Speakers

VICE PRESIDENT, FOOTBALL
INDEPENDENT SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Upon concluding an NFL playing career and becoming an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor in 2013, Jovan Barnes brings a great deal of experience, expertise and football credibility to Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE). Jovan specializes in contract negotiation research, draft preparation and client acquisition. Whether it’s an on or off-the-field concern, he makes certain all issues are handled. Jovan oversees the line-by-line details of all contract preparation and negotiation, as well as a wide variety of player development matters which arise during the pre-draft process. His unique ability to understand and adjust to the complex issues associated with the professional athlete's life has made him an invaluable asset to the ISE team. Jovan received his bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in 2005 and went on to earn a master’s degree from Indiana University in 2013. 

Notable Clients: Allen Robinson, Dante Fowler Jr., Nelson Agholor, Ivan Pace Jr. & Michael Onwenu

PUBLIC POLICY / STAFF COUNSEL
NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION (NFLPA)

Andrew V. Morris III is a legal and public policy professional that specializes in utilizing legal subject matter expertise to deliver innovative solutions that solve complex legal, business and policy matters with a focus on the sports and entertainment industry. Currently he serves as Public Policy/Associate General Counsel at the NFL Players Association where in addition to advocating on behalf of NFL players in their employment context through zealous advocacy of CBA related grievances, drug program administration and on-field fine appeals, he advances the interest of players past and present, through strategic policy and legislative engagement. Andrew works daily with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement favorable policy changes that seek to further the overall wellbeing of NFL players. Andrew is also relied upon to lead several strategic initiatives of the PA that have commercial/revenue generating implications and player health and safety concerns. Prior to his role at the NFLPA, Andrew served as Senior Director of Legal and Business Affairs, Sports and Entertainment Division at Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. While there, Andrew worked on and lead a variety of initiatives including launching the organizations first digital content platform, standardizing the organizations festival portfolio and securing major sports and entertainment attractions to the city of Washington, DC. Andrew is a two-time graduate of Howard University, a “double-Bison”, having graduated from both the undergraduate and law school. In addition to Andrew’s work as a legal practitioner he also serves as a professor at both The George Washington University Law School and Howard University School of Law, instructing in the area of sports law. In the community, Andrew has remained an advocate for youth programs serving on multiple non-profit Boards and assisting small/minority owned businesses with legal counseling.

DIRECTOR, BASKETBALL AND LEGAL
WASSERMAN

In the past two years, Jelani has represented four first-round picks in the NBA Draft: Kobe Bufkin (Atlanta Hawks, 15th pick in 2023), Yves Missi (New Orleans Pelicans, 21st pick in 2024), Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards, 24th pick in 2024), and Brice Sensabaugh (Utah Jazz, 28th pick in 2023). Additionally, Jelani capped off a great year by signing NBA veteran Javonte Green of the New Orleans Pelicans.

As the representation space continues to become more and more competitive in the early years of a client’s career, Jelani has made a concerted effort to maintain a strong knowledge of the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) space within sports. As a result, Jelani represents several college basketball players as it relates to NIL; those clients include Robert Wright III of the BYU, who was the #1 high school point guard in the class of 2024, Sam Lewis Jr. of the University of Virginia, and Langston Love of Georgetown.

Over the last two years, Jelani has secured many brand and marketing deals for each of his clients in an array of different categories across the consumer market. In taking an approach that is tailored to each client’s specific needs and interests, Jelani builds his clients’ personal brands while working with companies that program campaigns to feel wholly authentic from start to finish. Some brands that Jelani has worked with are Call of Duty, Fanatics, Panini, Jordan Brand, Nike and Uber.

As a licensed attorney and certified NBA player agent, Jelani is passionate about educating his clients on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), in addition to other vital career planning and strategies. Athletes feel empowered when working with Jelani - he has proven his ability, time and time again, to negotiate, strategize and plan for all Wasserman clients, ensuring maximum success on and off the court. 

In his free time, Jelani prioritizes giving back to the Chicago community and surrounding areas through his self-established non-profit organization, the Atypical Sports & Learning Foundation, Inc., which aims to empower youth to use sports as a vehicle to further academic achievement.

While cementing himself as a core piece of Wasserman’s men’s basketball group, Jelani consistently looks for ways to be involved and support the colleagues around him. 

