One of the few female executives in the NFL is leaving the football business.
According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Dolphins executive vice president Dawn Aponte is leaving the team but “transitioning” to a top role at RSE Ventures, another of owner Stephen Ross’s projects.
She’s going to work for club vice-chairman Matt Higgins on business development, specifically the Drone Racing League. While keeping her within the framework of Ross’s larger business, it also takes her out of what has been at times a confusing organizational chart with the Dolphins, away from executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum.
Aponte said she has been discussing such a move within the organization for months.
“I’ve had an amazing experience in the NFL with all the different things I’ve been able to do and touch and experience,” Aponte said. “In our conversations we discussed how I could best use my experience and expand it to more business involvement. This is something new where I can contribute but also grow and develop.”
Aponte has been working in the NFL for 25 years. She had some conversations about joining the Lions front office, but changed her mind to stay in Miami. The Dolphins have promoted senior director for human resources Brandon Shore into her old position, with the title of senior director of football administration.
“I see this as a branch transfer for Dawn,” Tannenbaum said. “She’s working for Matt now but will still be available to us to give us her thoughts on big picture approaches to matters. Brandon worked here under Dawn a long time and he understands our culture and how we approach things. He’s seen how Dawn does it. How I’ve done it. But he has his own ideas.”
Tannenbaum will continue to have final say over all football and contractual matters.
