NWSL Washington Spirit

Washington Spirit Names Theresa McDonnell Chief Operating Officer

Published on August 23, 2023 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


Washington, D.C. - The Washington Spirit has appointed Theresa McDonnell as the organization's first Chief Operating Officer. McDonnell will focus on bringing the club's vision to life through operational excellence, strategy and driving business results.

"Theresa is the perfect addition to help lead us operationally and strategically as we build the Spirit into one of the best sports franchises in the world," said Spirit Owner Michele Kang. "She is passionate about supporting female athletes and her extensive business experience and expertise will be an asset as continue to grow and professionalize the club."

McDonnell first joined the Spirit in July 2022 in an advisory role during which time she flexed to different roles supporting the business operations team. Most recently she served as VP of Marketing and Communications. In her time with the club, McDonnell helped secure major sponsorship renewals, achieved record-breaking merchandise sales, and led the creative process for the club's first ever brand advertising campaign.

"I am here for Michele's vision to build the most preeminent sports organization in the world with a high-performance culture of winning on and off the pitch," said McDonnell. "We are going to revolutionize women's sports - training women as women and showing young girls everywhere that they can have viable careers in sports."

Prior to her move to the NWSL, McDonnell served in various roles at Unilever for nearly a decade. Most recently as the Global Brand Director for the company's iconic Dove beauty bar which reached the highest bar share ever in the U.S. at Target and at Walmart under her leadership. Also at Unilever, McDonnell launched U-Studio North America, an in-house content studio creating best-in-class mobile-first content for brand .coms, e-commerce, social media, and digital advertising.

Additionally, McDonnell has extensive communications experience, holding executive positions at renowned public relations companies including Edelman where she spearheaded communication strategy and execution for the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, one of the most celebrated marketing campaigns in history.

The Spirit's next home match will be on Sunday, August 27 when the team takes on defending NWSL champion Portland Thorns FC. The club announced earlier this offseason that all 14 home matches will be played for the first time at Audi Field in Buzzard Point, ensuring players and fans alike access to a facility befitting a professional club. Single game tickets to each of the Spirit's four remaining 2023 regular season home matches are on sale here. Fans can also sign up now to secure tickets to all 2024 home matches with a season membership. Available here, the season membership grants fans access to priority seating, invitations to dedicated events throughout the season and more.

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