My sports professional pen pal is the senior manager of marketing & engagement platforms for the Washington Commanders, DeAna Tyler. I made this connection through LinkedIn, by researching sports professionals in the fields I was interested in. When I found her page and saw that she worked for the team in my hometown, I was eager to reach out. I crafted a message stating what the assignment was and why I would love for her to be my pen pal. Immediately she wrote back, offering to help with my assignment. I’m very excited to learn new things from someone in a role I hope to be in one day. It’s also inspiring because she is a woman who looks like me, in a position I would be honored to be in. I’m thrilled to see where this connection takes me, as I want to work for an NFL team in the future.