Heather Vaughan

Vice President, Marketing at San Jose Sharks

Speaker

Heather Vaughan is the Vice President of Marketing for Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE), where she oversees brand marketing and activation, performance and database marketing, outreach programs (including community initiatives and mascot engagement), as well as creative and event presentation across all SSE properties - including the San Jose Sharks, SAP Center, and Sharks Ice facilities. In this role, she is instrumental in driving revenue growth while strengthening the SSE brand.

With more than 25 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry, Heather has held senior leadership roles across professional teams, leagues, and agencies. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Pac-12 Conference, where she led the conference brand, championship event development - including selling out the 2023 Football Championship Game at Allegiant Stadium - and strategic marketing initiatives that fueled revenue growth. During her tenure, she also secured rights to the Olympic rings through a partnership with the USOPC on the Olympians Made Here initiative.

Prior to the Pac-12, Heather was Senior Director of Marketing for the Sacramento Kings, where she also taught brand, design, and marketing courses at the Art Institute. Earlier in her career, she gained agency experience in PR, communications, and advertising. Her work has earned multiple PromaxBDA and Telly Awards, and she is an active member of the industry, serving on the Board of the Green Sports Alliance and BizBash Sports.

Originally from Encinitas, California (Go Padres!), Heather holds a BA from Chico State and an MA from CSU Fullerton. She is a passionate student of events, entertainment, and fan culture, always seeking new ways to create unforgettable experiences. A personal highlight of her career remains winning the 2005 WNBA Championship with the Sacramento Monarchs and receiving a championship ring!