Alyson Vander Steen was named Associate Athletic Director for External Operations in April 2026.
Vander Steen brings more than a decade of experience in collegiate athletics, marketing, and event operations and has received multiple NACMA awards across several institutions for excellence in marketing and fan engagement. Most recently, she served as Creative Content Manager for Weisser Distributing and Marketplace Pros, where she worked with clients on brand positioning within the e-commerce space and supported the development of internal private label brands. During this time, she also remained active in the sports industry, contributing to the execution of major championship events, including the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, Summit League Basketball Championships, and NSIC Basketball Championships.
Prior to her time in the private sector, Vander Steen spent five years at North Dakota State University (2018–2023), where she was elevated from Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Fan Engagement to Associate Athletic Director in 2020 and served as a member of the department’s senior staff. She oversaw marketing, creative services, and broadcast operations while serving as the primary marketing contact for three FCS National Championship football teams, including the promotion of Walter Payton Award winner and NFL Draft pick Trey Lance. She also supported two Summit League Men’s Basketball Championships and the program’s 2019 NCAA Tournament appearance. Her sport supervision responsibilities included cheer, and later expanded to include track and field and cross country. She also served as the sport administrator for the 2023 Summit League Track & Field Championships, which North Dakota State hosted, and both the men’s and women’s teams captured conference titles.
Vander Steen previously served as Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Tickets at Augustana University (2015–2018), where she oversaw the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and advised one of three national SAAC representatives selected to serve on the NCAA Board of Governors Student-Athlete Engagement Committee. She was also selected as the administrative representative for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) at the NCAA Student Leadership Forum. During her time at Augustana, the Vikings captured NCAA Division II national championships in men’s basketball and baseball.
She also gained experience through roles at Westminster College (now Westminster University) and the University of Nebraska–Kearney.
Vander Steen earned her master’s degree in business (marketing) from Bond University in Queensland, Australia, and her bachelor’s degree from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. A native of Oregon.
