Kayla Bradham’s life story is a testament to resilience, determination, and a profound belief in the transformative power of sports. Growing up facing challenges like rural poverty and abuse, a single act of kindness—someone covering her softball registration fee—became the catalyst for her life’s mission. That old Rawlings glove from a garage sale and the camaraderie of her team taught her the value of being coachable and the pure joy of being part of something bigger, the power of community.

A graduate of St. Norbert College, Kayla possesses degrees in Communication, Media, and Theatre, with an emphasis in Management and a concentration in Leadership. Additionally, she holds a minor in English. Her academic achievements (including graduating in just 3.5 years), are coupled with multiple corporate certifications. She is Executive Management certified, Project Management Essentials certified, and holds certifications in First Aid, CPR, and Suicide Prevention.

In her professional journey, Kayla found joy in owning and operating three businesses while homeschooling her children.  As her eight children grew older, Kayla returned to outside employment and climbed her way up the corporate glass ceiling. As the only female in her position alongside 15 men, overseeing multiple fitness centers that boasted memberships exceeding 20,000 members and a dedicated staff of over 40 employees, she also served as the Champion for the company’s corporate wellness and community outreach initiatives.

In 2018, a chance meeting with Roy Kessel at a Tony Robbins event in Chicago proved serendipitous. Together, they’ve committed themselves to the vision of the Sports Philanthropy Network, aiming to create a tidal wave of social impact across America. Their mission is clear: partnering with athletes/influencers, business executives, and nonprofit leaders to create social impact.  Today, as the Executive Vice President of the Sports Philanthropy Network, she continues to cultivate crucial relationships. Whether it’s with athletes, sports teams, sponsors, or their associated foundations, Kayla’s role is pivotal.

A reflection of her dedication to creating hope and possibility through sports is her podcast, “The Legacy After the Locker Room,” where she seamlessly intertwines her skills as an expert storyteller with her passion for connecting sports to social impact. Check out her “verified” Facebook and Instagram accounts for family-friendly content that inspires!

Kayla Bradham is an active member of the NFL Alumni Association, marking her dedication to the sports community. Her commitment to personal and professional growth is evident through her other extensive certifications and training. Not only has she received her license as a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach, but she has also earned a Certificate in Christian Counseling, underscoring her specialization in this domain to support women and children, In July 2021, Kayla obtained the Athlete Marketing Essentials: NIL Certification from Front Office Sports. Moreover, she has proactively equipped herself with a certification focusing on harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation training. All of these certifications, trainings, and ongoing educational credits uniquely position Kayla to work directly with athletes and sports leaders to build strong, healthy, and inclusive opportunities to create social impact.Top of Form

 

In addition to her numerous accolades and certifications, Kayla Bradham currently serves on the board of directors for three renowned non-profit organizations. Her leadership and insights have proven invaluable in steering these institutions toward their goals, further emphasizing her commitment to philanthropy and community engagement.

Kayla is a pivotal member of the Board of Directors for City on a Hill, an organization located in the heart of Milwaukee, WI — America’s 5th poorest city. Dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty, City on a Hill aims to transform central city neighborhoods by restoring hope, reducing poverty, strengthening families, and fostering social justice. Their Christ-centered service model focuses on alleviating the symptoms of chronic poverty, equipping the youth to break generational poverty cycles, and training individuals to address citywide poverty and injustice.

Kayla further extends her philanthropic endeavors by serving on the Board of Directors for Tackle Hunger: Home of the Souper Bowl of Caring. For over three decades, this movement has been a beacon of hope, inspiring individuals across the nation to combat hunger within their local communities. Through their innovative digital platform, they provide fundraising services to support an array of food charities. Having mobilized resources from diverse sectors, including support from the NFL Alumni, churches, schools, and civic groups, the movement has raised over $170 million in support, which remains entirely local. In the past three years, the organization has facilitated the collection of over $25 million in donations, ensuring that each dollar donated generates over $18 for local food charities.

Adding to her portfolio of community service, Kayla also serves as an instrumental member of the Board of Directors for Heart of Michael. Founded by Green Bay Packers Alumni, Michael Montgomery, this non-profit organization has a vision centered around the wellbeing of children. Heart of Michael dedicates its resources to educating, empowering, and fostering collaboration with an aim to ensure a healthier future for children. Their main initiative revolves around the provision of preventive heart screenings, highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention for underserved youth.

Kayla’s personal and professional ethos is encapsulated in her self-description: an “INSPIRATIONAL INNOVATOR.” She’s passionate about catalyzing community impact, especially for women and girls in sport, advocating for social justice, supporting faith-based organizations, and championing the youth.

With her sleeves perpetually rolled up, Kayla’s vision transcends mere professional accomplishments. For her, it’s about creating hope and possibility for those in need and about building a formidable pipeline of philanthropy. She is actively leaving behind a legacy that echoes the values she holds dear: service, leadership, growth, connection, inspiration, impact, and love.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Kayla Bradham has been extensively involved in volunteer initiatives, further demonstrating her commitment to community impact.

She took on the role of Fundraising Manager for the Milwaukee Aces Women’s Basketball Team as part of an initiative for community impact with Xperience Fitness. Here, she spearheaded the campaign to raise money and procure sports equipment for families in underserved Milwaukee areas without access to fitness centers. Her collaboration with the owner of the Milwaukee Aces enabled the IOU Sports foundation to be the recipient of this noble cause.

Kayla also dedicated her time to Aurora Health Care, volunteering for the Team Triumph Breast Cancer Survivor Triathlon. As the Wellness Champion, she coordinated staff volunteers, secured workout spaces for breast cancer survivors in training, and played a pivotal role during the event. Her dedication saw her accompanying many participants by running the last mile with them and encouraging them to keep fighting and not give up, ensuring every participant crossed the finish line – a testament to her commitment of creating hope and possibility through sports — there were zero DNQs at this event.

Kayla’s expertise in the sports sector also led her to mentorship. She works with some of the nation’s most influential college athletes to train them on personal branding and using their NIL for the causes and charities that they are most passionate about.  

Kayla’s dedication to community service further extends to health and wellness. Since January 2015, she has been actively involved with the American Red Cross as a Blood Drive Coordinator and regular donor.

Because she is committed to complete health and wellness, Kayla intentionally focuses on opportunities to foster physical, mental, and spiritual health. For this reason, she aligns with Fox River Christian Church in Wisconsin as part of their Prayer Team Ministry in addition to serving as a certified women’s and children’s counselor on the team. The church operates under the vision of enabling individuals to know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and make a difference. Kayla’s involvement echoes the belief that prayer has the power to transform lives and work miracles.

 

For more insights into Kayla’s journey and her mission, explore her podcast page:  

https://sportsphilanthropynetwork.org/legacy-after-the-locker-room-podcast/