As Director of Partnership Activation, Heather Barone is an expert at building strategic alliances for Sacramento Republic FC. Having joined SRFC in 2021, she now oversees a team of other women and has brought the club to new heights by growing relationships with local and national companies and organizations. Barone notes, “I want to see the women on my team grow their careers and find success, too, and hope to be a mentor to them.”
“We align ourselves with partners who share our values and collaborate for the betterment of each other’s brands and Sacramento at large.” — Heather Barone, Director of Partnership Activation
Barone has a long, successful history in professional sports team management, with stops at the Sacramento Kings, San Francisco 49ers, San Jose Earthquakes, and Arizona Diamondbacks. She earned a business administration degree in sport management from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and upon graduation in 2008, she headed west to begin her career in sports.
Barone has helped Sacramento Republic FC break many of the records established in the founding of the club and has elevated interaction with fans and the community. “Through our partnerships, we want to build connections with our business and soccer communities,” she says. “We align ourselves with partners who share our values and collaborate for the betterment of each other’s brands and Sacramento at large.”
SRFC continues to be at the top of the league’s business categories, especially related to partnership support and development. Barone’s goals are to continue to build strong relationships with current partners. “Having a feeling of family with our partners is important to me, so I will always work to strengthen those bonds,” she says.
In an industry that provides unique challenges, Barone leads her team and the entire SRFC organization by calling on her teammates to bring their best selves every day. “Our greatest successes have been a result of breaking the traditions that define sports partnerships, and pushing ourselves and partners to embody the winning mentality of our community that this club reflects every day.”
