Cesley Tafoya, an experienced marketing, branding and corporate sponsorship professional, is in her second stint with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after returning to her previous role as the Director of Multimedia/Marketing Coordinator in June 2021. In January 2022, she was elevated to Assistant Commissioner for External Affairs.
In her new role, she will oversee the conference’s external affairs strategy and direction, inclusive of marketing and branding, corporate partnerships, digital and social media, digital and video production, content creation, and community relations, engagement and outreach.
Before returning to the MEAC, Tafoya spent more than two years with the American Cancer Society as the Strategic Director of Regional Sports & Entertainment. There she executed strategies that impacted the development and cultivation of sports and entertainment partnerships for ACS within the West Region, overseeing six states. She not only managed regional and local opportunities, but also focused on the enterprise-wide vision of developing sports and entertainment as an essential revenue stream for ACS.
Tafoya also established considerable relationships within the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, NCAA and other prominent sports organizations that ultimately generated a myriad of programs that aligned with the goals and passions of both the ACS and its partners. She also oversaw over 100 community development staff members to fulfill a regional $1-million-dollar department portfolio.
During Tafoya’s first go-round at the MEAC, she oversaw the marketing plans for all 16 of the MEAC’s Division I sports, including 15 NCAA athletic championships. In her almost three years with the conference, she executed social media strategies to promote the conference’s brand and mission while gaining followers and verification on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She also designed graphics for web, print and social media, while assisting in maintaining two of the MEAC’s websites.
Her creativity was displayed on a national scale when she created the “We Are MEAC” diversity and inclusion initiative and video production. It was featured during the conference’s nationally televised championships on ESPN platforms. The viral video was just one of the many promotional videos she produced and directed for the MEAC and ESPN.
Tafoya’s position gave her the chance to network and collaborate with professionals across the sports and media landscapes. She became well-respected in her field as she advised in securing corporate partners such as: Coca Cola, I-Heart Media, U.S. Marines Corps, and the Home Depot. She also worked as the liaison to marketing and alumni directors at the MEAC’s 13 member institutions, while coordinating game operations for the MEAC Basketball Championships.
The Oxnard, California native graduated from Bethune-Cookman University (BCU), receiving her bachelor’s in business administration in 2013 and her master’s in transformative leadership in 2015. At BCU, Tafoya was a standout softball student-athlete, helping the Wildcats to three conference championships, including three NCAA Regional appearances where she received All-Regional accolades. Following her time on the field, Tafoya’s professional career began at her alma mater as she served as the first sports marketing graduate assistant in 2013. She was later promoted as the Special Assistant to the Athletics Director in 2014, where she assisted her mentor and former Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics, Lynn W. Thompson, with overseeing the operations & logistics of the athletics department.
Community service has always been a huge part of Tafoya’s personal life and professional career. In college, she created and organized three fundraisers to benefit the community of Daytona Beach, Fla. for four consecutive years. Her dedication to service continued at the MEAC as she carried out countless community outreach programs, including youth clinics and clothing and food drives.
Tafoya is a member of Women Leaders in College Sports (WLCS) and Women in Sports and Entertainment (WISE). Also, she is a member of the Bethune-Cookman University 2018 40 Under 40 class. Additionally, she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.