Black-and-white portrait of Leslie Mullins, women’s sports brand, product and retail strategist

/hello

I believe Women’s Sports is one of the greatest brand-building opportunities of our generation.

I help teams, leagues, players, and brands turn that opportunity into enduring brand growth, cultural relevance, stronger fan experiences, and commercial value through integrated brand strategy, product development, retail, e-commerce, partnerships, and community.

Across Nike, Apple, Athleta, the WNBA, NFL, and MLS, I’ve spent more than 20 years leading teams and building brands at the intersection of sport, culture, retail, innovation, and consumer experience.

Today, my work is increasingly focused on women’s sports, helping organizations translate rapidly growing audiences into deeper fan connection, stronger brand affinity, new partnership value, and sustainable revenue.

I believe the strongest sports brands are built when the entire fan ecosystem works together. Brand. Players. Product. Partnerships. Community. Digital. Game experience. Retail.

That means looking beyond any single channel and building integrated strategies that connect how a brand shows up with how fans experience, participate in, and ultimately invest in it.

Women’s sports is growing. The opportunity is to build the brands, experiences, and businesses that can grow with it.

Let’s build what comes next.

/How I Help

Brand & Growth Strategy

Building integrated brand and growth strategies that connect positioning, audience development, fan acquisition, ticketing, partnerships, community, marketplace opportunity, and go-to-market planning. I help teams, leagues, players, and brands align these growth levers to expand reach, deepen fan engagement, strengthen cultural relevance, and translate growing audiences into long-term brand and commercial value.

Retail & Product Assortment Strategy

Creating integrated retail and product strategies around how fans actually want to show up, express affinity, and shop. From fan insights, product development, consumer-right assortment planning, and collaborations to merchandising, in-arena retail, and digital commerce, I help build the full purchase journey before, during, and after game day with products that reflect fan style, strengthen brand identity, and drive cultural relevance and commercial growth.

Fan & Player Experience

Creating fan and player experiences that build both brand equity and business growth. I connect player storytelling, product, game-day experience, content, and cultural moments to deepen fan affinity, elevate player and team relevance, and create stronger emotional and commercial connections across the fan journey.

Partnership & Community

Building strategic partnerships and community plans from sell-in through activation. I help shape partner opportunities, integrated storytelling, community programs, Partnership Playbooks, and operational roadmaps that connect brand objectives with fan and community value, ensuring partnerships are not only compelling on paper but executable across teams, channels, and the full fan experience.

Physical & Digital Commerce

Building and optimizing physical and e-commerce experiences that connect brand storytelling, product, and performance across the digital fan journey. With deep Shopify expertise, I support site strategy and development, UX, product merchandising, content, campaign launches, SEO/SEM, CRM, conversion, and ongoing optimization to create digital storefronts that strengthen the brand, make discovery and shopping easier, and drive measurable commercial growth.

Career

Portfolio.

WNBA Atlanta Dream / Mar 2025 - Present

Brand Experience Strategist

Next Adventure / Aug 2024 - Mar 2025

CMO & Head of E-Commerce

Next Adventure Sporting Goods Primary Logo Mark. The logo features stylized PNW mountain peaks and a large pine tree in the center. The design is enclosed in a shield shape with the words 'PDX ORE' at the bottom.

Athleta / Gap Inc. / Jun 2022 - Sep 2023

Marketing / Brand Experience Sr. Director

lm studios / Jan 2019 - Jun 2022

Brand & CX Strategist

Apple / Sep 2016 - Nov 2018

World Wide MarCom /3D&VM Managing Design Director

Nike / Dec 2002 - Sep 2016

Global Brand Marketing /Retail Brand Marketing Sr. Director

Apple / Apr 2002 - Dec 2002

World Wide Brand Design /Senior Manager

Esprit / Feb 2000 - Apr 2002

Vice President /Creative Services

Esprit de Corps Primary Logo Mark.  The image shows a black background with three horizontal gray bars and some white objects, possibly part of a technical or graphical display.

“To say that she ‘raised the bar’ would be quite the understatement. She has a rare combination of conceptual, strategic, and executional acumen.”

Felix del Toro

“Rare ability to immerse herself into any business —for future growth.”

Morgan Shaw Parker

“A natural visionary —Leslie is a thoughtful, creative, and compassionate leader.”

Mary Anne LeCour

“An optimistic partner who focuses on the end in mind and bringing every team member on the journey there.”

Ebru Ercon

“A brilliant strategist —a strong asset to any company looking for an innovative, growth-oriented leader.”

Merryn Roberts-Huntley