Kimberly Veale Has Been Named Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications; Kyle Burns as Vice President, Ticket Sales and Service

PORTLAND, OR – The Portland Fire today announced the appointment of two key executives to its executive team. Kimberly Veale has been named Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications, while Kyle Burns has joined as Vice President, Ticket Sales and Service.

“We are building a world-class organization, and the additions of Kimberly and Kyle are critical to that vision,” said Clare Hamill, Interim President of the Portland Fire. “Their expertise and proven track records will help us harness the incredible momentum as we prepare for the modern era of WNBA basketball in Portland in 2026.”

Veale, who brings 15 years of experience in the WNBA and NBA, joins the Fire after leading marketing and communications for one of the league’s most recent expansion franchises, the Golden State Valkyries. During her tenure at Golden State, Veale built out and oversaw the marketing, social media, community relations and communications teams. Prior to the Valkyries, Veale served as Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Golden State Warriors and its affiliated properties, overseeing business communications across the organization. She’s also held senior roles with the Seattle Storm, where she guided communications through the team’s 2018 WNBA Championship run and the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game, as well as earlier stints with the Chicago Sky and Santa Cruz Warriors.

Burns brings 12 years of professional ticketing experience to the Fire, where he will oversee ticket sales and service strategy with a focus on fan experience and revenue growth. Burns joins the Fire from BSE Global, most recently serving as Senior Director, Sales Operations & Strategy. During his time at BSE Global, Burns led ticket sales and service for the New York Liberty, driving significant growth in attendance and revenue, while also improving the organization’s operational efficiency. Prior he held roles with the Minnesota Lynx, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Iowa Wolves.

The Fire have also hired Marlena Rodriguez as Social Media Manager and Alondra Gamez-Carrera as E-Commerce Customer Service Manager. Additionally, Keana Delos Santos has been promoted to Manager, Business Operations & Special Projects.

The expansion of the executive team follows the recent appointment of Vanja Černivec as General Manager, further strengthening the Fire’s front office as the organization builds toward its 2026 return to the court.