Adjuncts
Jason Cohen
General Counsel at Dallas Cowboys
Jason Cohen is in his 12th season as General Counsel of the Dallas Cowboys. He also serves as General Counsel for the Jones Family and its businesses including Real Estate, Oil & Gas, and other Investments. Jason manages litigation and Intellectual Property and serves as a primary liaison to the NFL on governance and other Club matters. He helps oversee the risk management and insurance departments as well as security. Jason has previously served as legal counsel to NASCAR, Women’s Pro Soccer, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Oakland Raiders. Jason graduated from Brandeis University and Rutgers Law School. While in law school Jason clerked for Justice Virginia Long of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Following undergrad, Jason spent a year living in Zambia, Africa volunteering with Right To Play working with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Jason is licensed to practice law in Texas, New York, and New Jersey. In his free time, Jason is an adjunct lecturer at 51°µÍø in sports law and ethics and sits on the Baylor, Scott & White Hospital Sammons Cancer Center Board of Advisors. Jason lives in Dallas with his wife and two children and is still searching for good deli and bagels in Texas. jcohen@smu.edu
Peter Davis
Principal Advisor at Advisory 110
Peter Davis is a highly experienced and accomplished marketing leader specializing in the development and growth of strategic corporate partnerships in the sports and entertainment space. He is currently the Principal Advisor at Advisory 110, an independent consultancy and an adjunct professor at 51°µÍø where he instructs Case Studies in Sports Sponsorship. Previously he served as Executive Director of 24 Foundation where he led a premier set of events that integrates community cancer fundraising and bicycling to engage communities in support of cancer survivorship and navigation programs. Before this, Mr. Davis served as Senior Director of Sports Alliances at BDA from 2012 to 2015. BDA is the nation's premier Merchandise Agency serving the Fortune 1000 worldwide and every major US sports league and team. davisp@smu.edu
Christian Dennie
Chairman/President at Leadoff Project
Dennie has served as a adjunct lecturer for the 51°µÍø Sport Management since 2014, teaching Sports Law and Case Studies in Sports Law. Christian Dennie, received his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He is a member of various professional and academic organizations including AAA National Sports Advisory Committee, SHSU Lettermen's Association, Tarrant Country Bar Association, and Sports Lawyer's Association. He contributes his time to the Leadoff Project, Inc. as Chairman and President in addition to volunteering for the Fellowship United Methodist Church Snack Sack and Building Committee. Dennie has been recognized among several publications in DFW, including Texas Monthly and Law Politics Magazine noted as Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star, Top Attorney, Fort Worth, Texas, Magazine, 2012-2022, and Best Sports Law Attorney by Corp Today Magazine, 2022. cdennie@smu.edu
Mary O'Connor
Chief Marketing Officer at The Parvin Group
Mary B. O’Connor is an internationally recognized leader with 20+ years of sports and entertainment marketing experience across the client, agency, and sports property sides of the business. Mary currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer of The Parvin Group (TPG), the parent company of Parvin Law Group, Parvin Properties, and White Rhino Coffee. In addition, she is the Founder and President of O’Connor & Advisors, LLC, a business consultancy focused on delivering fully integrated strategic solutions for established brands and startups. In an effort to give back, and change the landscape of elite youth sports, she and two partners have also created a revolutionary sports education startup that is slated to launch publicly in 2023-24. mboconnor@smu.edu
Scott Sonju
President at Neltex Sports
Scott Sonju is the President of Neltex Sports, a growing company that owns, develops and operates various sports and entertainment related properties. In addition, Scott serves as President of the Dallas Jackals, an expansion team of Major League Rugby, co-owned by Neltex and the Texas Rangers. In February 2018, Scott facilitated an historic partnership with the China Baseball Association whereby the Chinese National Baseball team become the roster of the Texas AirHogs, one of the independent professional baseball teams owned by Neltex Sports. This is the first time that a National Team has played a season as part of any professional league in the United States. Scott Sonju speaking Prior to Neltex Sports, Scott served as President, General Manager, and co-Owner of the Frisco RoughRiders (Double A – Texas Rangers), one of the most successful operations in minor league baseball history. The RoughRiders were named league “Organization of the Year” in 2005 and 2010 and in 2007 received Baseball America’s top accolade, the Bob Freitas Award. During Scott’s tenure, the RoughRiders led all 30 Double-A teams in attendance for 11 consecutive seasons. ssonju@smu.edu
Brian Rogers
Sports Event Operations Manager
Since 2014, Brian Rogers has been on the faculty of 51°µÍø as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Applied Physiology and Sport Management. Rogers currently teaches the Sports Facilities and Event Management course on both the Bachelors and Masters levels. He has also taught the Contemporary Issues course and has been a guest lecturer in several other classes, teaching on a variety of sports facilities and event management topics. Rogers obtained his Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from The University of Texas at Arlington in 1987. Since obtaining his master’s degree in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy in 2011, Rogers has worked at all of the major sports venues in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex including AT&T Stadium, American Airlines Center, Toyota Stadium and Globe Life Park, as well as other minor league, college and high school venues and the Circuit of the Americas venue in Austin, Texas. Rogers has worked in various positions in guest services, security and ticketing as a team member, supervisor and manager. Additionally, Rogers works for a youth soccer tournament company as Director of Operations, setting up tournaments at soccer parks across Texas and the United States. blrogers@smu.edu.
Jonathan Wood
Regional Vice President of Strategic Development, Owner & CEO of EventMode Strategies
J.D. Wood is a sports management expert with over 15 years of experience managing facilities and events. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University, he went on to work for some of the top organizations in the sports tourism industry, including the City of College Station, Dallas CVB, National Senior Games, and his alma mater Texas A&M University. He also served as the Director of Business Development and Events for the Dallas Sports Commission. J.D. is now using all the industry knowledge that he has gained through his impressive career to help The Sports Facilities Companies improve communities all over the country as the Regional Vice President of Strategic Development as well as operating his own event management and consulting firm, EventMode Strategies. In his role with The Sports Facilities Companies, J.D. is responsible for developing and executing business planning strategies that will allow SFC to identify and take advantage of opportunities for growth in new markets. Through his experience and guidance, cities better understand the process for developing transformative sports, recreation, events, and entertainment venues. As Owner & CEO of EventMode Strategies, J.D has had the opportunity to support and participate in the execution of some of the largest events in the world such as CONCACAF Gold Cup & Nations League, NCAA Women's Final Four, College Football Playoffs, CONMEBOL Copa America, and the future 2026 FIFA World Cup. jdwood@smu.edu