Introducing Cohort Four of the C-Suite Circle with Novus Global

14 Senior Executives Prepare Business Continuity Plans for Professional Sports Organizations in Crisis

AUSTIN, TX - September 9, 2026 – Pro Sports Assembly ("PRO"), the industry association for professional sports organizations and business leaders, introduces 14 leaders selected for the fourth cohort of the C-Suite Circle with Novus Global.

The C-Suite Circle with Novus Global is an immersive leadership experience for senior executives on track to become a team President, CEO or Commissioner. Each cohort is comprised of leaders from a cross-section of disciplines, geographies and perspectives. The Cohort provides space for top leaders to work through the challenges that come with the move from success to significance, building trust through shared insights and mutual respect. Those who complete the experience join a fraternity of PRO leaders who share camaraderie, accountability, and are united in stewarding the industry forward. In 2025, 913 PRO members engaged in Learning & Leadership Development across 10 cohorts. Nine of the twelve who completed the first C-Suite Circle cohort have been promoted. Four into the top seat.

The cohort meets in-person and virtually with team, league, and union chief executives as well as Novus Global coaches who guide the Cohort using the Meta Performance™ methodology in the group setting and one-on-one.

The Cohort experience culminates with a Capstone Competition on November 10 in Washington D.C. The teams will present a Continuity Plan for a professional sports organization in crisis. Each year, two continuity plans are produced and made available to PRO members responsible for mitigating and leading through crisis, from assigning leadership roles to communications strategies, financial implications and disaster recovery. The 2026 competition takes place at the PRO Leadership Summit | The Challenges of Global Business: Civility, Crisis, Careers hosted by the Durban Sports Business Program at Georgetown University.

2026 C-Suite Circle Cohort Four Roster:

Brittanie Boyd
Dallas Mavericks

Erin Carmichael
National Basketball Players Association

Pam Frasco
Cleveland Cavaliers/Rock Entertainment Group

Grant Freitag
Arizona Cardinals

Kathryn Garvale
Oak View Group

AJ Harris
Los Angeles Lakers

Janice Ide
Hollywood Park

Megan King
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment

Greg Krug
Navigate

Clarence Nesbitt
PLYRS UNTD

Amy Phuong
Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena

Justin Prettyman
San Francisco 49ers

Corey Ruff
Chicago Bears

James Ruth
Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Dallas Mavericks

Stacy Johns, President of the LA Sparks of the WNBA, was a member of Cohort 1. She met with Cohort 4 to tip off their experience and shared this perspective. “At this stage of your career, new high-trust and high-value relationships can be THE game changer for your next move. Whether I have moved into a new role or my PRO colleagues have, being in this alumni circle of verified and pressure-tested colleagues from across the ecosystem is empowering. Working with Novus Global alongside such great leaders only amplifies the importance and impact made by our collective commitment to leadership excellence.“

Novus Global works with executives and teams pursuing extraordinary performance. The firm coaches leaders across professional sports, Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations, and moves teams past incremental goal setting toward transformational growth.

"The drive and hunger of these leaders is exactly why we love partnering with PRO. Our vision is to elevate the world of sport to go beyond high performance—and leaders like those in the C-Suite Circle are what make that vision possible. When leaders choose growth, challenge themselves to try something new, learn from those who have gone before them, and leverage the collective wisdom around them, extraordinary things can happen. We've seen that firsthand in this group, including the remarkable number of leaders who have stepped into new opportunities and earned promotions over the past few years. That kind of growth doesn't happen by accident—it's what becomes possible when talented people refuse to stop developing." said Kristin Frade, Partner & Director of Novus Global Sport.

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About Pro Sports Assembly
Established in 2019, Pro Sports Assembly ("PRO") is the industry association for professional sports organizations and business leaders. PRO members prove the value of informed and inclusive leadership while preparing to lead the next trillion-dollar industry. The power of Pro Sports Assembly comes to life because PRO members champion the industry, profession and workforce. Collectively, PRO members set the standard for leadership excellence in professional sports. For more information on Pro Sports Assembly, please visit www.prosportsassembly.org and connect on LinkedIn.

About Novus Global
Novus Global is an executive coaching firm that helps high-performing leaders, teams, and organizations explore what they are capable of next. Working at the intersection of performance, character, and wisdom, Novus Global partners with clients to elevate thinking, action, and culture, moving beyond traditional high performance into Meta Performance™, an approach centered on continually expanding what individuals and organizations believe is possible and translating that growth into meaningful, measurable results.

Through individual coaching, team coaching, and transformational training experiences, Novus Global helps clients from Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurial teams to professional artists and athletes, strengthen ownership, alignment, trust, accountability, and bold thinking while pursuing ambitious organizational outcomes. Its work spans corporate, nonprofit, entertainment and professional sports organizations, with clients including Netflix, Rockefeller Group, DENSO, LAFC, and more.

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