OUR DIFFERENCE
We specialize in placing athletes. Podium X is a career development partner built for athletes to highlight the unique qualities that make them winners. It provides Programming, Resumes, Jobs and Career Coaching in a simple, all-in-one solution that is engaging, effective and sustainable.
meet the team
Meet the people who are passionate about assisting in athletes' career development and seeing them through to the finish line and beyond.
Rich Thompson
Chief Executive Officer
Rich Thompson is an accomplished global executive with more than 25 years of experience in leadership development, culture, performance, talent management, staffing, recruiting and human resources. Rich’s passion for building strong cultures and winning teams started on the football field, as part of the revolutionary turnaround of the Wisconsin Badger football program under legendary Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez where Rich was 1st Team All Big Ten, Honorable Mention All-American and a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza award, given to the nation’s best placekicker. He was also a Free Agent with the Green Bay Packers for 2 years. More than 30 years later, he remains Wisconsin’s current record holder for the most field goals in a single season.
Ann Schulz
Co Founder & Vice President
An established Marketing Executive with more than 30 years of experience, proven to increase profitability and expand reach with comprehensive business strategies and particularly adept at Marketing Strategy ▪ Target Market Identity & Development ▪ Program & Promotion ▪ Content Origination ▪ Sourcing Partnerships & Alliances ▪ Social Media Engagement ▪ Sponsorship Programming ▪ Speaker Development
Ian Apple
Director of Partnerships
A Jacksonville, Florida native who now lives (and skis!) in Denver, Ian has more than seven years of experience in sales, where he excels at building and maintaining strong relationships through offering customer-focused solutions. As a former swimmer and team captain for the Florida State Seminoles, Ian has firsthand experience with the unique talents and transferrable skills of athletes in the workplace, including the special training and preparation that athletics provides those who compete at the highest level.
Emma Giusti
Marketing Coordinator
Giusti is a Jacksonville native who earned her Bachelor of Science degree in communication with a focus on public relations and a minor in digital marketing at the University of North Florida. Giusti transitioned from her internship with UF Health Jacksonville’s Department of Development to marketing coordinator for Podium X where she shares the company’s message through content generation while also having a tight-knit sense of community. Giusti continues to expand her breadth of knowledge by training her skills in content creation, graphic design, email marketing, UI/UX web design, public relations, social media, and more on her long list.
Audrey McCabe
Program Coordinator
A graduate of Florida State University with a degree in Sports Management as well as a former intern with USA Football, Audrey's first role out of college is Podium X's Program Coordinator. At Podium X, Audrey focuses on account management and engagement with our partner schools, including onboarding, workshop sessions, and 1-on-1 coaching for podium creation and success. With a strong foundation in sports, Audrey possesses a range of soft skills including teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
Kennedy Muff
Partnerships Coordinator
Not only is Kennedy a former University of Florida volleyball player, but she was also one of Podium X’s first Reel Athletes, beginning with her time at Flagler College. Kennedy received her Bachelor's Degree in marketing & minors in business administration and advertising from Flagler College and a graduate certificate in social media journalism at the University of Florida. Now, with Podium X, Kennedy will be responsible for securing new partnerships with colleges and universities and client management of corporate sponsors seeking access to former athletes as part of their talent acquisition strategy or for increased visibility to athletes, their schools, or their followers.
Our Difference
We are athletes. We know athletes. We place athletes.
Most collegiate athletes haven’t had time for internships and summer jobs. But they have learned leadership, teamwork, resiliency, discipline in addition to other skills that are valued by employers. We know how to present their story.
We are staffing experts.
In addition to being athletes, we are also recruiters and staffing professionals. We understand the current job market and the opportunities available to athletes.
Our job search process is designed for the athlete talent pool.
Everyone wants winners on their team, be it a sports team or a work team. Our process is based on working with companies who value those winning qualities in employees and post open jobs to Podium X. This works in combination with the Podium X profile creator that highlights those qualities of the individual athletes and matches them to the jobs which are the best fit.
We currently have jobs available throughout the country
Our company clients are specifically looking for former athletes
