VP, PRODUCT & OPERATIONS

I handle all things product and ops at Sideline, but the best part of my job is Guinea Pig Extraordinaire, being the first to see and test.

Sideline was my first job out of college, after I convinced Steve that this was a good idea. I took a detour along the way and gained experience working for Simon & Schuster in Business Operations.

In my non-Sideline time, I'm with Nick and George, I should probably stop watching New Girl on repeat, and I love checking things off of any list - doesn't even have to be my list.

VP, SALES & MARKETING

Hi there! I’m Melyssa, and I lead the sales team here at Sideline Sports. I’m originally from the DC area, and went to school in Providence, where I juggled three jobs and still managed to graduate with honors—quite the win, especially after my high school guidance counselor told my mom, “College isn’t for her.” Safe to say, exceeding exceptions is one of my specialties!

These days, I call Charleston, SC home, where I live with my adventure-loving family: my kayak-fishing husband, my cross country, lacrosse-playing son, and my animal-obsessed daughter – who also plays lacrosse. Our weekends are a mix of sports tournaments, beach fishing, and cozy evenings around the fire pit. I’ve traveled as far as Australia (amazing!), and next on my bucket list is the Amalfi Coast. My hobby of choice is now houseplants and I’m proud to say, most of them are still thriving!

LEAD DEVELOPER

I've been with Sideline since 2015. I started out wearing all the tech and design hats—think the peddler in _Caps for Sale_—but over the years I've happily passed most of them off. Nowadays I split my time between coding and overseeing projects at all stages of the project lifecycle. If something is late, it's usually my fault.

Before Sideline, I studied Greek and Latin late antiquity in grad school. After a few years, I was surprised to find that the job prospects for experts in Pseudo-Dionysius weren't great. I left grad school and turned my hobby (software development) into a career.

Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and reading fantasy. I also have a second full time job where I handle operations, training, and logistics for my four year old son.

DEVELOPER

Hello! I’m James, one of the programmers at Sideline Sports. I spend most of my time working on new features and new products. Before Sideline, I worked at several NYC companies and also decided for incomprehensible reasons to get a master’s degree in philosophy.

In my spare time, I read enormous amounts of fantasy and science fiction, and enjoy electric skateboarding.

UX DESIGNER

I never thought nerding out on sports was possible until I joined Sideline in 2019. They've been kind enough to let me flex my UX chops as a side hustle, and it has been a dream!

You might be asking, "what is UX"? My focus is providing users simple and thoughtful experiences. Aside from my Carolina snapback, I try to wear many hats too. I contribute to product strategies, work on the occasional marketing stuff, and turn any pipe dream design ideas into reality.

When I'm not designing or cheering for the Gamecocks, I'm playing my guitar, singing about daydreams of chasing the sun in Hawaii with my wife and two dogs.

MARKETING

I have been with Sideline since August 2021 providing marketing support. I owned a photography business for several years and still pick up my camera from time to time for fun. My favorite genre was fantasy composites, so clearly I love creating in Photoshop and making magic happen.

When I’m not working, I’m living my best life as a taxi service and carpool connoisseur for my 13 year old daughter and 10 year old son. I am a soccer mom extraordinaire. When we aren’t on the road for sports, one of our favorite family game night options is, “Kids Against Maturity.” It leads to a whole lot of laughter and I highly recommend it! I am a Harry Potter fanatic and if there is an HP marathon on, you can be sure I won’t accomplish anything except sitting on the couch and watching them back to back! Hogwarts for life!

PRODUCT & OPERATIONS

What started as a side gig, because of my love for sport, has now become nearly a decade of growth with the Sideline team. I began in backend game management and now support our Product and Operations channels.

Born in Buffalo, but raised in Columbus, my heart is for the Bills and Buckeyes. And golf. I married my college sweetheart and we are raising three kids to follow in their father's footsteps… Go Bills and Go Bucks!

PRESIDENT

I have the pleasure of working with two of our daughters, and an extraordinary staff, here at Sideline. What began as a bid to keep my daughters and wife engaged on a five-stadium, eight-day baseball trip, has turned into an enterprise we never could have imagined.

By trade, I’m a journalist, writer and columnist, having co-founded a Washington, DC-based publishing company that lives on today. While there, I helped create a dozen publications, among them Inside the White House, Inside EPA and Inside the Pentagon.

My deepest passions revolve around family and education. Our family tree begins with my remarkable wife, and extends to our three daughters, their husbands, and five energetic grandchildren who, each day, remind us to embrace all that life has to offer. My love of education began when our daughters entered elementary school – and the subsequent 12 years, working as a full-time volunteer, remain among my most rewarding and memorable days.

Above all, I love to create – games, challenges, solutions and prose. I seek to learn from those whose beliefs are different than mine and, above all, I strive to love and support my family and friends. We are, after all, on this journey together, let’s find a way to support one another.