Our Team
Core to our mission – and what drives success with vendors – is understanding athletic director needs and channeling their voices in everything we do.
Abby Emerson
Founder & CEO, AD Advocate •
Abby Emerson has spent her life in school sports, personally and professionally. A three-sport varsity athlete and a Division I Lacrosse All-American at the University of Notre Dame, she developed an early love for team sports and a lasting appreciation for the people who make school athletics possible.
That passion shaped a career rooted in sport, schools, and service. Abby contributed to the New York City Olympic bid, worked in Ketchum PR’s sports group, and later served as a teacher and varsity girls lacrosse coach. She’s also coached youth basketball, giving her a front-row seat to the impact athletics can have on students and families.
Abby eventually found her way to the school athletics technology space at 8to18 Digital (now Snap Mobile), where she worked closely with athletic directors and collaborated with industry leaders to support hundreds of athletic programs. Over more than a decade in the industry, she learned a simple truth: no two schools or athletic departments are the same. As sports technology has expanded, it has become increasingly time-consuming for athletic departments to research options, compare providers, and implement new tools—especially while juggling everything else on an athletic director’s plate. Abby saw how often administrators were expected to sort through sales pitches and promises to find solutions that truly fit their program’s needs.
She also saw the challenge from the vendor side. Many strong providers with real potential to help schools struggled to reach the right programs, communicate value clearly, and serve departments in ways that match real-world budgets and realities.
In 2022, after 11+ years in the school athletics tech space, Abby founded K12 Sports Tech to bridge that gap. K12 Sports Tech exists to help athletic directors make confident technology decisions and to connect schools with providers that are the right fit—so athletic departments can run more smoothly, support their coaches, and create better experiences for student-athletes.
Abby lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three daughters.
ALEC BROWN
managing partner, COO •
Alec Brown has dedicated his career to helping sports, philanthropy and education organizations fulfill their missions. His previous work experiences have helped cultivate his skills within critical activities including Go-to-Market strategies, business and brand development, fundraising, strategic alliances, and athletic program administration.
His love for working in sports developed early in his career as an English teacher at Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy (IHSCA), a public charter high school in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. There he had the opportunity to develop an athletic program from its inception and saw quickly how sports has the power to transform lives. While working as assistant principal and athletic director he led the growth of the program to serving around 50% of the student population without the benefit of having a gym or any athletic facilities and very little resources. Also, during his time at IHSCA he built an internship and early college program for high school students which saw around 90% of graduating classes leaving high school having already earned some college credit.
In 2018, Alec transitioned from IHSCA to become the Executive Director of Beyond Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Chicago dedicated to empowering the lives of Chicagoland student-athletes. Alec served 4 years as executive director. During his time there he was able to lead the development of many prominent partnerships with companies and foundations including Jordan Brand, Gatorade, CDW, Life Time Inc., National Football League, and Wintrust Financial Corp. These partnerships helped the organization develop new technology systems to develop a more data driven culture and the refinement of high school, college, and parent programs, increasing program options and resources for clients. He left the role in 2022, to begin work as a consultant for other like-minded organizations..
He has earned a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a Master’s in sports administration from Northwestern University.
Alec knows firsthand the challenges sports organizations face in today’s competitive landscape. By joining the K12 team in 2023, he is excited about the opportunity to help facilitate positive relationships between sports tech vendors and the customers they serve.
Alec currently lives in London, England with his wife and daughter. He spends his weekends pretending he’s still in his twenties by playing baseball in a wooden bat league with the British Baseball Federation and taking his daughter to gymnastics and tennis training.
BRIAN DANIELS
AD THINK TANK MEMBER GROWTH & ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR •
Brian Daniels has spent his life in school sports, both on the field and behind the scenes. A Maine-certified PK–12 Building Administrator and Athletic Director, Brian brings experience across middle and high school settings, combining instructional leadership with a deep commitment to student-centered athletics.
A former Division III collegiate football and lacrosse student-athlete, Brian’s foundation in school sports was built through firsthand experience with the discipline, teamwork, and mentorship that athletics provide. His passion for competition and character development continues today as a high school boys lacrosse official. He has also coached high school lacrosse and football while running a strength and conditioning program, giving him a deep understanding of the challenges coaches and student-athletes face and the impact of well-rounded programs on student development.
He currently serves in a dual role as Assistant Principal and Director of Athletics, overseeing athletic programming while supporting school-wide initiatives and fostering professional growth within his school community. Through his work, Brian has seen firsthand the growing demands placed on athletic directors and the challenge of identifying the right tools and partners while balancing the daily responsibilities of leading a program.
By joining K12 Sports Tech, Brian is excited to help bridge the gap between athletic administrators and trusted solutions that truly support schools. He is passionate about helping athletic leaders make informed decisions, streamline operations, and create stronger experiences for student-athletes.
Brian lives with his wife in a small rural town in Maine and is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, and exploring all that the state has to offer.
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