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Giants hire Dawn Aponte as senior vice president of football operations & strategy

DAWN-APONTE-ANNOUNCEMENT

Dawn Aponte, who had been the NFL's chief football administrative officer since 2017, was announced today as the New York Giants' senior vice president of football operations and strategy.

Aponte brings a wealth of football experience at the team and league level to the Giants. In her role, Aponte is responsible for strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and working closely with the college and pro personnel departments.

At the league office, Aponte was responsible for driving football operations initiatives, facilitating communication and management of day-to-day football operations, and assisting in building relationships with club owners, presidents and executives. Aponte played a leading role on all health and safety-related initiatives, helping ensure alignment and integration between the league, the clubs, and external stakeholders in the pursuit of a safer game.

Prior to her tenure at the league office, Aponte served as an executive with RSE Ventures, an international sports, entertainment and tech firm co-founded by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and club vice chairman Matt Higgins.

Aponte was with the Miami Dolphins from 2010 to 2016, last serving as executive vice president of football administration. There, she overlapped with current Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who was on the Dolphins' staff for nearly a decade. In addition, Dennis Hickey, the Giants' assistant director of player personnel, was Miami's general manager for three seasons (2014-16).

Aponte joined the Dolphins after one year as vice president of football administration with the Cleveland Browns. Before that, she spent three years as vice president of labor finance with the NFL Management Council.

Aponte started her career in football as an accounting intern with the New York Jets, where she spent more than 15 years (1991-2006) in various capacities, including as the club's senior director of football administration. Bill Parcells was head coach of the Jets from 1997-99, while Bill Belichick was his defensive coordinator.

Throughout her 30 years in football, Aponte has developed expertise in matters relating to contract negotiations, salary cap management, labor and CBA issues, and day-to-day management of the football business and administration operations.

Aponte serves on the NFLUK Foundation Board, which aims to tackle inequality and a lack of opportunity faced by young people in underserved communities across the UK. She previously served on USA Football's Board of Directors, where she helped guide the sport's national governing body in leading the game's development for youth, high school and other amateur football players.

Aponte earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Delaware and passed the C.P.A. exam shortly thereafter. She went on to receive a master's degree in Finance and Management from Wagner College, then continued on to earn a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School. Aponte is a member of the New York State Bar.

Aponte and her husband, Kevin, are the proud parents of four children. Their son, Matt, is an assistant coach with the Chicago Bears; daughter Madison works on the personnel staff of the Kansas City Chiefs; and twins, Caroline and Thomas, are college students.

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