Georgia Athletics Extends Partnership with Altius Sports Partners; Names Kim DeCarolis as Executive Director of Athlete Commercial Strategy
Athens, GA, (August 21,2025) – University of Georgia (UGA) Athletics today announced an expansion and three-year extension of its partnership with Altius Sports Partners, a leading strategic advisor to collegiate athletics programs and blue-chip brands. Since first engaging Altius in 2021, UGA has leveraged the firm’s expertise to strengthen its approach to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and athlete commercial success. As part of the expanded relationship, UGA alumna and current Senior Vice President of ASP Brands at Altius Sports Partners Kim DeCarolis has been appointed as the university’s first in-house Executive Director of Athlete Commercial Strategy.
In her new role at UGA, DeCarolis will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive commercial strategy for Bulldog athletes, overseeing all NIL and athlete revenue-generating initiatives. Partnering closely with athletics leadership, she will drive centralized strategy, streamline decision-making, and support the execution of key athlete-focused programs. Leveraging Altius’ national network of industry experts, she will enhance UGA’s standing as a leader in the collegiate athletics marketplace while serving as the primary point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders.
“Kim’s combination of national NIL expertise, proven success with major brands, and personal connection to Georgia Athletics makes her the perfect choice to lead this next phase,” said Josh Brooks, UGA’s J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. “The combination of Altius’ continued strategic support and Kim joining our team on campus will ensure our athletes have the best resources, strategies, and opportunities in the country.”
“Returning to Athens is more than a professional milestone. It’s a homecoming to a place that shaped me, and as a Bulldog inside and out, I’m excited to work alongside Josh and his team to build a commercial strategy that reflects Georgia’s values, maximizes opportunities for our athletes, and sets the standard for NIL innovation,” said DeCarolis.
Since joining Altius in 2022, DeCarolis has launched and led the ASP Brands division, transforming it into a major business unit partnering with industry leaders such as Verizon, Powerade, NBC Sports Group, Landmark Properties, and more. She has executed nationwide NIL campaigns involving more than 300 college athletes, creating unprecedented opportunities and visibility for both women’s and men’s sports. DeCarolis will continue to serve on the Altius executive team while taking on her new role at Georgia.
“Kim has been and will continue to be a key leader at Altius through her new role with UGA,” said Andrew Donovan, President, ASP College at Altius Sports Partners. “Her track record building our Brands division speaks for itself, and now she will bring that expertise, energy and vision directly to one of the premier athletic programs in the country.”
Before joining Altius, DeCarolis was Director of Athlete Relations at Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment, the for-profit venture of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where she negotiated and integrated NFL athletes into new media opportunities. She previously spent more than a decade representing professional athletes and sports media personalities, including five years as Vice President of Media & Marketing at NFL player representation firm Element Sports Group and six years as Vice President of Broadcasters at management and marketing firm CSE.
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About UGA Athletics
The University of Georgia, a top-20 public university in the U.S. for nine-straight years according to U.S. News and World Report, boasts an athletic program that has won 52 national team championships and over 180 Southeastern Conference titles. Georgia student-athletes have a long tradition of excellence that has placed the University of Georgia among the nation’s most elite academic and athletic powerhouses. www.GeorgiaDogs.com.
About Altius Sports Partners
Since its inception in 2020, Altius Sports Partners (ASP) has become a trusted strategic advisor to more than 40 Division I collegiate athletics programs, including nearly half of the P4. Through a unique blend of data-driven, creative, and practical strategic guidance, ASP College equips campus leaders to navigate the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics with confidence and precision. Additionally, ASP Brands helps blue-chip brands, including Verizon and Powerade, develop and execute their college sports strategies and campaigns.
In her new role at UGA, DeCarolis will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive commercial strategy for Bulldog athletes, overseeing all NIL and athlete revenue-generating initiatives. Partnering closely with athletics leadership, she will drive centralized strategy, streamline decision-making, and support the execution of key athlete-focused programs. Leveraging Altius’ national network of industry experts, she will enhance UGA’s standing as a leader in the collegiate athletics marketplace while serving as the primary point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders.
“Kim’s combination of national NIL expertise, proven success with major brands, and personal connection to Georgia Athletics makes her the perfect choice to lead this next phase,” said Josh Brooks, UGA’s J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. “The combination of Altius’ continued strategic support and Kim joining our team on campus will ensure our athletes have the best resources, strategies, and opportunities in the country.”
“Returning to Athens is more than a professional milestone. It’s a homecoming to a place that shaped me, and as a Bulldog inside and out, I’m excited to work alongside Josh and his team to build a commercial strategy that reflects Georgia’s values, maximizes opportunities for our athletes, and sets the standard for NIL innovation,” said DeCarolis.
Since joining Altius in 2022, DeCarolis has launched and led the ASP Brands division, transforming it into a major business unit partnering with industry leaders such as Verizon, Powerade, NBC Sports Group, Landmark Properties, and more. She has executed nationwide NIL campaigns involving more than 300 college athletes, creating unprecedented opportunities and visibility for both women’s and men’s sports. DeCarolis will continue to serve on the Altius executive team while taking on her new role at Georgia.
“Kim has been and will continue to be a key leader at Altius through her new role with UGA,” said Andrew Donovan, President, ASP College at Altius Sports Partners. “Her track record building our Brands division speaks for itself, and now she will bring that expertise, energy and vision directly to one of the premier athletic programs in the country.”
Before joining Altius, DeCarolis was Director of Athlete Relations at Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment, the for-profit venture of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where she negotiated and integrated NFL athletes into new media opportunities. She previously spent more than a decade representing professional athletes and sports media personalities, including five years as Vice President of Media & Marketing at NFL player representation firm Element Sports Group and six years as Vice President of Broadcasters at management and marketing firm CSE.
###
About UGA Athletics
The University of Georgia, a top-20 public university in the U.S. for nine-straight years according to U.S. News and World Report, boasts an athletic program that has won 52 national team championships and over 180 Southeastern Conference titles. Georgia student-athletes have a long tradition of excellence that has placed the University of Georgia among the nation’s most elite academic and athletic powerhouses. www.GeorgiaDogs.com.
About Altius Sports Partners
Since its inception in 2020, Altius Sports Partners (ASP) has become a trusted strategic advisor to more than 40 Division I collegiate athletics programs, including nearly half of the P4. Through a unique blend of data-driven, creative, and practical strategic guidance, ASP College equips campus leaders to navigate the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics with confidence and precision. Additionally, ASP Brands helps blue-chip brands, including Verizon and Powerade, develop and execute their college sports strategies and campaigns.
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