SOUTH FLORIDA SUPER BOWL XLI HOST COMMITTEE
HOST COMMITTEE STAFF BIOS
Michael Kelly
President
In his position as President of the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee, Michael Kelly serves as the region’s liaison to the NFL and holds responsibility for coordinating the area’s preparations to host Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium on February 4, 2007.
Kelly came to South Florida in June 2005 after having served as the President of the Jacksonville Super Bowl XXXIX Host Committee where he successfully led the community’s first Super Bowl effort. Immediately prior, Kelly served as the Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Before joining the USF staff, Kelly provided leadership to two of the most prominent events in Tampa Bay sports history by serving as Executive Director for the 1999 Tampa Bay Final Four Organizing Committee and as Executive Director for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl XXXV Task Force for the 2001 game at Raymond James Stadium.
Prior to his four-year stint in Tampa Bay, he was Director of Athletic Operations and Facilities Management at Wake Forest University. In addition to his daily responsibilities in Winston-Salem, Kelly served as Tournament Manager for the 1997 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships (East Region/First & Second Rounds), the 1995 NCAA Field Hockey Championships, the 1997 ACC Women’s Soccer Championships and the 1995 ACC Cross Country Championships. He also served as the primary liaison to the Italian Olympic Team for their pre-Olympic training village at Wake Forest during the summer of 1996.
He began his career in South Florida by serving as an intern for the Florida Marlins during their inaugural season (1993) and then as the Director of Communications & Special Projects for the Carquest Bowl (1994-95). Kelly received a bachelor’s degree in Politics from Wake Forest University (Magna Cum Laude) in 1992 and a master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 1994.
Ken Elder
Senior Director of Corporate Marketing
Ken Elder joins the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee as Senior Director of Corporate Marketing. He recently served as Associate Athletic Director at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Elder also served as the General Manager of the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network (1995-98) as well as the Director of Marketing for the Carquest Bowl (1994-95). He served as the Director of Marketing for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Task force working on Super Bowl XXXV. Elder is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and St. Thomas where he earned a master’s degree in Sports Management.
Nicole Epley
Director of Events/Operations
Nicole Epley comes on board as the Director of Events and Operations for the South Florida Host Committee after serving most recently as Director of Events for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville. Epley has worked on marketing, events and operations staffs at four Division I Athletic Departments: Wichita State University, Wake Forest University, the University of New Mexico and Colorado State University as well as at the conference level as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference staff in St. Louis. Her athletic background includes involvement with eight NCAA postseason basketball tournaments including the 2005 Final Four. She has also served as the Director of Special Events for the Wichita State University Alumni Association where she was a former varsity softball player and graduated with a Masters in Sport Administration.
Gary Hartfield
Director of Community Outreach
Gary Hartfield comes aboard as the Director of Community Outreach for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. He is currently an executive on-loan from Miami-Dade County where he serves as Assistant to the County Manager for Economic Development and Housing. In more than 13 years of executive experience with Miami-Dade County, Hartfield has nine years of experience in economic development. Hartfield received his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Austin Peay State University, Tennessee where he was a four-time letterman in football.
Soulan Johnson
Director of Volunteer Services
Soulan D. Johnson serves as the Director of Volunteer Services for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. She is responsible for recruiting, scheduling, training and supervising the more than 8,000 volunteers required to work Super Bowl XLI related activities. Before joining the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, Johnson worked for the Super Bowl XXXIX Host Committee in Jacksonville, Florida and for the Super Bowl XXXVI Host Committee/Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Inc. in New Orleans, Louisiana where she implemented and managed both volunteer programs. Johnson is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana where she received her bachelor of arts degree in Mass Communication from Xavier University.
Leslie Bauknight Nixon
Director of Administration
Leslie Bauknight Nixon serves as the Director of Administration for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. She joined the Host Committee team as the Community Outreach/Communications Manager working primarily with the Emerging Business program. Prior to joining the team, Nixon served as a staff attorney with the St. Thomas Human Rights Institute. Nixon is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she obtained a dual degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and Economics in 2002. In 2005, Nixon graduated cum laude from St. Thomas University School of Law where she also obtained her master’s degree in Sport Administration the same year.
Director of Communications
Donn Patchen serves as the Director of Communications for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. He is currently an executive on-loan from Miami-Dade County where he is Station Manager for Miami-Dade TV, Miami-Dade County’s government access cable TV channel. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Patchen earned a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications from Penn State University and relocated to Miami where he began his career in television production in 1986. He has been an avid sports fan his entire life and became fascinated with sports broadcasting while attending the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980 which included attending the “Miracle on Ice” game, USA vs. Russia. His 20-year career in video production has included experience as a videographer, editor, technical director, lighting director, as well as director for television stations, corporate clients and government. His career with Miami-Dade County has given him the opportunity to work major media events: The Summit of the Americas, Super Bowl XXXIII, Hurricane Andrew recovery and the Presidential Elections in 2000 and 2004.
Kathryn Rogers
Director of VIP Relations/Hospitality Services
Kathryn Rogers serves as the Director of VIP Relations and Hospitality Services for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. Rogers was part of the staff for the Super Bowl XXXV Task Force in Tampa. Most recently she spent five years as the Executive Director of the Gary Player Foundation based out of Palm Beach, Florida. Rogers has run high profile private golf events and galas around the world, co-hosted by icons such as Wayne Huizenga, Nelson Mandela and Prince Albert of Monaco and has done consulting work for the PGA of America. She worked with UNICEF and the American Embassy in the VIP Relations field prior to moving back to the United States. Rogers is originally from New England, but grew up around the world, as the child of United States Diplomats. She attended university in London and developed a passion for sports and community outreach after attending global events such as the World Cup, Ascot, Kentucky Derby, The Olympics and Tour de France.
Maria Elles Scott
Associate Director of Communications
Maria Elles Scott serves as the Associate Director of Communications for the South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee. Scott comes to the Host Committee with nine years of experience in the sports media. Scott began her career working as a sports journalist for The Tampa Tribune and Journal Register Company before joining the Super Bowl XXXV Task Force in Tampa. In 2001, she joined ESPN Original Entertainment as the Manager, Event Publicity and Community Relations. Upon her return to Florida, Scott worked for the Sony Ericsson Open as Communications Manager. She received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in Sport Administration from West Chester University. Currently, she is pursuing her doctorate with the United States Sports Academy.
South Florida Super Bowl XLI Host Committee Coordinators
Nikki Fiedler Jason Rice
