Our Team

DRVN team members have worked across major sports leagues, teams, venues, properties, and technology solutions — as well as with brands investing in sports and entertainment.

Jason Oberlander

After an early career in media at Showtime Sports & Events, MTV Networks and CBS-Viacom, Jason Oberlander joined the NBA League office in Global Marketing Partnerships where he was charged with driving partnerships across the NBA, WNBA, USA Basketball and NBA D-League (now G-League).

Oberlander then joined IMG as VP National Sales, IMG College where he secured over $50MM in partnerships with brands like Cadillac, Unilever, Delta Airlines, Corona, Rocket Mortgage and others. Oberlander was promoted to lead the National Sales team in 2017 where he oversaw a team of 25 sales and marketing executives with a $100MM+ annual book of partnerships.

In 2021, Oberlander joined AEG-backed ASM Global as the Chief Commercial Officer where he built their nascent commercial partnerships business into a thriving 50-person organization driving over 15 naming rights deals and multiple enterprise partnerships across ASM’s portfolio of 400 venues globally. After the $2.3 billion sale of ASM Global to Legends and the subsequent integration, Oberlander left the company to found DRVN Sports & Entertainment, leveraging his network and knowledge to power partnership development for sports, media and entertainment properties.

Founder & Chairman

Carl Thomas

With a career spanning several decades, Carl Thomas is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of securing over $400MM in verifiable business growth across sports, entertainment, media, and technology sectors on both domestic and international fronts. His prior experience includes significant leadership roles at Universal Studios, Association of Volleyball Professionals, CAT Sports, Inc., and Speedo Swimwear, showcasing his versatility and strategic acumen.

Most recently as Senior Vice President at ASM Global (now Legends Global), he played a critical role in assembling a formidable commercial partnerships team, achieving historic revenue growth from Naming Rights to multi-venue sponsorship agreements, and contributing to ASM's $2.3 billion acquisition. Prior to ASM Global, he held a dual role as Chief Revenue Officer and Global Head of Business Development at Hookit (now Two Circles).

Since 2020, Carl has helmed The Best Boss Ever LLC as Founder/CEO, where he hosts the acclaimed podcast “The Best Boss Ever,” featuring over 100 episodes available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. His guests are leaders in their fields and cover a range of industries. Learn more at The Best Boss Ever website.

Chief Executive Officer
Senior Sales Consultant

Matt Hill

A 20+ year veteran of the sports industry, Matt Hill served as the CEO and Co-Founder of tech startup SPAT Media, Inc, until the company’s acquisition in September 2025. SPAT’s proprietary technology converted digital images into interactive assets, helping IP holders, creators and publishers drive engagement and monetize content in new ways.

Before his startup journey, Matt led the NY office of Omnicom experiential and sponsorship marketing agency, GMR Marketing, where he worked with some of the agency's top clients – including SAP, Danone and P&G – to develop and execute their sports and entertainment marketing strategies. Prior to GMR, Matt spent eight years at the NFL, first in Communications and PR and later as Director of Business Development, where he sold league sponsorship and media programs. Between stints at the NFL, Matt served as Business Development Manager for MLS and Soccer United Marketing, where he led sponsorship and media sales for MLS and other SUM properties, including U.S. Soccer, the Mexican National team and CONCACAF.

Matt received his BA from Columbia College in 2001 and his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2009. In 2018, he was named Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40.

Marketing Strategy

Jenna Mielnicki

Jenna Mielnicki is a 25-year+ veteran in marketing, partnership strategy, and ideation. Prior to joining DRVN, she was Senior Director of Partnership Strategy & Activation for POV Sports Marketing. She was also Senior Vice President and Head of Brand Partnership Solutions for LEARFIELD, where Mielnicki led a team developing customized marketing platforms that connected brands with millions of college sports fans across nearly 200 collegiate athletic departments.

For 10 years, Mielnicki directed the strategy, development, and sales of global partnership opportunities for the NBA, WNBA, NBA D-League (now NBA G-League) and USA Basketball. She previously served as a marketing director for Teen Vogue and The New Yorker. She also led strategic planning and marketing services for JCDecaux North America and was a marketing associate at Esquire Magazine. Jenna brings to POV her extensive experience in developing, negotiating, and executing successful partnerships for brands and properties across sports, lifestyle and entertainment. With a focus on delivering solutions that meet key marketing and business objectives, she has also brought to market numerous products and platforms that have unlocked new revenue and partnership opportunities.

Mielnicki, a native of New York, earned her BBA in finance from Emory University and currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida.

Nelson Melara

Market Research Specialist

Nelson Melara has worked in the sports industry for over 10 years, managing partnerships for global, marquee brands. His expertise spans the entire partnership lifecycle, from initial go-to-market strategy development and prospect outreach to creative proposal design, contract execution, and meticulous partnership management.

Nelson has been instrumental in driving market growth, securing and executing venue naming rights, founding and title partnerships for stadiums, arenas, convention center and sports property ownership including Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Legends Global (formerly ASM), Crypto.com Arena, and 2016 Rio Olympics.