College Sports Information Directors of America

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CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC

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This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CSC membership during the celebration of College Sports Communicators Membership Appreciation Week for 2022-23. See more features at CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC.


Katrina Chambers – Tennessee State University, Director of Football External Relations

by Rob Knox – Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Senior Director of Strategic Communications
CSC Past President (2018-19) // CSC Membership Recognition Committee

Katrina Chambers, a former volleyball student-athlete, has over 25 years of successful industry experience as a CEO, author, thought leader, and consultant.
 
Chambers serves as the Director of Football External Relations for Tennessee State University.  Although this is Chambers’ first dive into the arena of college sports, the skills she has acquired over the past two decades made for a natural transition. As a manager, she has effectively blended relationships on and off campus that have elevated the Tiger athletic program and more specifically, the football program that Athletic Director Dr. Mikki Allen and Head Football Coach Eddie George have been building the past two years. 
 
Chambers has immersed herself in the TSU community by creating events and programs that engage the athletes, alumni, staff, and members of the community. 
 
At every career stage, Chambers has blazed trails as she shattered barriers. A member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Chambers played volleyball at NCAA Division II Angelo State University.  She graduated in 1994 as a communications major and went on to receive her master’s degree (M.Ed.) from Liberty University in sports and fitness administration.
 
After college, her rise in the entertainment, sports, and media industries began with time spent working in major markets such as Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. Her Texas roots then called her home as the CEO of the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) Sugar Land Legends men’s semi-professional basketball team in Houston, which was the ABA League’s only all-Female African American owned team.
 
Here’s more about Chambers and her career journey.
 
 
What skills do you find valuable that have been applicable to your current role?
KC: You have to be intentional in keeping some of the personalization in our communications so we don’t create robots. We are going through some heavy things in the world and anxiety is high for a lot of us, so making a human connection is an underrated and valued skillset. You have to care about the entire person beyond job titles and job duties.
 
What advice can you give young and new content creators/athletics comms professionals as they pursue this career?
KC: Get to know people. You can’t be shy. It’s important that you communicate to others and let them know what you are doing, how to contact you, let them know who are and what your platform is. Execution matters more. I would also say to put your head down and work.
 
Anything you can do for personal development, do it. Do you what have to do. Moving all over the country was exciting and scary, but I realized that excitement was greater than the fear. Always choose faith over fear.
 
 
How has the communications profession evolved since you started your career, and what do you see as the best way to handle the challenging nature of storytelling, creating content, building brands, etc.?
KC: It all has evolved with the internet (explosion). We can tell people who we are and build who we are as individuals. We used to have to get business cards. I was at the AFCA conference recently and we were scanning QR codes for contact information. You’re able to reach alums all over the world, by live stream, virtual, Zoom. You’re able to get a lot done in short amount of time and reduce the number of meetings. In addition, this has allowed our communication to be more direct, which helps our execution and reduces the amount of potential gaps.
 
Another way to handle the challenging nature of communication is getting together at least once every other week, so we’re all same page and communicating the same and consistent messages.
 
During your career, what's been some of the highlights that you're proud of?
KC: I founded PRO-TENTIAL Management, a firm devoted to an exciting and diverse clientele made up of athletes, businesses, national speakers, events, and organizations, in 2002. PRO-TENTIAL Management represents clients who need lifestyle and/or business management. The firm is designed to unleash the potential within everyone; women and men, young and old, of all cultures and particularly in the sports and entertainment industries, to follow their dreams, to believe in themselves and by fostering confidence and skills to achieve their goals.
 
I also co-authored a book in 2008 titled “Player Hate Her: How To Avoid the Beatdown” and helped put together a class at Ohio State University that (current Tennessee State football head coach) Eddie George taught called “The Business of Professional Sports.”