Hiring exceptional coaches and players is not the only critical component to creating a winning professional soccer program from scratch. It also takes a bunch of talented folks who are experts at building community, creating excitement, and tending to the little details and big picture. USL Spokane Co-Owner and President Katie Harnetiaux and Co-Owner Ryan Harnetiaux have assembled a top-notch front office team that strives every day to bring fans to the stadium and build a culture of success.
The women’s and men’s teams each has a vice president in charge of overseeing operations and working directly with Club President Katie Harnetiaux. Janette (j.) Atkins is VP for the Spokane Zephyr FC. Phil Harrison is her counterpart for the Spokane Velocity FC.
j.’s background includes more than 20 years of experience in product creation. Much of that time she spent at Adidas, where she worked on projects for elite athletes Damian Lillard, James Harden, Chelsea Gray and Hailey Van Lith. Apart from her work for the Zephyr, j. has been an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University. She taught the course Sport and Activity in a Diverse Society, which looks at diversity and equity initiatives through the lens of athletics. j. likens her perspective on soccer to Ted Lasso, and one of her favorite soccer moments was being in the stands last year when OL Reign star Megan Rapinoe played in her final game in Seattle.
Phil Harrison comes to the Velocity after his tenures as executive director of YMCA Camp Reed in Spokane and Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest. Both organizations hit milestones on his watch. The Y marked its 100th anniversary with an epic celebration at Camp Reed. Ronald McDonald House Charities reached its 35th year of helping families in times of medical crisis. Phil remains active in the community, giving time to Leadership Spokane and the Rotary Club. While one of his fondest soccer memories is listening to the 2010 World Cup on the radio when working at Camp Reed that summer, he’s sure to create even better memories when the Velocity begin playing in two months.
Vice President of Partnerships Tate Kelly was a running star at Gonzaga University, where he set records in cross country and track. A veteran sports marketing executive, Tate returned to Spokane after serving as Director of Partnership Sales for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. He also worked with high-powered collegiate athletics at the University of Oregon and Gonzaga via IMG/Learfield Sports. In this new role, Tate is in charge of bringing regional business leaders to professional soccer in Spokane. He’s been a soccer fan since a kid and vividly remembers watching the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final with the USA and China, with Mia Hamm at the peak of her career and Brandi Chastain making her iconic penalty kick goal.
As Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Dave Sonntag is responsible for introducing USL Spokane to the community. He is working to build the brand, create innovative ways to share the stories of USL Spokane, and develop community relationships. He has more than 27 years of brand, marketing and communications experience working for institutions like Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga. At GU, he led two rebrands, and oversaw marketing for both of the Bulldogs’ Final Four runs. As a soccer parent, he spent countless hours on the sidelines in all kinds of weather. One memorable night was his son’s final Gonzaga Prep game in district playoffs. It went to penalty kicks in an absolute deluge, and while the Bullpups lost, their hard work and tenacity made a deep impression on him – and an even more proud dad.
Also working on marketing duties is Reilly Harnetiaux, tasked with managing social media, community engagement, and event coordination. A 2023 graduate of Gonzaga University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in psychology, Reilly gained real-world experience as a student ambassador, and in planning Gonzaga Experience Live, a weekend-long event for thousands of incoming students and their families. Her role with USL Spokane is like Keeley’s from “Ted Lasso,” and she’s been told her personality – an extrovert who connects with others and shows true enthusiasm for the team – is a good match there, too.
After building her career in nonprofit operations and mission development, Emma Hayes is ready for the challenge as Director of Operations and Player Administration for USL Spokane. She is eager to bring the organization’s vision to life through proven track record of establishing processes, procedures, and organizational structures that provide foundations for success. She also has a past soccer career in which she is most fond of her youth soccer days. She recalls one memorable goal at a round-robin tournament where she scored from half field, one of three times in her playing career when magic happened from that area of the pitch.
Mac Graff is USL Spokane’s Manager of Partnership Fulfillment. His sports management experience dates back to the five years he spent working with the Gonzaga men’s basketball team as a student manager and graduate manager. After earning his bachelor’s in Sports Management followed by his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, both from GU, Mac moved to Pullman for a job as Associate of Business Development at Washington State Sports Properties, handling all sponsorship fulfillment for WSU Athletics and Learfield. While his college years were intrinsically linked to basketball, his connection with soccer stems from his elementary school years. He admits, though, that he and his buddies in fourth grade were banned from playing soccer at recess because all they knew how to do was slide tackle.
Grayson Sanderson, the club’s new Player and Retail Operations Coordinator, has been around soccer since he was three years old growing up in St. Cloud, Minn. He went on to organize youth tryouts, coach at the youth and men’s recreational level, and serve as a referee. He came to Spokane to get a degree in Sports Management and Business – achievement unlocked this past May – and is eager to be involved in the development of pro soccer in his new home. Grayson thinks of himself as the office Dani “Futbol is life!” Rojas, and eagerly joined the club as an intern in March 2022.
When building a new organization, that often means creating a culture from scratch. Molly Schemmel, USL Spokane’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, is tasked with helping foster a welcoming and safe environment for all members of the USL Spokane community. Molly’s varied experiences stem from a career in clinical laboratory science and cancer research, to vibrant volunteer work that gave her perspective on building healthy organizational ecosystems. The latter includes time with the YMCA, Camp Reed, Camp Goodtimes and Gonzaga Prep. In terms of “Ted Lasso,” she likens herself to Ted, who knows more about football than futbol, stealth baking skills, and a reputation for being positive and even keeled.
(Please forgive our references if you have not yet watched Apple TV’s Ted Lasso!)
