager

Julia Wilk originally joined Story of the Season as an intern in the spring of 2025. A graduate of Hudson Valley, she earned her Associate’s of Applied Sciences, majoring in digital media, graduating cum laude in May 2024. In high school, she was a valued member of both the volleyball and basketball teams, excelling as point guard. Outside of creative work, Julia enjoys traveling, hiking, snowboarding, and weightlifting.

Junior Account Manager

Kyle joined Story of the Season in the fall of 2025. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a degree in Computer Science. In high school, he worked as a journalist and later became a committee member for media, marketing, and logistics in several tech-focused organizations during college. He gained professional experience through internships as a Front-End Developer and a Graphic Design and Multimedia Intern, and has also freelanced for years in graphic design, video editing, UI/UX design, front-end web design, and social media management. Outside of design and technology, he enjoys working on music projects and creative writing as outlets for his creativity.

Junior Account Manager

Keisha Elpedes joined Story of the Season in the summer of 2025. She's currently studying Multimedia Arts and Design at Southville International School and Colleges, where she's building her skills in graphic design and media publishing. Back when she served as a Writing Director for her school organization, she often volunteered to teach at art workshops and wrote scripts for different events. This year, she aims to improve her photography skill and learn a new language. Keisha spends her free time reading books, watching films, and writing blogs for her book reviews

Junior Account Manager

Valentina Torres Vergara joined the Story of the Season team in July 2025. She earned her degree in Design from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. During her time at university, she spent a year on the futsal team, represented her university in a competition organized by the National Administrative Department of Statistics — where she proposed visual design solutions based on the entity’s data — and conducted her thesis research on the social and cultural impacts of soccer in Colombia.

Valentina has been passionate about sports throughout her life — a value instilled by her parents from a young age — and spent much of her youth as a competitive speed skater, an experience that continues to inspire and motivate her work. In her free time, she enjoys discovering new restaurants and attending music festivals.

Junior Account Manager

M-Jey Saturno joined Story of the Season in 2025 after graduating from the University of Cabuyao in June 2025. He is passionate about crafting compelling visuals and cohesive brand identities that resonate with audiences. His experience spans across branding, creative design, and digital media, where he has developed a sharp eye for detail and a strong sense of visual storytelling

Junior Account Manager

Austin joined the Story of the Season team in the Summer of 2025. He graduated in 2024 from De La Salle University–Dasmariñas with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, specializing in Software Engineering. From the Philippines, Austin is an active student leader who served as Head of Media for the Computer Engineering Program Council and as a Junior Officer for Publicity in the DLSUD Communication and Media Society.

Austin honed his graphic design skills during the pandemic and has since turned his creativity into a business, designing and selling his own T-shirts. A big sports fan, he proudly supports the Utah Jazz in the NBA. He is also a long-time Conan O’Brien fan and a passionate history enthusiast, often immersing himself in strategy games like Civilization, Hearts of Iron IV, and Crusader Kings III.

Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, Austin has been playing guitar for almost 12 years and enjoys blending his artistic and technical talents in all aspects of his work and hobbies.

Junior Account Manager

Jhon brings a creative touch to the team, with a love for both technology and the arts. He graduated from the University of Mindanao with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and now applies his skills to deliver quality work and fresh ideas. He’s based in his hometown of Mati City, a place known for its beautiful beach resorts. In his free time, Jhon enjoys gaming, especially roguelikes and JRPGs, and exploring new music from Vocaloid to hidden-gem indie bands. Back in high school, he trained in taekwondo, learning discipline and focus that still guide him today.

Junior Account Manager

Juander joined Story of the Season in Fall 2025. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, majoring in Digital Arts, from Far Eastern University Institute of Technology in 2020. His professional experience includes working in Gushcloud as a multimedia designer, where he created social media campaigns, decks, and event promotions—an experience that strengthened his skills as a designer.

