My name is Evan Williams, and I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. I am a diligent and inherently curious young professional with experience and developed skillsets in research, data synthesis and analytics, informative writing, and thinking critically to find creative solutions while operating with minimal resources. Now, I am looking to apply that skill and experience in my professional career to create long-lasting good for the communities and causes which matter most to me.
I graduated with distinction from the University of Michigan in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management, a concentration in Marketing and Management, and a minor in Real Estate Development. I had the privilege of attending one of the most renowned public universities and best Sport Management programs in the country, which allowed me to learn directly from professors with valuable professional experience, work with peers that will become future leaders of industries, and utilize the plentiful resources that our school had to offer. Between my Business Communications, Principles of Marketing, and Financial Decision-Making classes, I continuously gained invaluable skills and information while growing my professional capabilities.
During my senior year, I worked as both a Research and Teaching Assistant for Dr. Judith Grant Long, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Sports Venues and Real Estate Development at the University of Michigan. Gathering and analyzing vast amounts of data, writing extensive case studies, and working directly with Dr. Long to formulate her latest Sport Real Estate textbook was immensely valuable in honing both my organization and communication skills as well as my critical thinking regarding economic and communal impacts of development projects. This work also further reaffirmed my passion for supporting and growing the communities that are most dear to me, and I look forward to furthering informed, meaningful change as my career progresses.
Beyond the workplace or classroom, I like to seek out opportunities to get involved and utilize my interests and abilities to help organizations that I care about succeed. During college, I first looked to develop my professional skills as a 4-year member of Michigan’s Sport Business Association. The club hosted speaker events with some of the most influential leaders of the sport industry and gave us access to networking resources with alumni of the organization. Further, I joined the Creative Department of the Michigan Music Business Club in September of 2021 and assisted with the generation of graphic designs for our social media, event promotion, and apparel designs. Additionally, I served as the Historian for my fraternity's 2021 cabinet, representing the house during formal communications with the university and national oversight while holding responsibility of the judicial board. I also led the apparel design, production, and distribution for the house during that time. In my high school days, I utilized my passion for animals and volunteered at my local animal rescue by caring for dogs in the daycare center, coordinating feeding and grooming schedules, and managing front desk responsibilities.
During the summer of 2022, I worked as a Sports Activation Intern for Bensussen Deutsch & Associates. This experience enhanced my analytical and critical thinking skills, as I created master promotional schedules for use in the department's strategic planning and updated competitor analysis spreadsheets to identify opportunities for new business.
Through my education and involvement in multiple organizations, I am continuously sharpening my professional and interpersonal skillsets. I have experience as a leader, as I served as captain of my high school two-time state champion soccer team and held multiple leadership positions within my fraternity at Michigan. I also have strong collaboration skills that I greatly improved through my partnership internship with USA Gymnastics, my prior global partnership internship with Leverage Agency, and my volunteering experience at my local animal shelter. I am a driven and adaptable young professional constantly looking to gain more knowledge and experience as I build my career in the nonprofit and philanthropic industries.
