Meet the UCI marketing team!

 

Robby Ray

Assistant Athletic Director, Marketing & Community Engagement

18 years at UCI

Alma Mater: UC Irvine

How did you get started in the profession? What is your professional background and what brought you to UCI? 
I'm an Anteater through and through. I attended UCI as an undergraduate double majoring in political science and economics. The UCI Career Center helped me identify sports marketing as my intended career path and an internship in the Athletics department my senior year helped jump start it. I've had the pleasure of growing with the University and Athletic Department over the last 18 years touching almost all aspects of our external relations efforts.

What is your favorite UCI moment or memory? 
I've been fortunate to be a part of a lot really cool moments…these are right at the top

·         Traveling with men's volleyball to Columbus, Ohio for their first NCAA Tournament Championship in 2007

·         Getting a chance to be a part of the 2007 College World Series run and visiting Rosenblatt Stadium

·         Being on the court in 2015 as the Men's Basketball team cut down the nets to earn their first ever NCAA Tournament bid. It was a family affair as my brother had an opportunity to be a part of that historic team!

·         Being a part of the 50^th Anniversary committee for the University and having the opportunity to be a part of a commencement ceremony at Angel Stadium that featured a Presidential commencement address.

Where is your favorite place on UCI campus? Also, favorite place in the Irvine/Newport area?
I enjoy how walkable the campus is. There are no internal streets or cars to navigate and tons of trees/greenery and of course Aldrich Park! I try to make sure I find time to get out of the office to walk to meetings or grab a coffee on campus to enjoy the campus each day. I also enjoy running or biking the Back Bay and hanging out on any one of the many beautiful beaches in the area. 

What is the best part about working at UCI? 
The people really make it special. The campus attracts and fosters a unique culture of high achievement, a sense of community, dedication to hard work, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Maybe it's the Anteater!  You can feel the energy every day that we're building something special here but doing it our own way. Nothing comes easy but we enjoy rolling up our sleeves to see it through.

What has been your favorite UCI marketing/promotion campaign that you have been a part of?

·         Most impactful – helping to launch the Zot Hand Sign. Fun to see how that has become a true campus tradition!

·         Most entertaining – working with ASUCI on combining our Midnight Magic and Shocktoberfest events.

·         Hoping to never have to repeat again – Defend the Bren Fan Cut Outs! 

What do you find to be the most challenging part of the job that people might not realize? 
The same things that make the job fun also provide the biggest challenges to overcome….the diversity of projects, teams, and constituents that we work with. Working with 18 sports, a diverse cross-section of fans (students, alumni, faculty/staff, and general community), as well as campus priorities and business objectives that do not always align make for a very dynamic work environment. 

What is the most rewarding part of the job? 
Having an opportunity to work with and support outstanding students is incredibly rewarding. We have such amazing student-athletes, student-interns, and student-staff. It's a joy to come to work every day and to see them thrive.

I also take a lot of satisfaction in being a small part of the growth and success of my alma mater. Working in an area that helps build tradition, develops strong ties with alumni and the community, and provides so much to the growth of Anteater Pride is incredibly rewarding.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work/ favorite hobby?
I have two daughters under five. Spending time experiencing the world with them is my favorite activity outside of work.

What are you most looking forward to when students return to campus in the fall?
Going to games and practice to re-connect with teams. I felt really disconnected last year and can't wait to be back together.   

What is your favorite professional team? 
I was born and raised in Southern California. My first love has always been the Dodgers but I've followed the Lakers and Kings closely over the years. Growing up listening to the trio of Hall of Fame broadcasters – Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, and Bob Miller really solidified my love of sports.

 

Leo Lawrence

Marketing Director

1 year 8 months at UCI

Alma Mater: University of Bristol, UK

How did you get started in the profession and what brought you to UCI? 
I played soccer at university and was heavily involved in running the team (college athletic departments and teams are managed pretty differently in the UK compared to the US), which made me realize working in sports could be an interesting career path. I decided to get my master's in Sports Industry Management at Georgetown, so I started working in the athletic department there and had a great experience. Since then I have worked in soccer in various capacities at the youth and professional level before I joined the Anteaters in December 2019.

What is your favorite UCI moment or memory? 
I only had a few months of live events on campus before the pandemic hit, so most of my UCI memories have been virtual! My favorite memory from being on campus was Homecoming, because it was my first taste of how excited UCI fans and alumni get about basketball. It was fun to be out at the festival at Aldrich Park and then sprint over to the Bren to help out at the game.

Where is your favorite place on UCI campus and why? Also, favorite place in the Irvine/Newport area, why? 
The ballpark when dusk hits is a pretty beautiful sight! In Newport Beach there's a great Australian coffee shop called Vacancy which is right across from the beach, so I like hanging out there.
 
What is the best part about working at UCI? 
The people! I really enjoy working with the marketing squad and feel like working in such an intense environment as college athletics makes you realize how important it is to have good relationships with coworkers.

What has been your favorite UCI marketing/promotion campaign that you have been a part of?
Our Viva Zot Vegas promotion for the Big West Tournament in Vegas was a fun one to brainstorm for! 

What do you find to be the most challenging part of the job that people might not realize? 
There's a lot of behind the scenes planning that happens in collegiate athletic marketing departments, so when you're at the game and watching the fun promotions happen on court, that's really the final result of a lot of work that has been done ahead of the event. Many balls are in the air at the same time for us!

