Ellen Zavian

Zavian was raised in Maywood, New Jersey. Her father played basketball and her mother was a gymnast, while her older brother ran track and her older sister played softball. Zavian attended Maywood Elementary School and Hackensack High School. Zavian was a three-sport varsity athlete at Hackensack High School, participating in soccer, volleyball, as well as track and field. She was also a cheerleader. For her undergraduate education, Zavian attended the University of Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business management and marketing, graduating in 1985. Zavian continued her education at American University – Washington College of Law and earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1988. == Early career ==

In the 1980s, Zavian worked at the Maryland racetracks' promotional departments (Pimlico, Freestate and Laurel) and the University of Maryland's Recreation Center. == Legal career ==

In law school, she worked as an intern at the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) during the 1987 NFL season players’ strike. After graduating from law school, Zavian joined a Senior Management Group LLC law firm based near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and run by sports agent, Brett Senior, where she represented professional athletes as their attorney/agent. The terms of the contract stated that the women's soccer team would only receive a bonus if they won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, while the men's soccer team contract stated they would receive an Olympic bonus if they won bronze, silver or gold. She helped create the X-Game and Gravity Games extreme athletes (skateboarders, bmx’ers and inliners) and the break dancers player associations. Zavian has served as the Founding Executive Director of the Women's National Team Players Association The Women's National Team Softball Association, The United Professional Skateboarder Association (UPSA). In 2022, Zavian became the first General Counsel for USA Lacrosse, the governing body of lacrosse in the United States. == Journalism career ==

Zavian has held several positions in the field of journalism. She served as an inaugural columnist for Conde Nast's Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, covering the business of women's sports. In addition, she also was a columnist for Fairchild's Branding magazine, covering the sports marketing, Pro Football Weekly, focusing on the business of the Pro Football Weekly and Bass Resource reporting on women. She is Editor-in-chief for Esports and the Law and My Legal Bookie both of which focus on the legal issues within esports and gaming. In 2020, she became a Contributing Author in esports coverage for The Washington Post. Other writings and quotes of hers have appeared in Forbes, Sports Illustrated, The Guardian, Association of Corporate Counsel, and Sports Law Expert. She has also made appearances on CNN, C-SPAN, and NPR. == Teaching career ==

Zavian is currently a Professorial Lecturer in Law at George Washington School of Law. Zavian has also taught at the University of Baltimore Law School, David A. Clarke School of Law, George Mason - Antonin Scalia Law School, and American University – Washington College of Law. == Awards ==

1992, Zavian was awarded the New Jersey Achievement Award 1997, Zavian was awarded the Top 20 Most Powerful Women In Sports by the Women's Sports and Fitness Foundation. 2001, Zavian was named to the Jewish Community Center of Greater DC's Sports Hall of Fame. ==Personal life==

A resident of River Edge, New Jersey, she competes in marathons and triathlons and was a body builder. == References ==