Honorees 91-100: Outsports Power 100, the most influential LGBTQ people in sports in 2024

For Chris Hagstrom-Jones, his job as assistant general manager of the South Bend Cubs makes him a jack of all trades. A typical day could see him designing marketing plans or assembling social media posts, and other parts donning the mascot costume in the community or dressing as Captain America for Marvel Night. What’s most special is how Hagstrom-Jones has melded his love of baseball with the love of his life. He and his partner were married on a baseball field and are continuing the theme this month. “We’re celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary in October. And we’re celebrating it at the stadium club of Four Winds Field,” he said, “So now I get to celebrate again at another baseball field.”

– Ken Schultz

Lori Lindsey is a former professional soccer player who helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She’s now an analyst for MLS Season Pass, and she also calls NWSL games for CBS. She was previously a sideline reporter for Nashville SC, a trailblazer as a woman working in Major League Soccer. She played college soccer for the Virginia Cavaliers and lives her life openly and proudly as an LGBTQ person in sports media.

– Cyd Zeigler

Take one look at Max The Impaler and you will understand why they have been able to carve out a historic path all their own through the pro wrestling landscape. “The Non-Binary Nightmare” holds a mystique in many’s eyes, and their skill in the ring led them to become the first transmasculine non-binary pro wrestler to hold titles in both the National Wrestling Alliance and prominent Japanese promotion Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling in the last year. For that and other accomplishments, they were named the number one out LGBTQ pro wrestler in the world in the 2023 QWI 200.

– Brian C. Bell

Arlette Fernandez is NASCAR’s Managing Director of NASCAR International. She’s responsible for strategic and operational management of NASCAR’s international series, which include events in Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Brazil. Before joining the International team, Arlette led NASCAR’s Multicultural and Youth Marketing guiding a team responsible for initiatives focused on the Hispanic and African American communities. She is the chair of PRIDE+, NASCARs LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. Originally from El Salvador, Arlette attended Auburn University at Montgomery and currently resides in Charlotte, N.C.

– Cyd Zeigler

For the first time in 40 years, Kirk Walker won’t be an on-field coach. Walker is now UCLA’s director of softball administration, where he will continue to have a major impact on the program. Walker has been a longtime advocate and mentor for LGBTQ people in sports, especially coaching. He first came out to his players in 2005, and in 2007 he shared his story publicly with Outsports — and for many years remained the only publicly out gay male DI coach. As he is fond of saying: “Although it’s only my story, it has definitely changed a lot of people’s perspectives — just internally, of how they view themselves. It tells them there’s a little bit of hope. ‘It may not be the right time for me, but this can happen.’”

– Jim Buzinski

Lauren Scruggs shined bright in Paris, becoming the first Black American fencer to win an individual medal when she earned a silver. She added gold in the women’s team foil and at only 21 she could have a long Olympics career ahead. She is an out lesbian and regularly posts about her girlfriend. Asked to describe fencing, she told Outsports: “It’s kind of like, if you’ve watched the ‘Princess Bride,’ the fighting scenes form that movie. And Zorro. You’re trying to poke the other person.”

– Jim Buzinski

Rennae Stubbs was a standout doubles player on the WTA Tour, winning six Grand Slam doubles titles (both women and mixed) and representing Australia at four Olympic Games. Stubbs has been a fixture in the tennis media for over a decade at the Tennis Channel and ESPN, amongst others. She’s also the host of The Power Hour on Amazon Prime Video. In the last few years, Stubbs has even taken a few turns as a tennis coach, working with the likes of Sam Stosur and Serena Williams.

– Cyd Zeigler

Kristin Bernert has spent over two decades working in major American sports, from Ohio State to the Los Angeles Sparks and the NBA. She is now a minority owner of NJ/NY Gotham FC after being the president of business operations for the Columbus Crew. “I’ve worked in sports for almost two decades and we’re experiencing an unprecedented inflection point for women’s sports,” she said. She’s previously been recognized as a “Game Changer” by Sports Business Journal and as one of Crain’s Business Journal’s “Notable Women in Sports.” 

– Jim Buzinski

In a tradition-heavy sports world, it’s hard to get fans to accept change, but Elisa Padilla has excelled in this task throughout her career. When the New Jersey Nets moved to Brooklyn in 2012, Padilla developed the “Hello Brooklyn” campaign to connect them to their new home. Upon joining the Miami Marlins as senior vice president of marketing in 2018, Padilla oversaw their rebranding to distance themselves from former owner Jeffrey Loria with a new logo and uniforms in Miami blue and Caliente red. Padilla currently serves as chief marketing officer for the New York Red Bulls of MLS and hosts an Instagram Live series through her Kick It By EP handle.

– Ken Schultz

Bryden Hattie became an “it girl” with his bestie, Tyler Downs of Team USA, as the two competed in international diving competitions. The online following that Hattie was able to build reflected his connection with an audience on social media, and his bigger-than-life personality. Representing Canada, he had a huge impact on TikTokers and others in the United States and beyond. Earlier in 2024, Hattie won his fourth SEC diving title.

– Cyd Zeigler