SIGA AMERICA names new Advisory Board to strengthen sport integrity across North America

As North America prepares to take center stage in global sports, the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has unveiled a new Advisory Board for SIGA AMERICA, launching a fresh mandate for 2025–2027. The announcement signals a renewed push to confront some of the region’s most urgent and complex integrity challenges, including good governance, sports betting integrity, and youth protection.

The new board is made up of senior leaders from across the sports, legal, business, media, and social impact worlds. Each member brings extensive experience and deep sector knowledge, with the goal of advancing SIGA AMERICA’s mission and driving systemic reform through cross-sector collaboration.

James Parker, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Boston Celtics, and Sandra Lopez, CEO and Founder of AMBI Ventures, will serve as Co-Chairs.

SIGA AMERICA starts new era

“This new Advisory Board is not a mere formality. It is a catalyst. A force that will help us to drive SIGA AMERICA into a new era of purpose, progress, and impact,” said Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA and Global CEO of SIGA.

“With such a dynamic, diverse, and deeply experienced group of leaders, united by a shared mission, we are laying the foundation for something bigger than any one organization: a culture of integrity that safeguards the future of sport.”

Macedo de Medeiros emphasized the timing of this new initiative. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, he said, the region has a critical opportunity to show that the values behind the games matter just as much as the competitions themselves.

“The challenges facing sport in North America are real. The stakes are high. The world’s eyes are on North America,” he said. “We have a choice. We can stand by and watch. Or we can step up, lead with conviction, and ensure that sport’s extraordinary growth and popularity are matched by an unwavering commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability.”

A gender-balanced, expert Advisory Board

The Advisory Board is gender-balanced and aligned with SIGA’s core values around diversity and inclusion. Members include top executives and professionals from organizations such as Major League Soccer, the NCAA, PeacePlayers International, Wasserman, and Bay FC.

Co-chair Sandra Lopez spoke to the broader social mission behind SIGA’s work.

“I joined Sport Integrity Global Alliance because every child who dreams of greatness — regardless of whether they’re a girl from an underserved community, or a boy without financial advantages, or a child with a disability — deserves the chance to see that dream become reality and be valued for their extraordinary efforts,” Lopez said. “Everything we do must be anchored in uncompromising ethics, because when we protect the integrity of sports, we protect the hopes and futures of dreamers everywhere. And SIGA embodies this belief.”

This newspaper is proud to serve as an official media partner of SIGA and to support its commitment to building a stronger, more ethical future for global sport.

New Advisory Board

Full list of members of the new Advisory Board

Carla Giovanettti Dodds – Chief Marketing Officer, Aarons Co

Dan Mannix – Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Underdog

Doug Burns – Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, Major League Soccer

Keith Jones – President & CEO, Soult Touchin Experiences

Kellen Benjamin – EVP, Talent Partnerships and Marketing, Wasserman

Lynn Casey – Founder, Shine Shout, Inc.

Mark Hicks – Managing Director of Enforcement, NCAA

Michelle Lenihan – Deputy Commissioner - Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management, State of Maine

Richard Weber – Co-Chair, Financial Crimes Compliance, Winston & Strawn LLP; Former Chief, IRS - Criminal Investigation

Sally Nnamani – Chief Partnerships & External Officer, PeacePlayers International

Vanessa Taveras – Chief Partnerships Officer, Athletes Unlimited

Yvette Casares Willis – Senior Director of Partnerships, Bay FC

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