CLEVELAND, OH – The Collegiate Event and Facilities Management Association (CEFMA) is pleased to announce Kasey Konte, Associate Athletic Director for Operations at John Carroll University, as the recipient of the 2026 CEFMA Emerging Leader Award. The honor is being announced during CEFMA's Event and Facility Managers Appreciation Week, which recognizes the vital contributions of athletics facilities, events, and operations professionals across the collegiate landscape.
The CEFMA Emerging Leader Award recognizes individuals with five years of experience or less who have demonstrated exceptional performance, leadership potential, and meaningful impact within athletics facilities, events, or operations. Konte was selected for her outstanding operational leadership, versatility across sport seasons, and instrumental role in major departmental initiatives at John Carroll University.
In her role, Konte works across facilities, events, and operations, serving as a primary game administrator and managing events spanning all three competitive seasons. She oversees football and multiple fall sports, wrestling and indoor track during the winter, and an extensive spring schedule that includes managing more than 50 home softball and baseball contests, while also coordinating snow removal, staffing, and facility readiness under challenging weather conditions. Her year-round responsibilities extend into summer maintenance projects and administration of summer camps.
Konte has also demonstrated exceptional leadership in special events and signature campus initiatives. She has helped lead the Blue Carpet Awards, Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony hosting more than 500 guests annually, Homecoming Weekend featuring multiple athletic events and a large-scale tailgate, and several major summer camps and showcases.
Her most significant impact over the past year came through her central role in the opening of John Carroll's new Athletic, Wellness, and Event Center (AWE), a shared facility between Athletics and Recreation. Konte collaborated closely with campus partners to support the successful transition into the new space, including the development of the Hall of Fame hallway, coordination with Sports Medicine on space transitions, and oversight of relocating six programs into new locker rooms prior to fall practices. She also supported the hosting of multiple high-capacity events within the facility, including indoor track meets, wrestling competitions, and the Region V Men's Wrestling Regional Tournament.
"Kasey is one of the most dependable and impactful professionals in our department," said Dejan Mladenovic, Senior Deputy Athletic Director and Head Men's Soccer Coach at John Carroll University. "Her organization, professionalism, and ability to manage multiple priorities at a high level make her an invaluable leader and an outstanding example of the future of our profession."
As part of the award, Konte will receive a complimentary 2026–27 CEFMA membership, registration for the 2026 CEFMA Convention, hotel accommodations at the NACDA Convention Hotel, a travel stipend, and public recognition during the 2026 CEFMA Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
CEFMA congratulates Kasey Konte on this well-earned recognition and applauds her continued leadership and impact within collegiate athletics facilities, events, and operations.
