Kristina Bayton

About Kristina Bayton

I’m a strategic partnerships and brand marketing leader with 6+ years of experience driving athlete, creator, and culture-led growth for global brands at the intersection of sport, fashion, and entertainment.Currently at PUMA, I lead global athlete partnerships across the NBA, WNBA, and NIL ecosystem—owning end-to-end go-to-market strategy, integrated campaign execution, and cross-functional alignment across brand, creative, communications, product, and legal teams. My work spans athlete-driven product launches, major cultural moments, and international markets, consistently translating partnerships into measurable brand and commercial impact.I specialize in building and scaling partnerships that connect storytelling to business outcomes—launching products, activating talent, managing budgets and deliverables, and delivering executive-ready insights that drive momentum and performance.My background across professional sports, higher education, and global consumer brands gives me a unique ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments while keeping execution sharp and culturally relevant.I’m most energized by roles focused on strategic partnerships, brand and influencer marketing, integrated go-to-market strategy, and sports & culture-led storytelling—particularly within tech, platforms, consumer brands, and agencies.

Experience

1. Sports Marketing Manager for Puma Basketball

   PUMA Group

   Jul 2022 — Present · Boston, MA, US

   Summary: Lead global partnership strategy and end to end management for a high-profile portfolio of 11 NBA, WNBA, and NIL athletes, advancing women’s basketball while aligning brand, product, and cultural storytelling to drive measurable commercial compact. Leading global partnership strategy across a high-profile portfolio of NBA, WNBA, and NIL athletes, elevating women’s basketball and turning athlete-led innovation into measurable commercial results.Owning end-to-end strategy for 11 professional athletes, aligning brand, product, and cultural storytelling opportunities directly to business objectives and growth priorities.Building scalable activation frameworks for athlete-driven footwear and apparel launches, driving 85% sell-through within four weeks across 12+ releases.Driving women’s basketball visibility across major global tentpole moments — including NBA and WNBA All-Star Weekends and international market expansions — ensuring athletes show up with cultural and commercial impact.Serving as cross-functional sports marketing lead, partnering with brand marketing, creative, communications, product, legal, and regional teams to deliver aligned, consistent execution.Managing seven-figure partnership budgets, contractual deliverables, and performance KPIs, and deliver executive-ready recaps with clear insights and optimization recommendations.Identifying white-space opportunities within the women’s sports portfolio to expand brand equity and deepen consumer engagement.

Education

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  Master's degree, Sports Management and Public Relations

• University of Maryland

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Kinesiology and Business Innovation/Entrepreneurship

• University of Maryland

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Kinesiology and Exercise Science

Skills

• Leadership
• Customer Service
• Creative Writing
• Social Media
• Management
• Sales
• Public Speaking
• Marketing
• Project Management