TrailRunner International Names Alden Mitchell as President of TrailRunner Sports

TrailRunner International today announced that Alden Mitchell has been named President of TrailRunner Sports, the firm’s global sports advisory business. Most recently Chief Operating Officer of Stanford Athletics, Mitchell will accelerate the growth and expansion of TrailRunner Sports, which was established to provide strategic business advisory and communications support to global sports clients spanning leagues, teams, conferences, educational institutions, ownership groups, athletes, investors, and brands.

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Since its launch in 2023, TrailRunner Sports has seen significant growth and has built a strong roster of clients across the sports industry, including major professional leagues in the United States and abroad, a diverse array of sports teams, universities, collegiate conferences, team owners, and other key individuals. TrailRunner Sports, a joint venture with global premium experiences company Legends, has advised on a broad array of strategic matters including crisis and reputation, league expansions, media rights negotiations, litigation communications, and other significant transactions. It operates as a specialized business unit of TrailRunner International with a unique sports focus, complementing the firm’s global expertise in corporate reputation, financial communications, crisis, litigation, and high-impact strategic advisory work.

Mitchell joins a strong and growing team of sports leaders at TrailRunner, including Jamie Zaninovich, who will serve as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports, partnering closely with Mitchell.

A seasoned executive, Mitchell brings years of expertise across sports, media, and technology, with a proven track record of success in sports business. She has built and led high-performing teams at blue-chip global organizations, including Uber, Discovery Communications/OWN, Viacom, and Time Warner. Most recently, Mitchell served as Chief Operating Officer of Stanford Athletics, where she oversaw capital projects, external relations, facilities and operations, finance, human resources, and revenue-generating initiatives. She was tapped to serve as Interim Athletics Director during a pivotal stretch, leading the organization through a period of competitive and commercial success while driving fundraising growth, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing financial discipline and operational performance.

Before Stanford, Mitchell led Uber’s Consumer Business Development team from 2021-2024, where she expanded and diversified the company’s portfolio of high-impact consumer initiatives. In that role, she spearheaded strategic partnerships with leading global brands, including the NFL, Live Nation, Marriott, Instacart, and others, driving new revenue streams and unlocking meaningful growth opportunities.

Earlier in her career, Mitchell served as Senior Vice President of Distribution at the Pac-12 Networks, where she developed a deep understanding of the collegiate athletics landscape. She also served as Head of Global Partnerships and Content Strategy at Crunchyroll, the global streaming platform focused on anime, driving significant subscriber growth and financial upside.

“The business of sports is more exciting, complex, and consequential than ever before,” said Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner International. “Alden is exactly the kind of leader we need to take this rapidly growing platform to the next level. Sports is now a major global asset class. Ownership is shifting, capital is pouring in, college athletics is being remade, women’s sports is accelerating, and media and technology are changing the way fans connect to the games they love. Alden has the experience, passion, and competitive drive to capitalize on these tremendous opportunities and help our clients win.”

“I am beyond excited to be joining TrailRunner Sports,” said Mitchell, who will report directly to Wilkinson. “TrailRunner has built something special, a team that understands both the business and the heartbeat of sports and is determined to go above and beyond for clients and each other. The sports landscape is evolving rapidly, and the opportunity to scale a best-in-class advisory business that delivers measurable impact for clients around the world is incredibly energizing. I can’t wait to partner with Jamie and this outstanding team and get to work.”

Zaninovich, who has helped launch TrailRunner’s sports business and brings three decades of experience across collegiate athletics and conference leadership, will focus on strategy and business development in his role as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports. He will continue to advise select clients and focus on strategic growth initiatives in partnership with Mitchell.

Since its founding in 2016, TrailRunner International has experienced strong, sustained growth, expanding its global footprint and building a diverse client portfolio across industries. The addition of Mitchell as President of TrailRunner Sports underscores the firm’s continued investment in top-tier leadership and its commitment to building a premier global sports advisory business.

For more information about TrailRunner International and TrailRunner Sports, visit www.TrailRunnerInt.com.

About TrailRunner International

TrailRunner International is a rapidly growing global strategic communications advisory firm that provides crisis communications, financial communications, litigation communications, and ongoing corporate communications support to the world’s top enterprises, institutions, and individuals. The firm has a strong and growing sports portfolio through TrailRunner Sports, providing strategic business advisory and communications support to sports clients around the world. TrailRunner International is headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth with offices in New York, Nashville, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Shanghai, and Truckee. The firm is part of Public Policy Holding Company, a leading global strategic communications provider offering a comprehensive range of advisory services in the areas of government relations, public affairs, and corporate communications. Learn more at TrailRunnerInt.com.

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