KC 2026 Staff

A proven leader in sports business, Kramer’s career includes 16 years at Sprint, where she played an instrumental role in developing and executing many of Sprint’s most successful and pioneering sponsorships, notably the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA, the last time the global event was held in the United States. Among her accomplishments is securing the placement of Sprint’s brand on the NFL coaches’ headsets, the first sponsorship of its kind by a consumer brand.

Following her tenure at Sprint, which culminated in leading the company’s $100-million annual advertising efforts and earning the highly esteemed Sprint Chairman’s Award, Kramer joined the Kansas City Chiefs to lead business communications and advise team leadership on communications strategy. In 2021, the Kansas City Current retained her as transitional CEO during its critical start-up phase where she helped steer the organization in its development of the Kansas City Current brand and assisted launching the team onto the national stage. Most recently, she provided strategic oversight and guidance to the Kansas City Sports Commission as Fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO) before transitioning to the KC2026 team.

Mallory Cage is an accomplished event professional who, as Director of Fan Festival and Events, will bring an elevated, immersive focus to FIFA World Cup Fan Festival and Events across the region. Through her leadership, fans can engage with the excitement and energy of the FIFA World Cup™ beyond the stadiums, creating memorable moments before, during, and after the games.

With over a decade in event strategy and execution, Mallory has crafted impactful experiences for sports, community, and corporate organizations, including the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Augeo Marketing, and the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. Her early years as a collegiate swimmer fostered a deep passion for the unifying power of sports in communities, guiding her commitment to creating inclusive, transformative events.

Mallory is currently advancing her expertise with an MBA from Duke University and holds a Bachelor’s in Print Journalism from the University of South Carolina.

As the Social Media and Content Manager for KC2026, Kateri Hartman is focused on developing and executing social and digital strategies to help engage, inform, and communicate with our target audiences. In her role, she creates and curates content while collaborating with stakeholders and partners to elevate the destination, inform our communities and visitors, and amplify identified activations and events for FIFA World Cup 26™.

Before joining the team, Hartman gained valuable experience as the Director of Sports Marketing and Promotions at the University of Nebraska Omaha Athletic Department. She created marketing strategies and campaigns for in-season events, including NCAA tournament appearances and world-record competitions. She helped drive unprecedented fan engagement opportunities for Omaha Athletics programs through social media, in-game promotions, community relations, digital media and more. 
Hartman brings a diverse background with experience as a Copywriter/Media relations Associate at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she supported university departments and initiatives. Her time on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s award-winning Bateman competition team honed her strategic skills, and fine-tuned her ability to manage social media and events.

In her role as Director of Project Management, Kirchhoff will serve as the hub for what Kramer has described as a “team of teams” that will deliver FIFA World Cup 26™. An Oracle Cerner (previously known as Cerner Corporation) employee since 2001, Kirchhoff began as a Project Manager before becoming a Program Manager and ended her tenure there as Senior Director of Consulting, Engagement Management. In her most recent role she provided executive leadership, strategic planning, operational execution and client relationship and risk mitigation for 100+ healthcare IT project implementations, resulting in $200M+ in revenue per year. As the KC2026 Director of Project Management, Kirchhoff will provide structure and processes for all teams who are responsible for KC2026 projects.

In his role as Director of Marketing for KC2026, Smith will be responsible for planning, development, and implementation of the KC2026 marketing strategies. He brings more than 15 years of experience in marketing and experience as a former professional athlete. Smith’s marketing career began on the agency side where he worked with a broad group of clients including: the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority, Wendy’s, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Intel, and Gatorade. Smith is known for effective marketing principles and building strong relationships. Most recently, he was the Director of Marketing at Dimensional Innovations where he led all MarCom initiatives, and helped drive pipeline growth year over year.

Tretinyak joins KC2026 after graduating from Benedictine College in May. She will be a key part of the day-to-day Host City activities including stakeholder communication, event logistics and coordination with FIFA on project deliverables. She previously served as a Marketing and Events Intern for The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.