Page 27 - 2021 ATL Media Guide

dixie keller Senior Director, Baseball Administration FRONT OFFICE

• Dixie Keller is in her 21st season with the organization, • Prior to joining the
including her first as senior director, baseball Braves, she worked for
administration...She is the club's first-ever female the Amateur Athletic
director in baseball operations. Union (AAU) as an event
• In her role, she works closely with the general manager operations manager
in all facets of the club’s administrative matters relating organizing the various amateur sporting events held
to the major league team, including player contracts, at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake MANAGER & STAFF
compliance and transactions...In addition, she oversees Buena Vista, Fla...Honored for her outstanding service,
the family relations department, supervises the Bill she was presented the AAU Presidential Award for
Lucas Fellowship program, and manages the baseball Leadership in 1998.
operations financial budgets. • In 2012, she made a cameo appearance in the Clint
• During her 17 seasons in the scouting department, she Eastwood movie “Trouble with the Curve.”
focused on player eligibility and event organization for • Originally from Montgomery, Ala., she earned her
the Major League Baseball Rule 4 Amateur Player Draft master’s degree in sports administration from the
and the July 2 International Signing Day. United States Sports Academy, and her bachelor’s PLAYER BIOS
degree in sports management from Arkansas State
University.

adam sonabend Director, Baseball Operations
• Adam Sonabend is in fourth season with the Braves, • Sonabend previously
including his first as director, baseball operations...He played three seasons, SEASON IN REVIEW
was promoted to his new role in January of 2021. 2015-17, in the San
• In his position, Sonabend oversees the Braves' major Francisco Giants
league operations department and supports the day- organization as a
to-day functions of the baseball operations group. catcher.
• He also assists Alex Anthopolous, Jason Paré, Ben • The Arizona native began his collegiate career as
Sestanovich, and Mike Fast on matters relating to a walk-on catcher at Kansas State University...He
advance scouting, roster management, transactions, transferred to Mesa Community College (AZ) for
trades, contract extensions, arbitration, player one season, before spending his final two collegiate PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
development and free agency. seasons at Eastern Michigan University.
• Prior to his current role, Sonabend spent the 2019 and • He graduated from Eastern Michigan with a bachelor’s
2020 seasons as a major league operations analyst. degree in business management.
• He joined the Braves in 2018 as a baseball operations • Sonabend, 28, and his wife, Megan, reside in Smyrna,
trainee. Ga.

RON KNIGHT Assistant Director, Minor League Operations BRAVES HISTORY
• The 2021 season is Ron Knight’s 13th in the Braves • A native of Atlanta,
organization, including his third as the club's assistant Knight graduated from
director, minor league operations...He was promoted Morehouse College
to the role in January of 2019. with dual BA degrees in
• Knight works closely with the Braves’ Assistant General business administration
Manager, Player Development, Ben Sestanovich, with a concentration
in all aspects of minor league operations including in management and spanish...He also earned two OPPONENTS
the evaluation of the minor league system, roster masters degrees, in business administration and sports
management, international operations, minor league administration, from Ohio University.
free-agent contract negotiations, budgets, and the
maintenance of existing programs.
• Knight joined the Braves in 2009 as a baseball
operations trainee...He was promoted to baseball
operations assistant in 2011 and manager, minor MISCELLANEOUS
league administration in 2015.

2021 ATLANTA BRAVES MEDIA GUIDE 27