College Sports Information Directors of America

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This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CoSIDA membership during the celebration of CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week for 2020-21. See more features at CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID.


Jessica Paré – Alabama, Associate Athletics Director, Communications
by Barb Kowal – CoSIDA Director of Professional Development and External Affairs

“I’ve wanted to be more involved in CoSIDA, so I was thrilled when approached about serving on the Division I Cabinet. Its formation was timely given all that has happened in our profession during the pandemic. We’ve had some great conversations thus far. We are all eager to get to work and be a direct line of communication to our respective conferences and institutions.”
- Jessica Paré, Alabama Senior Associate AD

Working in athletic communications the last 12 years at the University of Alabama, Jessica Paré currently serves as Senior Associate AD, Communications, a position she has held since December 2019. Paré’s career path began in New England and she is now proud to call herself a Southern professional.

Read more about Paré’s professional path, her advice for young professionals, her work on CoSIDA’s Division I Cabinet, building a strong work culture, and much more. (Editor’s note: Kudos to Jessica, who took time to answer these questions fresh off working at the College Football Playoffs championship game and being part of the Crimson’s Tide national championship run - again.)
 

In a Tweet-length of 280 characters or less, tell us who you are and how you got to where you are today.
JP: I'm a native New Englander, who has called the South home since my postgraduate career began in 2006. UConn raised me, and Georgia, the WBCA and Alabama have crafted me into what I am today, professionally. I love my family and friends, my rescue pups, my job and my sneakers!

With your senior leadership role in the Alabama athletics department, what are some of the responsibilities and strategic communications efforts that you are directly responsible for?
JP: My role has many different facets here at Alabama. From the communications side, I assist in organizing and scheduling media requests for our director of athletics, oversee the athletics communications office as well as the budget and assist with departmental projects and messaging. This season, I have returned to part of my former role as women’s basketball SID. Additionally, I serve as a member of the department’s executive staff, the Team for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (T.I.D.E.) and am sport administrator for men’s and women’s tennis.
 

What are the essentials of building a strong culture within an athletic communications department, and what characteristics of SIDs are important to you as you build your team?
JP: Teamwork, especially this year, has been so important. We spend an incredible amount of time together, so it is critical to have a group that works well together and has each other’s back. I cannot say enough about our staff this year at Alabama. We’ve all stepped up and helped each other out, whether it be with something in the office or staffing events. I know this should be a given, but having good communication and open dialogue are really important to our operation. I want our staff to share their opinions and feel comfortable bringing ideas to the table. It’s not my department, it’s our department, and we all need to be functioning together for it to be a successful operation.

You studied at the University of Connecticut and then gravitated South for the last 14-plus years, with three different positions. What did you take from each one of your stops along the way?
JP: I grew up in Milford, New Hampshire. My grandfather had season tickets to all of the Boston pro sports teams and going to Celtics games as a kid was my absolute favorite. That’s where my love for basketball began. I was also an avid horseback rider which allowed me to travel all over the country for competitions. I fell in love with the South, so I knew I’d end up down here eventually.

My heart was dead set on attending UConn, so I did that. Working summer camps, I crossed paths with Sarah Darras, now the assistant AD for women’s basketball administration. If not for her and the day she introduced me to Randy Press (my then SID boss), I’m not sure what I’d be doing today. They both saw in me what I didn’t know was there and provided me incredible opportunities as a student.

From there, I spent a year at Georgia learning under the legendary Claude Felton. Having worked at the pinnacle of basketball during my time at UConn, it was amazing to experience and learn what SEC football was like. I also was the media coordinator at the NCAA tennis championship which we hosted in Athens. My first run with anything with tennis, and now I’m a tennis sport administrator. Funny how things can come full circle!

The opportunity at the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association provided me a little more balance with work and free time, which is what I thought I wanted. While I enjoyed my experience, I realized I really wanted to be back on campus.

Enter Alabama. I don’t even know where to start on the list of things I’ve learned since being here. I arrived on campus as a 23-year-old, entry-level assistant director and to be where I am now is still pretty incredible to me. The best part is I’m still constantly learning. That is one of the best things about what we do. There’s never a dull moment or a dull day.
 

Let’s backtrack a bit - what did your 15 year-old self imagine you’d be doing right now?
JP: I had big plans to be a pathologist. While I was in high school, I was all about the biotechnology classes and did multiple internships at the hospital where my grandmother worked. When I went to college that quickly changed after Chemistry 101. We did not get along, and I knew at that point I had to figure something else out!

You’ve put a premium on attending leadership training and education. Examples: A master’s degree; attending the Sport Management Institute Executive Program; the NACWAA (now Women Leaders) Institute for Administrative Advancement; the CoSIDA SIDEARM Sports Leadership Forum. What would you tell people, who might be hesitant, or lack the confidence, to pursue such opportunities at an early stage of their career?
JP: I cannot say enough about the educational opportunities that I’ve been fortunate enough to take part in. Each organization does something a little different, and whether it’s new ideas, networking or a refresh, and there is something to take away from each. The Sport Management Institute Executive Program is the first one that I did, and my former boss, Doug Walker, suggested it to me. From there, I looked for different opportunities each year to better myself. I would highly recommend that people take a look at the ones I’ve been part of - or whatever else may appeal to you - because they are so beneficial.

You are on the newly-formed CoSIDA Division I Cabinet – what are your initial reactions to serving and what are some of the pressing initiatives for Division I athletic communicators?
JP: I’ve wanted to be more involved in CoSIDA, so I was thrilled when approached about serving on the Division I Cabinet. Its formation was timely given all that has happened in our profession during the pandemic. We’ve had some great conversations thus far. We are all eager to get to work and be a direct line of communication to our respective conferences and institutions.
 

You are one of the very few head female SIDs at a NCAA Division I school, particularly at the Power 5 level. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way, and how best to create more opportunities for females and ethnic minorities in college sports?
JP: I get this question a lot, and frankly, I’ve not had many challenges because of my gender. I realize that is certainly not the case for others. However, so many men have lifted me up along the way and helped me to get to where I am today, and I’m forever grateful. While I may be the first woman in my position at Alabama, I hopefully won’t be the last now. We’ve had so many females and minorities come through our doors as students to work and learn, and I’m so proud of the group of young professionals that we’ve helped develop to go on and secure positions at institutions around the country.

Outside of your Crimson Tide responsibilities, what would we find Jessica doing with her time?
JP: Before or after work, you can usually find me at 9Round. I love kickboxing. It’s a great workout and stress reliever. When I’m able to get some time away, I try to travel back to New Hampshire or Florida to visit my family, which unfortunately I haven’t been able to do in over a year. Also, I have three rescue pups -crazy I know - so they keep me pretty busy at the house.