Women in Sports Night Panel - presented by Nichols College

Meet the panelists:

Breanna Marcyoniak

Breanna Marcyoniak serves as the Associate Athletic Director of Facilities Programming and Management, Head Softball Coach and Senior Woman Administrator within the athletics department. In addition to her athletic department work, she serves as an academic success coach within the Center for Student Success and is an adjunct professor. She received her Bachelor’s Degree of Science from UMass Dartmouth and earned her Master’s Degree in Sports Management and Athletic Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

Email: marcyoniakb@elms.edu

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/breanna-marcyoniak-3a7862b7 

Shannon Chiras

Born and raised in Bedford, New Hampshire, I am a proud graduate of Boston University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations in 2023 and a Master of Science in Management in 2024. My passion for sports was evident throughout my time at BU, where I had the privilege of working with the Men’s Ice Hockey team. This experience included being part of the team during their remarkable journeys to the Frozen Four in both 2023 and 2024, as well as celebrating a 2022 Beanpot victory and the 2023 Hockey East regular season and tournament championships. Since November 2024, I have been contributing to the world of professional hockey at the American Hockey League (AHL) league office in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Contact Info:  schiras@theahl.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonchiras/ 

Heather Palmer

 Senior Major Gift Officer at the USGA

 Heather has worked in sports for 26 years, 21 in college athletics and the last five with the United States Golf Association (USGA). Jobs have included tickets sales, athletic communications, media relations, alumni relations, stewardship, annual fund, major gifts, and development strategy. 

Heather started working in the UMass ticket office while a student -athlete and quickly fell in love with the environment and energy of being a part of administration. Her career brought her to Davidson College, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, College of the Holy Cross and back to UMass.

In 2020, she was recruited by one of her mentors to help launch the USGA Foundation and has been playing an integral role at the organization since.

Heather earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from UMass and a master’s degree in management and operations from Harvard. She received a certificate from Tuck Executed Education at Dartmouth though the WISE Women’s Executive Leadership Program. 

 linkedin.com/in/heather-palmer-5a2b29a

Karrah Ellis

Franklin HS Athletic Director

I am in my 19th year as an athletic administrator.  My undergraduate degree is in Communications and my Masters Degree is in Secondary Education.  I began my career as an English teacher and field hockey and basketball coach at Grafton High School.I transitioned to the role of AD in 2007.I served as an AD at both Algonquin Regional High School and Tantasqua Regional High School.  I currently serve as the Director of Athletics for Franklin High School, a school of about 1600 students.  I have served in various leadership roles through my years as an AD:  past president of MSSADA Massachusetts Secondary Schools Athletic Directors' Association, past president of CMADA (Central Mass Athletic Directors Association)  I have served on various MIAA committees (Rugby and Gymnastics) Currently I serve on two MIAA committees: the MIAA State Hockey Commiteee and the MIAA Eligibility Review Board.Currently I am a member of the National Faculty for NIAAA (National Interscholastic athletic Administrators Association) and I teach a course yearly at the National Athletic Directors Conference.  I am.also course chairperson (author) for LTC 724 which is a course on stress management for athletic directors.  For the MSSADA organization I currently serve as the MA State LTC Coordinator which means I am in charge of professional development for all athletic directors in the state. I have been fortunate to be recognized by my peers on several occasions earning state awards:  MSSADA  State Athletic Director of the Year 2012-2013, NIAAA State Award of Merit recipient 2016, MSSADA Professional Development Award 2021, MSSADA  District 7 Athletic Director of the Year 2023-2024

Kimberly Golinski

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-golinski-32b284b7/

kimg@railershc.com

Kimberly Golinski joined the Worcester Railers as president on August 1, 2024, bringing over 15 years of leadership and Human Resources experience. Known for her strategic mindset and goal-oriented approach, Kimberly has a proven track record of aligning business objectives with actionable strategies to drive organizational success. Her expertise spans 20 years in the craft beer and automotive industries, where she honed her skills in fiscal management, resource optimization, and implementing cost-effective initiatives that enhance profitability.

Throughout her career, Kimberly has excelled in talent management, employee engagement, and fostering inclusive workplace cultures built on trust, respect, and collaboration. Her ability to empower teams and align them with the organization’s mission has consistently delivered measurable results. Integrity and accountability are the hallmarks of her leadership style, earning her the respect of colleagues, stakeholders, and community partners alike.

Natalie Noury (Welcome Message)

Natalie is a Television Sports Reporter and Host working for the PWHL, Hockey East and the Worcester Red Sox on NESN, as well as In-Arena Hosting for the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden. Natalie is originally from Manchester, New Hampshire, and pursued a degree in Communication and Sports Studies at the University of New Hampshire where she graduated in 2021. During her senior year, she moved to Duluth, MN (2021-2022) and then to Providence, RI (2022-2023) as a News and Sports Anchor/MMJ. Upon returning to New England, she began full time freelance work with the New England Sports Network and decided to leave the local television realm for regional sports network coverage. Now she has the pleasure of appearing on various platforms to talk about the Bruins, Red Sox, PWHL, and college hockey in New England. 

Contact Info:

nrnoury@gmail.com 

603-540-3682

ALLIE SILLIMAN, NICHOLS COLLEGE

Allie Silliman is a junior at Nichols College and hails from Rensselaer, NY. She’s majoring in sport management with a minor in marketing. She’s an all-conference infielder on the Bison softball team, team captain and earned academic all-district honors in 2024. She’s actively involved on campus, serving as an orientation leader, student government president for the class of 2026, active member in the Student Alumni Society, and a member of the Honors Program. She hopes to pursue a career in sports management focusing on event management and game day operations.

Event Details:

Admission is free with a game ticket. - Link for panel HERE