Paisley M. Benaza

Paisley M. Benaza, MBA is a creative data-driven marketing strategist, intuitive design researcher, and storyteller in the business of retail, media, entertainment & sport committed to delivering inclusive solutions and thought leadership to connect people, build trust, drive growth, and communicate a leading brand position in a digital world.



At the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University, she is studying intersectional identity, technology, and advocating for socio-economic justice through sport and popular culture to champion equity, generate strategic consumer industry insights, and actionable recommendations to influence institutional transformation and raise the benchmark for best practices.



Paisley served as the inaugural Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) and succeeded in changing the name to Committee for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion while creating the publication Pathway as a resource for undergraduate students and their families to learn more about graduate student experiences through their own stories. 

As a proven practitioner in the high stakes industry of popular culture branding, Paisley built a solid reputation as an integrated sports marketing pioneer. In 2006, she redefined her role from a professional athlete manager to a personal brand architect by designing a comprehensive superstar athlete communications strategy and thriving in the intersection of traditional and digital media to reach fans where they are.

As an early adopter of social media platforms, she integrated earned and owned digital media by leveraging blog partnerships, personal websites, and Youtube channel partnerships with traditional print media coverage including magazine covers and working with journalists to secure strategic national headlines to inject authenticity to paid advertising campaigns with leading global brands. Paisley earned her recognition as a relationship driven dealmaker by connecting her network of professional athletes with creatives and brand managers to collaborate on unprecedented co-branding efforts resulting in limited edition signature product to move the consumer culture forward.

A resourceful problem solver, Paisley's career is distinguished by exercising empathy and resiliency to gracefully work through crises and manage reputations. Her business management experience of a dossier of contracts totaling $250 million+ extends beyond negotiations, pitch presentations and executing integrated marketing solutions and advertising strategy. She is skilled in producing rich, insightful digital campaigns, assets and products to tell stories that connect, persuade, and build relationships with people. Paisley's creative work and consumer behavior studies span global professional basketball, footwear/apparel, food/chocolate and wines/spirits, retail, consumer goods, real estate, financial services, and non-profit organizations. 

Miss Benaza's power in leveraging over 15 years of critical practice in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and New York City and blending design thinking with empirical research is an advantage to The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University where she is earning her Doctor of Philosophy degree. As an equity and inclusion champion, she earned a Graduate Certificate in Socio-Economic Justice at the School of Social Transformation to help others, advocate for justice, and develop social innovations that change the world. 

Paisley M. Benaza, MBA’s current doctoral research is optimized by building upon her expertise in marketing in a digital world, strategic communications, celebrity brand management, professional athlete representation, and branded content innovation to explore mass media influence, information technology, and audience in three areas:

•  Inclusion, Diversity & Social Transformation: Intersectionality; Equity; Race and Ethnicity in Sport and Entertainment; Social Justice

•  Communication & Culture: Popular Culture; Television Studies: Binge-watching, Netflix; Hip-Hop; Global Sport Fan Culture; Youth Culture; Consumerism; Mobile Smartphones; Wellness and Health Campaign Communications; High School Education Pathways; College Applications

•  Business & Media: Athlete Branding & Sports Marketing; Retail; Recycling Sports Sustainability Campaigns; Organizational Culture & Change Management; Diversity & Inclusion; Human Capital & Technology; Social Media Networks; College Major and Career Exploration

At ASU, Paisley is a scholar advocate who served as the graduate student representative on the Committee for Campus Inclusion for the Downtown Phoenix Campus and was the 2018-19 Arizona Pathways to Prosperity Graduate Research Assistant/Associate at the Center for the Future of Arizona, instructor for Major and Career Exploration courses ASU 101 and UNI 150, and is a Spirit of Service Scholar. As the Academy Operations Leader at the ASU Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service, she is in charge of creating the curriculum, leading a team of ASU undergraduate students, and producing the 2018 and 2019 Public Service Leadership Academy for admitted greater Phoenix area high school students.



Paisley is a change agent uniquely positioning herself as an influential public scholar and humanitarian challenging conventional business wisdom and breaking through the status quo in entertainment to rewrite the rules for the next generation of creative talent, educators, and entrepreneurs to thrive at the forefront of the communication revolution.