What is the most rewarding part of the job? 
It has been rewarding to work for an organization that values commitment to social justice issues from the leadership down. Whether it's providing a platform for student-athletes to speak out against racism or planning for Pride events in the fall, it feels important that we do those things at UC Irvine since sports can be such an influence in these issues.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work/ favorite hobby?
Travel! I'm grateful to have been able to move around a lot in my life and, as a result, I think traveling and experiencing new cultures is the most interesting way to learn about other people and yourself. 

Who is your favorite professional team? 
Arsenal
 

Cole Critchfield

Director of Digital Marketing

Less than one year at UCI

Alma Mater: Southern Virgina

How did you get started in the profession and what brought you to UCI? 
While attending Southern Virginia University, I played baseball. My junior year, I started as a graphic design intern in our athletics department. That formed into a part-time position but because of COVID-19 and the job market closing, I went back to get my master's degree from Arizona State Law School. I got my master's in sports law and business and was excited that through making connections there it led me to apply for the job at UCI. I had previously done wedding photography and videography for six years and have created content for a bunch of different businesses through school and on the side.

What is your favorite UCI moment or memory? 
For me it was going to Stanford regionals and getting to spend time with the student-athletes. I was able to capture some awesome content and tell some great stories for our 'Eater community both fans and athletes alike.
 
Where is your favorite place on UCI campus? Also favorite place in the Irvine/Newport area? 
Honestly, I haven't spent that much time on campus, due to the pandemic most of my time has been spent at Anteater ballpark or at home. But I love going down to Newport Pier and just hanging out by the beach. 

What is the best part about working at UCI? 
I think the best part is the people. I love the student-athletes, the community and my co-workers. Both within my department and those around me in other departments are super supportive and help push me to be the best I can be.

What has been your favorite UCI marketing/promotion campaign that you have been a part of?
I love planning the content we are going to create for media days, I think it's a time for athletes to show off and we can create something special that will be used throughout the year. Whether it's on social or intro videos for before a game, it's a project that really gives me an opportunity to hype them up and help them feel as supported as possible and I have a dedicated time for each athlete to be able to shine.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of the job that people might not realize? 
How much time it takes to create. Filming and editing videos, strategizing for 80+ accounts, and making everyone feel as apart of the UCI Brand as possible is super difficult. A lot of times people think that videos or storylines are just thrown together, but that isn't the case. It takes a lot of time and preparation to be able to tell stories in a way that resonates with people. 

What is the most rewarding part of the job and why? 
Being able to create something that causes emotion is great- I love encouraging fandom. Whether that is through game coverage, or through helping our brand be more consistent so people recognize it, I really like that part of the job. The most rewarding part is the relationships I make with the student-athletes and coaches. I was an athlete so I understand on a deeper level how much work they put into their craft, and I know how much I put into mine, and I think that encourages a form of respect on both ends – and trusting that we both can perform at high levels drives us at UCI to be great.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work/ favorite hobby?
I love spending time with my two dogs and my wife and I love movies and TV shows and I really enjoy golfing. My senior baseball season was cut short because of COVID so golf filled my need to get out and do something.

Who is your favorite professional team? 
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Lightning
 

Derek Blalock

Graphic Designer

Two Years at UCI

Alma Mater: B.A. Michigan State University '15 | M.S. Winthrop University '20

How did you get started in the profession and what brought you to UCI? 
I actually started in journalism at Michigan State but those ambitions morphed into working in media relations for a professional baseball team, which I was able to accomplish with two minor league teams and the Texas Rangers. Out of nowhere, one day, a former colleague called me to join him in doing graphic design for a production company in Michigan, where I'm from. After spending a year there learning so much from him, I got the job at UC Irvine where I have been since November 2019.

What is your favorite UCI moment or memory? 
The 2021 NCAA Baseball Tournament performance. I loved getting a chance to design for the Big West Champs and had a ton of fun designing unique content during their Regional run at Stanford.

Where is your favorite place on UCI campus? 
Aldrich Park is absolutely beautiful.
 
What is the best part about working at UCI? 
I thoroughly enjoy the people from the top to bottom in the Athletics Department. I've been at jobs where it's incredibly hard to find good leadership, and I truly believe that we have great leadership at UC Irvine Athletics, and there are people who consistently show that you're valued and care about the mental/physical well-being of employees.

What has been your favorite UCI marketing/promotion campaign that you have been a part of?
 I've really enjoyed designing t-shirts and content for the Men's Basketball White Out games.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of the job that people might not realize? 
 Being the lone designer on a staff that covers 18 sports is incredibly challenging, but one of the most rewarding because you get to learn about every team and most of the student-athletes. I continue to challenge myself in providing unique and powerful content so our graphic presence is as on the same level as any other division one program.

What is the most rewarding part of the job? 
The most rewarding part of the job is seeing the student-athletes share your work. That brings me a lot of joy and one of the big reasons I enjoy graphic design in general.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work/ favorite hobby?
I enjoy writing, which includes my first book THE HEART TO RIDE, which details the summer I spent bicycling 7,000 miles solo to raise money for a friend's charity who died of an undiagnosed enlarged heart my senior year of high school. I also love watching Michigan State Football, and traveling outside of the country.

What is your favorite professional team? 
The Detroit Lions.