For fans across the city, the Super Bowl might be the ultimate excuse to let loose — but for Anna Isaacson, it marks crunch time on the job.
This week, the NFL’s vice president of community relations and philanthropy will oversee more than 35 local events, ranging from a luncheon toasting Hall of Famers to an auction of couture helmets held in partnership with Bloomingdales.
“I got my love of sports from my mother, who’s a huge Yankees fan,” explains Isaacson, who lives in the Manhattan Beach neighborhood in which she was raised.
While studying at Barnard, she took a part-time job selling souvenirs outside Yankee Stadium and parlayed the experience into a gig with the Brooklyn Cyclones’ merchandising department in 2001.
“I finally realized what I wanted to do,” says the 34-year-old of the role. “I love sports and helping the community.”
In 2006, she took those dual passions to the NFL, where she’s climbed the ranks from manager to vice president. Between jetting off to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl and prepping for this week’s flurry of events, Isaacson sat down with @work to chat about succeeding in a male-dominated industry and witnessing one of the gridiron’s greatest moments.
First off, what was it like to interview at the NFL?
During my interview with Joe Browne, who’s now a senior advisor to the commissioner, Michael Strahan walked in. He was just stopping by the office to see Joe, and he literally sat down and joined the second half my interview, like a fly on the wall in the back of the room. I think he knew I was nervous, so he didn’t quiz me.
What major initiatives have you worked on since then?
I worked on the creation of the Play 60 campaign, working with nonprofits to create programs our 32 teams could execute locally. I also played a key role in launching Crucial Catch, our breast cancer awareness campaign. People contact us all the time [about] different causes, and we have to handle all their requests with respect. It’s hard to say no, [but] you can’t help everyone.
How does it feel to see the league’s charitable efforts pay off?
You know your job is fulfilling when the goose-bump moments haven’t ceased after seven and a half years. Last year, the Jets forwarded me an e-mail from a woman in Staten Island who was watching a game in October. Because of the players’ pink accessories in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, [she] decided to give herself a self-exam for the first time. She found out she had cancer. If she hadn’t been watching that game, she might not be here for her three sons. Telling that story gives me chills.
In such a male-dominated field, have you faced any gender discrimination?
Sports is certainly a male-dominated field — I haven’t had a female direct boss yet — [but] I haven’t felt gender discrimination. There aren’t as many women in high places at the NFL, but it’s something we’re working on and taking very seriously — I’m actually co-chair of the NFL’s Diversity Council.
What advice would you give to other women working in male-dominated fields?
The key is not to be intimidated, to know you belong at the table and to have a voice when you get there. There were meetings early on in my time with the NFL when the entire room felt full of executives, and I had to convince myself it was okay I was there. You have to push past those feelings [of doubt] — and when you take that seat and people are looking at you, you have to have something to say.
Do you have any tricks for banishing the self-doubt?
It sounds corny, but sometimes I walk into the restroom, look in the mirror and say out loud, “You can do this.” I have to remind myself that I know the ins and outs of my particular job better than anyone else in the office, and that people will listen. I don’t doubt they know their jobs — why would they doubt I know community relations?
What’s your favorite on-the-job Super Bowl memory?
It was 2008, the year the Giants upset the Patriots, and I watched the last four minutes of the game from the sideline, including that Eli Manning-to-David Tyree pass. It was one of the greatest moments in Super Bowl history, and here I was, this girl from Brooklyn, watching this happen live. I looked around and said, “This is pretty unbelievable.”