Jelani lettered in basketball at Brown University, University of California, Davis and Florida Atlantic University as a 5th year graduate transfer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics and is a former Arthur Ashe National Sports Scholar. Jelani earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Jelani currently resides in Chicago and enjoys spending time with family, reading and playing basketball whenever he has the opportunity to.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, TEAM SPORTS
WASSERMAN

Chafie Ali Fields is currently the Executive Vice President of Team Sports with Wasserman (formerly Wasserman Media Group), one of the top agencies serving the best athletes, artists, and brands domestically and abroad, including Drake, SZA, Jack Harlow, Max Crosby, Shai Gilgeous- Alexander, Clay Thompson, Sue Bird, Giancarlo Stanton, and Connor McDavid.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Fields attended Jules R. Mastbaum Area Vocational/Technical High School, where he was named All-American by SuperPrep magazine, Blue Chip Illustrated and USA Today. He was a dual- threat wide receiver for Penn State from 1996 to 1999, where he ranks 10th on the all-time receiving list. Following his term at Penn State, Fields played for the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets in the National Football League.

Fields earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State, and his Master of Business Administration from The University of Miami. Although a longtime resident of South Florida, Fields was a major partner in the Philadelphia staple restaurant, The Garden of Bilal, where he owned and operated 3 successful locations across the city.

In 2005, Fields partnered with Joel Segal, the longtime head of Worldwide Entertainment & Sports. Together they represented various athletes and entertainers, most notably Arizona Cardinals 2007 #5 overall pick Levi Brown, Mike Vick, Khalil Mack, Reggie Bush, Aaron Maybin, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Amari Cooper, Geno Smith, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

In 2019, Fields migrated to Wasserman, the media goliath, and has since enlarged his client portfolio to boast some of the top players in both the NFL and NBA, including Marcus and Markieff Morris and 2022 NBA first round selections Jalen Duren and Tari Eason. Fields has negotiated over $3 billion in sports contracts and was responsible for negotiating the blockbuster trade of James Harden from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets and the recent $215 million in contract negatiations for Geno Smith.

CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
PYRAMID SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Orlando Arnold is a former Division I student-athlete with over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, and client relations. He has successfully transitioned from the world of pharmaceutical sales to become a highly respected MLB and NFL sports agent. Over the course of his career, Orlando has negotiated multi-million-dollar contracts, but what matters most to him is the impact he makes off the field—helping clients thrive in life after sports.

As the CEO and Co-Founder of Pyramid Sports & Entertainment Group—one of the top minority-owned, dual-sport full-service agencies—Orlando leverages his firsthand experience as a student-athlete and insights from corporate America to mentor and guide the next generation of superstar athletes. He oversees all aspects of client development, including marketing, brand partnerships, contract negotiations, and philanthropic initiatives.

Pyramid’s roster includes standout athletes and executives such as Jonathan Ward, Jaylen Johnson, Kalil Pimpleton, Kyle Battle, Jennifer Lynne Williams of USA Basketball, Johnathon Thomas, and Chris Collins.

Orlando holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Alabama State University and an MBA from Troy University. He has earned recognition on several prestigious “40 Under 40” lists, including Legacy Miami, Alabama State University, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s inaugural Alpha Class.

A TEDx-featured speaker, Orlando is passionate about the business of sports and entrepreneurship. He also runs a youth male mentorship program, coaches his nephew and son in travel ball, and enjoys giving back to his community. When he’s not working, you’ll find him exploring new restaurants with his wife Casandra. The couple resides in Miami with their toddler son, Landon.

ACTION SPORTS
WASSERMAN

Ethan Singleton is a fourth year sports and entertainment agent with Wasserman.  Primarily working in the company’s Action Sports & Olympics division, the Los Angeles native grew up as a skateboarder in a time where the sport’s Olympic inclusion seemed far from possible (and especially so for those who grew up in the city where the streets felt like the only arena that existed).

Singleton initially struggled to merge his passions for skateboarding, art and culture, with his broader, more academic interests.  While still a political science undergraduate (as well as a sponsored skateboarder) he worked for two years, full time, at a premier trial and commercial litigation boutique law firm in Los Angeles.   He would often be embarrassed to take his skateboard out during his lunch break, where the instrument was not looked at with the same regard as a tennis racket or a golf club.

An alumni of San Francisco State University, Singleton, then still an undergraduate student, designed and taught a credited course, entitled Skateboarding: Art, Sport and Culture, which was a socioeconomic examination of skateboarding with its Olympic debut then in full view.  Subsequent to graduation, his initial plans for law school were thwarted by the pandemic, so he wound up spending his time on the Board of Directors for the College Skateboarding Educational Foundation; worked with the University of Southern California on skateboard-related academic research; and consulted with Los Angeles Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) on skateboarding focused youth programming initiatives.

Today, Singleton spends his time working with a diverse range of talent (and not just athletes) from across the artistic, athletic and cultural spectrum(s).  Whether developing career strategy for talent, negotiating deals, consulting for brands, supporting the production of events, or ideating and executing on content-related initiatives.  He is optimistic that the impact of the LA28 Olympics will be positive not just for Angelinos, but for art, sport and culture at large.