Bri Ballinois Smith
Sport & Culture Strategist | Partnerships
- Role
- Sponsorship Manager at TISSOT
- Location
- Miami, FL, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Bri Ballinois Smith
I build the bridge between sports, culture, and opportunity.Currently, I work on sports partnerships at Tissot for the US and Carribean; supporting sponsorship strategy, media partnerships, and experiential activations across the NBA, WNBA, and international properties like MotoGP & Tour De France. My work spans campaign execution, partner coordination, and on-the-ground event production, helping bring global sports partnerships to life.I am deeply passionate about community — specifically creating real pathways for people to gain experience, exposure, and employment within the sports industry. Too often, access is limited to who you know, and my work is rooted in changing that. My connection to basketball has lead me to many doors and projects that helped me grow. Key projects as a consultant — • Consulted and collaborated with brands and platforms including Ksubi, McDonald’s All-American Game (McDAAG) w Lockerverse, and Chime NIL camps • Concepted and supported cultural activations, campaigns, & content that connect brands more authentically to athletes and fans as an employee for Nike, Jordan, Big Ten, & Body Armor Sports Drink • Hosted live basketball experiences including the Derrick Rose Retirement Game at Simeon, Chicago Bulls preseason game, Puma 1v1 activation, and events with Jordan Brand. At its core, Ballinois is about access — creating environments where people don’t just watch the industry, but step into it.In recognition of this work, I was selected as one of Barack Obama’s 60 Future Leaders.My work lives at the intersection of partnerships, experiential marketing, storytelling, and community building — with a long-term vision to build a global ecosystem connecting people to opportunity in sports.
Experience
Sponsorship Manager
May 2025 — Present · Miami, FL, US
Lead execution of sports partnership activations across NBA, WNBA, and MotoGP, bringing global sponsorships to life through on-site experiences and campaigns • Manage cross-functional coordination with media partners • Oversee event operations and logistics for major sporting moments, ensuring seamless execution in high-pressure environments • Support influencer and talent strategy tied to key campaigns and cultural moments • Bridge global and regional teams to align brand storytelling and partnership objectives
Education
Columbia College Chicago
Broadcast Journalism
2007 — 2008
Illinois Media School
Certificate, Broadcast Journalism
2011 — 2012
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