Leadership Reformulated

Barbara Zaun, a dynamic professional in the NFL for over 20 years, is passionate about transformational leadership, and recently received a certificate from the Yale School of Management Executive Education Women’s Leadership Program. She is a regular panelist on leadership forums and will be a featured speaker for this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame’s “Before the Snap”.

Barbara’s approach to innovation within her role has led to many firsts. She was instrumental in the creation of a first-of-its-kind mobile app, and within 5 days of the launch, it ranked on Google Play’s list of Top 5 Sports Apps. She fostered the inclusion of environmental sustainability into projects prior to it being a mainstream practice, resulting in the first eco-friendly themed calendar in the NFL.

Barbara implemented progressive branding which led to the Eagles Cheerleaders’ highly publicized, elite status in the NFL. She was also involved in the collaboration with famed designer Vera Wang, making the Eagles Cheerleaders the first in the NFL to be outfitted by an internationally renowned designer, highlighted during prestigious New York Fashion Week.

Barbara directed the Eagles Entertainment Teams international promotional tours in the UK, Mexico, Canada, and Hong Kong along with goodwill military tours to Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Diego Garcia, South Korea, Bosnia and Kosovo. She managed all the Entertainment Teams publicity and participation at major sporting events including Super Bowl LVII, Super Bowl LII, and Super Bowl XXIX.

Barbara has obtained high-profile opportunities for the Entertainment Teams including features in top publications such as Vogue and Elle, national television features including Good Morning America, TODAY, Jimmy Kimmel Live and international media features with outlets including Sky Sports, BBC, and ESPN Asia, as well as live in-concert performances with iconic music artists such as Queen and NKOTB. She was also the Executive Producer of a popular one-hour special aired on NFL Network. Committed to humanitarian outreach, Barbara has facilitated numerous international community service trips within the organization, including partnering with Waves for Water to provide Dominican Republic villages El Cajuil and Macao La Ceiba with access to clean water and aiding to improve living conditions for orphaned children in Mexico.

Prior to the NFL, Barbara was a titleholder and keynote speaker within the Miss America Organization and also awarded a prestigious Miss America Community Service Award. She has a diverse background in both sports and entertainment, formerly working in professional baseball and soccer, as well as the modeling and television industry.