TROY, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) director of athletics Jim Knowlton has announced the hiring of Sachi Ena as the director of marketing and promotions. A former account executive with various teams in both the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), she will help promote all of RPI's 23 intercollegiate sports.

“I am thrilled for this amazing challenge and opportunity,” said Ena. “I believe in Rensselaer's vision and their commitment to academic and athletic excellence. I am truly honored and excited to be a part of the RPI family.”

“We are absolutely excited to have Sachi join the RPI Athletics team,” said Knowlton. “She brings a wealth of experience in marketing and promotions, and as a former student-athlete, understands the environment of college athletics.”

A native of Hacienda Heights, Calif., Ena spent the last year and a half serving as the owner and president of Kuulture of America Incorporated, a health inspired frozen yogurt company. Among her responsibilities was overseeing the daily operations of the business, including accounting, staff management, product inventory and marketing. Additionally, she spearheaded the company's grand opening and maximized the business's exposure through various charities and local events.

Prior to her work with Kuulture, Ena served as an account executive with various professional sports teams. From 2006 to 2009 she worked for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche organizations as an account executive in the Season and Group Ticket Sales Department. Ena was also first in season ticket sales for the Avalanche's 2007-08 season.

Ena served as an account executive for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2003-06. With the organization, she booked and organized half-time and court-time events for groups and also scheduled meetings and tours of the Staples Center to potential individual and corporate clients. In addition, Ena sold event suites, group tickets and all season ticket packages while increasing sales by over $25,000 in just her first three months with the organization.

Ena also spent seven months as an intern in the sports department at KABC Channel 7 in Glendale, Calif., during 2003. Among her duties were monitoring and logging professional sports games for highlights as well as assisting the sports producer in production and editing of the nightly sports segment. Ena also conducted interviews of players, coaching staff and opposing teams during the Anaheim Ducks run in the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following college, Ena worked for Washington Sports and Entertainment/MCI Center, where she acted as the marketing point person for the MCI Center and the Patriot Center for the NBA's Washington Wizards and the WNBA's Washington Mystics for two years. Ena also served as the marketing facilitator for the Georgetown University Hoyas basketball team during that time.

From 1996-00, Ena was an undergraduate at the University of Denver, where she was a four-year standout on the gymnastics team. A captain in her senior season, she was ranked 18th nationally as an individual gymnast, while the team was ranked 15th in the nation in 2000. A two-time team Most Valuable Player, Ena was also a two-time Coaches Award for Excellence recipient and the Most Improved Player twice during her career.

Ena graduated from the University of Denver in June of 2000, earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology.