Patrick Smyth – Keynote Speaker

Patrick Smyth, B.S. Public Relations 2004, enters his 16th year leading the Denver Broncos’ public relations and is the club’s Chief Communications Officer.

In his 22nd season with the Broncos, Smyth leads the franchise’s award-winning public relations and community impact departments with alignment across football and business operations. Serving on the Broncos’ senior leadership team and on the board of Denver Broncos Foundation, Smyth is the primary media contact and spokesperson for the Broncos and Empower Field at Mile High.

Smyth is responsible for football communications, corporate communications, issues/crisis management and internal communications for the Broncos while overseeing community, alumni and digital media messaging efforts. His role includes working closely with the Broncos’ ownership group, CEO, president, general manager, head coach, players and executives.

Smyth has overseen the Broncos’ community impact department since 2017, contributing to the organization earning national recognition as ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year in 2022 as a three-time finalist (2020-22) for the award. His work leading the Broncos’ digital media included Top-10 NFL rankings in engagement and social valuation (2020-22) along with a Webby Award (’22, sports social) and Heartland Emmy Award (’23, short form content).

Joining the Broncos in 2004 as a media relations graduate assistant, Smyth became one of the youngest PR directors in NFL history in 2010 at age 27. He began his NFL career as a PR intern with the Super Bowl XXXVII-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.

Smyth’s internship/part-time experience includes Florida’s athletic department (2001-04), the Philadelphia Flyers (2002) and gamedays with the Philadelphia Eagles (2002).

Smyth received the “Outstanding Young Alumnus” award from the University of Florida in 2011. He was recognized by the Denver Business Journal in 2012 as a “40 under 40” recipient for his business and community contributions.

Jennifer Adams

Jennifer Adams, B.S. Telecommunication 1997, is Vice President of CNN Sports in Atlanta, where she leads the team responsible for delivering the world’s most significant sports moments to a global audience. Over 28 years at CNN, she has held senior editorial and leadership roles across both news and sports, helping shape coverage of major international events including the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the FIFA World Cup. Known for her steady leadership in a 24/7 news environment, Adams oversees daily newsgathering and show production while collaborating closely with digital, sales, marketing, and technical teams to produce content that informs, engages, and inspires.

Prior to leading CNN Sports, Adams served as an Executive Producer for CNN and HLN, overseeing coverage of breaking news, presidential elections, historic cultural moments, global conflicts, and natural disasters. She began her career at CNN in an entry-level production role in 1998 and has since logged thousands of hours in newsrooms and control rooms at the network.

Jeff Darlington

Jeff Darlington, B.S. Journalism 2004, is an Emmy Award–winning reporter for ESPN and one of the network’s most visible storytellers across its biggest events. Best known for his work covering the NFL, he serves as ESPN’s reporter for major tentpole events including the Super Bowl, The Masters, the PGA Championship, and Wimbledon, delivering in-depth reporting, compelling storytelling, and exclusive interviews.

The Florida native joined ESPN in 2016 and quickly established himself as a trusted voice in sports journalism. He is a regular contributor to programs such as SportsCenter, NFL Live, and Get Up, and is widely respected for his access, relationships, and ability to capture the human side of elite athletes and coaches.

Darlington is especially recognized for his close coverage of the NFL’s biggest stars, including quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, as well as for breaking major news stories throughout the league. His reporting blends credibility, insight, and personality, making him a fixture across ESPN’s television, digital, and social platforms.

Before joining ESPN, Darlington worked as a sports reporter for The Miami Herald and The Palm Beach Post, where he covered the Miami Dolphins.

Erik Del Angel Landeros

Executive Coordinator of Sports Diplomacy, Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2020-2024

Erik Del Angel served as Executive Coordinator of Sports Diplomacy at the MOFA from 2020 to 2024, where he worked on the government side of the organization of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He co-edited the first book on Sports Diplomacy in Mexico, titled Sports Diplomacy and Cooperation: Reputation, Development, and Peace. He holds a doctorate and master’s degree in History and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations. Now is functionary and professor in Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, teaching: Foreign policy, public diplomacy, soft power and related subjects.

He has 15 years of experience as an academic, professor, and government official. He has written books, academic articles, and book chapters on topics related to the history of foreign relations, sports diplomacy, and foreign policy. He has also worked as a journalist for various media outlets, given interviews, and participated in other activities.

Daragh Minogue

Dr Daragh Minogue is the founder and course leader of the master’s programme in Sports Journalism at St Mary’s University, London, England. Widely acknowledged as the most successful applied sports journalism training course in Europe, it attracts applicants from all over the world. 

Co-author of Sports Journalism: The State of Play (2019), Dr Minogue continues to pioneer developments in sports journalism education, collaborating with newsrooms, journalists, and sports clubs to advance the cause of an ethical sports media.  

A lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur, his sporting loyalties are however divided between his mixed heritage, born in Scotland to an Irish mother. He hopes to bring an international perspective to the symposium. 

Trish Wingerson

Vice President of Public Relations, Orlando Magic

Entering her 30^th year with the Magic, Wingerson was promoted to vice president of public relations in 2024. Prior to that, she was the senior director of communications after spending six years as the director of public relations. 

Her primary responsibilities include all off-the-court publicity efforts for the Magic and serving as the public relations liaison for the Osceola Magic and the Solar Bears. She also oversees the team’s copy editing; supervises the communications stats crew and game night staff; assists with player appearances/requests, interviews, press conferences, photo requests, written team communication; and supports all areas of the communications department including the creation of communications strategy and PR initiatives.

Wingerson began her tenure during the Magic’s run to the 1995 NBA Finals as an intern in the communications department. Prior to joining the Magic, she worked as a reporter for WUFT-TV and WUFT-FM in Gainesville, Fla. 

Wingerson, a member of the Florida Public Relations Association and the Association for Women in Sports Media, graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in telecommunication, broadcast news.

Hailey Hurst

Hailey Hurst is a senior sports journalism student from South Florida. She is a sports anchor for WUFT News, a host for Gator GameDay pregame show for football and basketball, and a social media intern for Gators Creative. Hailey has held internships with CNN Sports and NBC Sports for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. When she’s not reporting, she cheers on Miami sports teams and spends time at the beach.

Jada Ross

Jada Ross is a third-year sports journalism student. She’s a host on Gator GameDay and the Sports Lab and was previously a sports anchor for WUFT News. Jada has covered the 2024 Golf U.S. Open, 2025 Men’s Basketball National Championship in San Antonio, and participated in week-long programs with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Gasparilla Bowl. 

Noah White

Noah White is a junior at UF pursuing a major in journalism, a minor in public relations and a certificate in sports management. He aims to work in print journalism, ideally as a national college reporter for The Athletic. Noah interned on The Buffalo News’ sports desk in an enterprise capacity, covering the Buffalo Bills, Sabres and, painstakingly, table-jumping. He currently serves as a correspondent for the Miami Herald, primarily covering Florida football and basketball. He’s also a former sports editor for The Independent Florida Alligator, UF’s award-winning student newspaper, the current managing editor of UF’s Grandstand Magazine and a sports editor for WRUF. He is, by technicality, The Washington Post’s final sports intern ever … and will be there this summer, in some to-be-determined capacity.