Becka Magnenat walked through the halls of the Seahawks training facility with her manager. Everyone else was in a meeting, and Magnenat was being shown around the department, as she was a relatively new member of the community outreach team. The tour arrived at a supply closet. The manager made a comment about how some sweeping and organizing would need to be done soon, and the wheels began turning in Magnenat’s head. Later that day, when her work was finished, Magnenat took the time to organize and sweep the closet.

“From there, I think our relationship kind of turned a little bit, where she really began to trust me and wanted to have me involved in more projects,” Magnenat said.

This wasn’t something that Magnenat did for attention or recognition. That’s just the type of person that the Seattle Pacific University 2014 alumni is. Her grandparents immigrated here from Chile, and her parents taught her and her siblings the meaning of hard work.

Now, Magnenat has been with the Seattle Kraken’s marketing department for two years, recently named manager of the marketing department.

Magnenat has always been career driven, so when she entered college, she moved from Lynnwood, Washington to Costa Mesa, California to attend Vanguard University. Being in California would help her pursue her dream of becoming a sports broadcaster or journalist.

But Magnenat realized that Seattle was home for her, and returned to attend Seattle Pacific University, majoring in journalism and working on the sports section of the Falcon. A commuter student, she would spend her time working on homework in the commuter lounge and taking walks around campus.

“There’s really few campuses as beautiful as SPU, especially this time of year as we enter the fall,” Magnenat said.

Upon returning to Seattle, she also learned that the opportunities in sports for women were not just limited to broadcasters or journalists.

Prior to working for the Seattle Kraken, Magnenat worked for the Seattle Seahawks organization and worked in their kitchen preparing meals and helping check in players as they came into practice. Through her experience with the Seahawks, she was exposed to what a sports business was really like.

“Through that experience with the Seahawks I realized every professional sports team, and equally for collegiate sports, is a full business,” Magnenat said.

Magnenat saw she did not have to limit herself to sports broadcasting and journalism while exploring career opportunities in the front office of the Seattle Seahawks. After graduating, Magnenat interned in the organization’s Community Outreach Department, which she saw as a perfect opportunity as she loved being involved in her community.

Magnenat delved into the world of startup businesses for a short time after her experience with the Seattle Seahawks. She began working in video games, for smaller companies WG Cells and Ember Entertainment, an industry which she had no prior experience in. Through her experiences with working in startups, she learned much about business and it ultimately led to her career in marketing.

“Startups are great because you might be hired for one role, but really it’s a team sport and you have to help out everyone within the organization,” Magnenat expressed.

Magnenat sees her role with the Kraken as a start-up experience as well, as she was one of the first ten employees to join the department for a team that was just getting started. She got involved with the position due to her relationship with the VP of marketing, as both of them had prior experience working in professional sports organizations and startup businesses in Seattle.

“Having experience in tech and in startups was extremely valuable for me in my current role,” Magnenat said.

In Magnenat’s current role in marketing and appealing the Kraken to sports fans in Seattle, she always has seen an opportunity to grow the fan base for the future of the NHL team. Magnenat describes how the marketing team has done a lot of research through social listening, forums, and focus groups for their strategy in promoting the Kraken. Magnenat is also keen about how the Kraken has a bright future in social and progressive messages through how the stadium of the NHL team is named Climate Pledge Arena.

“We’re learning a ton as we hire and as we grow initiatives, and you’ll see a lot more milestones from us in the coming years,” Magnenat expressed.

Through all of her experiences, Magnenat emphasized that developing and maintaining relationships and staying driven and motivated throughout the process has been key to her success. While she has a good amount of experience, there is nothing that is beneath her in her job at the Kraken.

“Take initiative, be willing to roll up your sleeves, look for opportunities to grow your skill sets, and take full advantage of career centers that you have who can help you as you take your next steps,” Magnenat said.