The Columbus Crew today announced five new hires within the club’s front office. In recent weeks the organization has welcomed Alex Caulfield to its ranks as Senior Director of Communications, alongside Sarah Ozello, who assumes the role of Executive Assistant to Crew President and General Manager Mark McCullers. Additionally, the sales staff welcomes Andrew Flynn as a Season Ticket Account Executive, as well as Ticket Sales Representatives Doug Holmes and Donny Lewis.
Specializing in soccer media relations, broadcast communications and digital content, Caulfield is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Crew’s Communications Department. He comes to Columbus from Los Angeles, where he was most recently Manager of PR and Communications for FOX Soccer. While with FOX Sports Media Group, Caulfield was the lead PR contact for the network’s soccer properties, including the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and CONCACAF Champions League.
Prior to his time at FOX Soccer, Caulfield was Manager of Media Relations for MLS rival D.C. United. Serving as the team’s media liaison for local, regional and national press, he was also the club’s primary content contributor for United’s digital platforms during the 2010 and 2011 MLS seasons. Additionally, Caulfield was part of the PR group that executed national media campaigns on behalf of 2011 MLS Volkswagen MVP Dwayne De Rosario and 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year Andy Najar. Caulfield began his soccer career in the Pacific Northwest, serving as Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Seattle Wolves FC of the USL Premier Development League, guiding the club to the 2009 Media Department of the Year Award. Caulfield is a Cleveland native and a graduate of Kenyon College, a liberal arts institution located in Gambier, Ohio.
Reporting directly to Crew President and General Manager Mark McCullers, Ozello draws on her diverse background in community initiatives, internal communications and strategic planning. Ozello most recently served as Task Force Director for the Center for Family Safety and Healing, where she ran a relationship abuse awareness campaign for nine Central Ohio universities, named It's Abuse. Additionally, she handled the organization’s communications efforts and served as a community advocate in the fight against family violence.
A Cleveland native, Ozello previously worked at a private residence in New Albany, providing administrative support and serving as the Family Day Coordinator for the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day, benefiting the Center for Family Safety and Healing. She is a Class II graduate of the Gen Y Leadership Project through the YWCA of Central Ohio and a graduate of Otterbein University, having earned a Bachelors Degree in Public Relations.
Originally from Bettendorf, Iowa, Flynn joins the Black & Gold sales staff from the University of Iowa, where he graduated with a dual degree in Marketing and Health and Sports Studies in May of 2012. Flynn spent five years working as Student Manager for the Hawkeyes Football Program in Iowa City.
Holmes comes to the Crew from Gallagher Sports, where he worked as a Business Development Associate on behalf of European clubs CSKA Moscow and Paris Saint Germain. A 2012 graduate of Ohio University, the Twinsburg native earned his degree in Sport Management, while also working as a Marketing Associate for the Bobcats’ Athletic Department. At Ohio University, Holmes helped develop and implement marketing initiatives that resulted in back-to-back attendance records during the 2011-2012 Men’s basketball season, generating over $10,000 in new revenue.
A recent graduate of Kent State University, Lewis earned his Bachelors Degree in Sports Administration. He comes to the Crew from the Lake Erie Monsters – the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche – where he worked as a Group Sales Intern. Lewis holds additional sports industry experience with the Philadelphia Eagles, having worked for the NFL team as a Corporate Sales Intern in 2009 and 2010, serving as the department’s primary point of contact to the team.
