A FOOT IN THE DOOR

Internships open windows to opportunities.

By George Diaz

Internships open windows to opportunities. The stereotypical punch line may be ‘pick up the dry cleaning’ and coffee runs, but it does not come close to defining the experience of a collaborative effort between a company and an intern.

At the Greater Orlando Sports Commission (GO Sports), interns are viewed as valuable contributors who dip those proverbial toes into a myriad of opportunities. With eyes wide open, opportunities arise, and career paths are launched. The GO Sports internship program has evolved through the years, expanding from a seasonal program to a yearly one, but the focus remains the same.

“They are now able to work on projects from start to finish,” said Jennifer Lastik, Chief Operating Officer at GO Sports who has overseen the internship program for the last decade. “It gives them a chance to grow professionally in a more meaningful way. The year-long program also reduces the need for constant recruitment. We typically bring on two to three interns per year, but during busy seasons we’ve hired more interns for additional support.”

With that, say hello to Kristen Scott, Grayson Moore and Kristyn Laffoon.

Kristen is in grad school at UCF and just recently completed her internship. Grayson and Kristyn have graduated and are on a successful professional trajectory. Here is a snapshot of their journey, and the role that GO Sports played along the way.

Kristen Scott

Kristen is a student in the Devos MBA/Sports Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida. She began her internship at GO Sports in August of 2024, and it’s been a fulfilling experience, given the scope of her work.

“I’ve gotten a taste of everything,” she said. “I’ve sat in on new business meetings, communications and events. I’ve worked with a ton of different sports. What I’ve enjoyed most is being able to dip a toe into every area of sports. That’s what I was looking for to help me navigate my career path.”

Born and raised in Orlando, she remains unsure of what specific role in the sports business management field she intends to pursue, but those 20 internships hours a week at GO Sports have exposed her to a strong possibility.

Given a choice, the events side of the business has stirred a definite passion. It was evident during the FIFA Club World Cup press conference event in April. Kristen was a standout collegiate soccer player at UCF (making first team conference honors), so the personal and professional connection was strong. She met one of her heroes – FIFA’s Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis – while working the event.

“It was exciting to see that full circle moment,” Lastik said. “She worked hard but took the time to soak it in. She has a very strong attention to detail, and it shows.”

She worked with the GO Sports team on the Arnold Palmer invitational in March, as well as the FHSAA tennis championships held this spring at multiple venues in Seminole County. She also worked GO Sports’ 6th annual Celebrating Women in Sports luncheon last fall, where she met ESPN commentator Doris Burke, another of her heroes.

“It feels like you’re the athlete again,” she said of her events experience. “You practice, practice and then you feel that rush – the winning feeling and delayed gratification that comes with it.”

Kristen appreciates the star power that has been in her presence but has never been lost in the moment. Given time, perhaps hers will come. She can thank GO Sports for that.

“They've been a very supportive family,” she said. “They invested in me as a person.”

Grayson Moore

Grayson’s run with GO Sports dates back to 2012 between his sophomore and junior year at Alabama, when he joined the team as part of a three-month internship.

He now works for ESPN in Charlotte, NC along with roughly 250 other employees as part of the company’s collegiate sports hub. It’s been 11 years since Grayson graduated from Alabama after completing his high school years at Olympia High School in Central Florida. That summer working with GO Sports reflects a pivotal experience that shaped his career.

“It was my first foray into sports events, which is what I do now with ESPN,” he said. “ESPN Events owns and operates between 30 and 35 events annually and our group is tasked with making sure those events are viable businesses.”
During his internship with GO Sports, Grayson worked on the Celebrity Mascot Games, the recruitment of March Madness college basketball games, and the SPORTYS Awards.

“The cool thing about it is that the sports commission, at that time, was attempting to attract large events to the area while also owning and operating events under their portfolio… similar to what I do now.”

Grayson currently oversees the State Farm Champions Classic, an annual early-season college basketball event featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State. He also plays a large role in content creation for ESPN Events’ portfolio, which includes 10 annual college basketball events and 17 college football bowl games.

Grayson had a chance to reconnect with the GO Sports team in Orlando as part of the ESPN team supporting the ESPN Events Invitational basketball tournament hosted each Thanksgiving Week at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

“He’s always been an incredibly hard worker and genuinely kind,” Lastik said. “He’s one of the interns who has made a real effort to stay in touch.”

Now 33, he’s been with ESPN since graduating from Alabama.

“I’m a rarity in this day and age sticking with the same company,” he said. “What’s great is that the variety of the work is so rewarding, not specialized on one particular thing. You have to be knowledgeable about a number of things. That’s what makes it so engaging and fun: There’s so much variety.”

Kristyn Laffoon

Kristyn’s professional journey has taken her from Central Florida to Indiana. It’s been a fulfilling ride, one that now includes working with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA as the Chief of Staff to CEO Mel Raines.

But first, there was Orlando. During her junior year at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, she received an email for a part-time game-night position working in Premium Services for the Orlando Magic. Through that role, she was able to develop great professional relationships, leading to other opportunities. One of those was an internship with GO Sports (then known as the Central Florida Sports Commission), which would eventually lead to a full-time role with the Orlando Magic in 2009.

“Getting that opportunity truly opened the door to combine my passions of providing great customer service and high-end client experiences with my love of sports,” she said.

One of the things she remembers most about her internship was the collaborative efforts of the people on the sports commission team.

“Working with leaders like Jennifer Lastik, Brent Nelson and Kevin Coulthart really helped shape my professional career and allowed me to fine-tune skills like collaboration, teamwork, problem solving and event operations,” she said. “They were focused on building and maintaining great relationships with local partners that are also crucial to success.”

Kristyn remains part of the NBA family with the Pacers. Prior to her current role as Chief of Staff, she was the Senior Director of Premium Experience, starting out as Premium Services Manager in 2013. Over time, the role shifted from client services and account management to more strategic planning and leadership focused.

She considers the experience gained from 15-plus years in Premium as career-changing. Her current focus is getting special projects and initiatives across the finish line, including the WNBA All-Star game, which will be in Indianapolis July 18-19.