President and Chief Administrative & Strategy Officer
JoAnn Neale serves as President and Chief Administrative & Strategy Officer for Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing.
In her role, Neale leads Strategy, Data and Business Intelligence where she oversees the League’s long- term business planning and annual planning processes and is responsible for all aspects of data integrity, analytics, and research. She also oversees Technology, including business solutions, information security and owned- platforms.
Neale leads all aspects of Human Resources which consists of employee relations, talent acquisition and development, benefits, compensation, human resources information systems, and culture, with a commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity. She also manages Administration which is responsible for office design, space planning, vendor management, compliance and day-to-day office services and operations.
Neale was the architect of MLS WORKS, the League’s social responsibility platform. Under her direction, MLS WORKS established a commitment to social responsibility through national programs such as Soccer For All and Greener Goals, charitable giving and by undertaking grassroots initiatives in underserved communities.
Neale sits on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Soccer Foundation and was named a Sports Business Journal Game Changer, Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports, Crain’s Notable Women in the Business of Sports and NY’s 100 Most Responsible Corporate Citizens. She was also honored by the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women for her leadership in providing opportunities through sport to underserved girls, and is a member of the HR Innovators Advisory Board and the NY CHRO Governing Board.
Prior to joining MLS, Neale spent four years as an attorney at the law firms of Latham & Watkins and Duval & Stachenfeld, where she focused on corporate finance and real estate transactions. Neale earned her law degree from New York University’s School of Law, graduating cum laude, and received a Bachelor of Science degree, with distinction, from Cornell University.
She resides in Syosset, NY with her husband and two daughters.
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