Building Legacy Through Sports

Image

On the heels of NBA All-Star 2025, the Bay Area prepares to host some of the world’s biggest sporting events- including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and Super Bowl LX.

With an ecosystem of support that includes powerhouses like Bay FC, the Golden State Warriors, Golden State Valkyries, San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, San Jose Earthquakes, and San Jose Sharks, BAHC is building more than just world-class events. They're creating infrastructure for community impact and workforce development while celebrating the diversity, innovation, and fandom that define the Bay Area. USF Sport Management alum Gabby Turner ’06, Vice President of Marketing and Innovation, and students, Teresa Chan ’25 and Jack Wilbur ’25 are working behind the scenes to ensure that these events leave a lasting impact beyond the games themselves.

Beyond the Game: Creating Regional Legacy

“The true value of these events lies in their ability to leave a positive and lasting economic and community legacy,” says Turner. With a professional background that spans tech, sports & entertainment, and eCommerce, Turner brings both strategic expertise and a deep understanding of the Bay Area’s diverse identity to her role. Under her leadership, BAHC is not only marketing some of the world’s largest sporting events - it’s crafting intentional, community-focused campaigns that reflect the region’s values and needs.

Inclusion at BAHC isn’t a buzzword - it’s a pillar. The female-led committee is taking on the operational requirements of hosting these mega events, while also creating meaningful ancillary programming through their legacy & impact initiatives. Some of those include workforce development programs, field renovations, community celebrations & sports clinics, and hosting engagement events like watch parties, to help foster excitement, community pride, and long-term growth for the area. These activities provide everyone, not just ticket holders to the events themselves, an opportunity to be a part of the excitement. “Our stamp is that we want to make a positive impact across the nine Bay Area counties,” Turner explains.

The committee’s efforts align with its mission to foster social responsibility. Their first-of-its-kind Bridge to Work initiative, in particular, will promote over 500 employment opportunities as a result of these sporting events. By involving local professional sports teams, many of whose presidents serve on the committee’s board, and partnering with nonprofit organizations such as America SCORES and Tipping Point, the committee has created a collaborative ecosystem and a united front to maximize collective impact. “It’s a two-way street,” Turner explains. “By working together, we ensure that every aspect of these mega-events, from game day execution to community outreach, is delivered with a shared purpose.”

This approach underscores the committee’s commitment to not only executing marquee events safely and securely but also building a legacy of transformative community impact across the Bay Area. Partnerships with Bay Area organizations lie central to accomplishing this goal. “It all starts with intention,” she adds. “We have to be really disciplined about what we want to accomplish. As much as we’d like to, we can’t work with everyone.”

Real-World Learning: Investing in Local Talent

That vision extends to talent development, too. BAHC’s internship program, led by Taylor Gilmore, Manager of Event Operations and Client Services, focuses on giving students like USF Sport Management interns Jack Wilbur and Teresa Chan the kind of access and experience that shapes careers. “We have some of the best universities in the world in the Bay,” Gilmore notes. “It’s important to show students a different avenue they might not have considered.”

Interns at BAHC aren’t just spectators- they're contributors. Wilbur, who supports venue management, internship recruitment, and transportation planning, describes his experience as a “masterclass in real-time strategic planning.” He has worked cross-functionally with marketing, government, and external affairs on tasks ranging from Super Bowl vendor coordination to researching local talent for FIFA Fan Fest events. Working on this team “requires thinking five steps ahead, adapting quickly, and making informed decisions on the fly,” he explains. Wilbur is developing technical and interpersonal skills that have solidified his interest in event operations roles combining logistics, data, and community engagement.

Chan echoes this transformational growth. “It’s different talking about the after-effects, than being in the room where everything is being brainstormed,” she reflects. “The BAHC is a team with a different caliber of professionals. The skill I’ve learned most is how to be a good human being. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have or how busy you are, there’s no excuse to not be a good person.” Her experience at BAHC also broadened her view of the sports industry: “Before this internship, I was locked into Marketing and Partnerships. Now, I care more about being surrounded by good people working towards something impactful than about which department I’m in.”

Redefining Leadership in Sports

The BAHC leadership team is notably, and powerfully, female-led. CEO Zaileen Janmohamed has curated a team that reflects excellence first—gender aside—and the results are unmistakable. Chan feels that her experiences at BAHC have been critically shaped by the women around her who understand that mentorship and support are vital to long-term success. She adds, “Whether they know it or not, every staff member has taught me to not just be grateful for a seat at the table but to know I deserve to be there. There’s power in showing up as your authentic self.”

Chan has gained a new level of confidence from her mentors at BAHC, empowering her to apply for positions that she previously believed to be out of reach. For Gilmore, she sees firsthand that women can have fulfillment both at work and at home, “This team has shown me that it’s possible to maintain a high-level career and personal life,” she says. “That balance, that trust - it starts at the top.”

The Road Ahead

As the Bay Area gears up for FIFA World Cup 2026 and Super Bowl LX, BAHC continues to model what true legacy looks like in sports: equitable access, bold partnerships, strategic inclusion, and people-first leadership. Whether it’s through workforce development, community events, or the simple act of making every resident feel like part of the host team, BAHC is living up to its mission: to unite the Bay Area through sport, build pride, and connect communities. “This team has not only made me better professionally,” Wilbur reflects, “but they’ve reminded me why sports matter, they bring people together.”

The Bay Area Host Committee is raising the bar - not just for what major events can achieve, but for how they can unite, uplift, and inspire entire communities. With every activation and every relationship, they are proving that legacy isn’t something left behind. It’s something built, together, every step of the way.