Jessica Gelman
CEO, Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR)
Jessica Gelman is the CEO of Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR), a technology company focused on data management, advanced analytics and strategic marketing. During a 15-year evolution that began with the Kraft Sports Group (New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, New England Revolution), Gelman built a team and technology that transformed the business through analytics and continues to power the business side of the Kraft Sports Group. KAGR was created to offer leading organizations the opportunity to collect and understand their data across all platforms, while providing the infrastructure to create their own data-driven strategies.
Since joining the Kraft Family on the business side of the sports properties in 2002, Gelman has overseen many areas for the Kraft Sports Group, including business operations (ticketing, retail, analytics and business intelligence), customer marketing (database marketing, market research, sales planning, and direct marketing), and strategy.
Gelman has received recognition for her leadership and innovation, including the 2014 Sports Business Journal “Forty under 40” which honors the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40 and in 2012 Sports Business Journal’s “Game Changers″ which honors women who are leading and innovating in sports business. Gelman has represented the New England Patriots on several NFL committees, including Customer Data Management and Fan Engagement Research Advisory. Additionally, she was selected to be part of Ticketmaster’s Sports Technology Advisors Group.
Previously, Gelman worked as a strategy consultant at the Mitchell Madison Group, a McKinsey spin-off and played professional basketball in Europe. Gelman has been inducted into both the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and The Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gelman earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA, cum laude in psychology, from Harvard College. While at Harvard, she was honored as Harvard Female Athlete of the Year after leading Harvard to consecutive Ivy League titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. She is an elected board member of the Harvard Alumni Association. Gelman co-founded and continues to chair the annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, the first and largest analytically focused sports conference.
Gelman is married, has two sons, and resides in the greater Boston area.