On weekends, Juander volunteers at the Cathedral of Praise, serving as a multimedia artist with responsibilities in photography, video editing, and design.

Outside of work, he enjoys jogging, playing tennis, and basketball. He currently resides in Manila, Philippines.

Intern

Ava Birk joined story of the season in the fall of 2025. She will graduate from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelors of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications in May 2026. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, painting, and hanging out with her Australian shepherd, Winston. Ava currently resides in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. 

Junior Account Manager

I'm Jes, a new member of Story of the Season. Graduated in June 2025 with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Graphics and Design from the Cebu Technological University. Outside of creative work, I enjoy watching sports, movies, shows, and playing basketball.

Junior Account Manager

Rejanna April “Ren” Jimenez joined Story of the Season in Fall 2025. They are a soon-to-be-graduate from CIIT Arts and Technology under a Bachelor of Multimedia Arts degree with Specialization in Animation. During their time in CIIT, Ren has earned versatility in skill by taking on roles such as Director for Maalwan Dito awarded Top 9 Best Capstone (2024), Internal Comms Officer & Illustrator for Lightbox (2023) and Publishing Committee Illustrator for Pixel Hive (2023) with major roles in its first zines. They’re also a freelance artist and became a Multimedia Artist intern in Friendly Foes.

From high school to college level, they were also a campus journalist dabbling in roles such as feature writer, copywriter, science writer and illustrator for The Science Gazette, The Scribe and Obelisk - with said experiences opening them to a blooming interest in sports. They now enjoy following Filipino and international volleyball leagues the most.

Based in Manila City, Ren enjoys outdoor runs, video games, writing, learning about other cultures, and following idols and bands - as they find determination in arts and sports to be their greatest motivation.

Junior Account Manager

Nick joined the Story of the Season team in the fall of 2025. He graduated from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde in winter 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Multimedia Arts. Prior to joining the team, he worked as a freelance graphic artist, where he continued to grow his passion for creativity and design.

 In his free time, Nick enjoys playing role-playing games, binge-watching movies and TV series, and is a huge fan of the sitcom Friends. He also used to stream online and is a dedicated Miami Heat fan in the NBA.

Fractional CTO

Fractional CFO

Tom has over 25 years’ experience as a Certified Public Accountant. Tom practiced in the audit divisions of both Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young in Winston Salem serving various clients including RJR Tobacco (both domestic and international), Galey and Lord, Deere Hitachi and Unifi.  After public accounting, Tom served as CFO/Controller for various companies including New Breed, SilkRoad Technology, Interactive Achievement, Qualtrax and Surf or Sound Realty.  Collectively, Tom has spent over 15 years working with various software companies. Over the past few years, Tom has provided outsourced accounting services for companies in various industries including software, retail, fitness, property management and not for profits.

In his spare time, Tom enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf and fishing/ boating at the North Carolina coast.  Tom also has a special interest in the sport of lacrosse. He was a member of the 1986 National Championship Lacrosse team at UNC and later inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Since then, he spent many years coaching and helping to grow the sport of lacrosse in North Carolina. 

Administrative / Executive Assistant

Katyanne is a business administrator who joined the team as an Administrative / Executive Assistant. A 2019 graduate of Business Administration from Barranquilla, Colombia, she was a high-performance inline speed skater from ages 4 to 15, competing at elite levels and developing the discipline and focus that would later define her professional career. While she explored various sports throughout her childhood, inline skating remained her most significant athletic achievement.

After graduating, Katyanne worked across multiple industries, building a diverse skill set and gaining valuable experience that shaped her adaptable approach to business challenges. This varied professional background led her to pursue a Master's degree in Sports Marketing, where she strategically combines her lifelong passion for athletics with her business expertise.

Katyanne continues to pursue athletic goals and recently completed her first half marathon in Miami this year. She is currently training to run her first full marathon in 2027. A true sports enthusiast, she appreciates all sports equally and remains deeply connected to the athletic world that shaped her formative years.