Soil-Cormier, Ohlsen to Participate in NFL Women’s Forum

Published 7:00 am Sunday, February 28, 2021

BATON ROUGE – LSU football staff members Keava Soil-Cormier and Olivia Ohlsen are among 40 women who have been selected nationally to participate in the NFL’s fifth annual Women’s Careers in Football Forum, the league announced.

Soil-Cormier serves as the assistant director of recruiting operations for the LSU football program, while Ohlsen is coordinator of football recruiting for the Tigers. Both are LSU graduates, Soil-Cormier earned her Juris Doctorate from the LSU Law Center, while Ohlsen’s degree came in sports administration.

The NFL’s Women’s Career in Football Forum is part of the league’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Forum will connect 40 women, 75 percent of whom are minority, with leaders in professional football to help those women network and build relationships in the areas of coaching, scouting and football operations.

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“Keava and Olivia are vital members of our football operations team,” LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said. “We are excited about the opportunity for them to participate in the NFL’s Women’s Careers in Football Forum, to develop their skills, and to represent LSU as the next generation of leaders in the sport.”

Participants taking part in the two-day virtual event will attend panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking activities with executives, coaches, industry experts and hiring managers representing organizations such as the NFL and Women Leaders in College Sports. Most of the participants currently work in entry-level college football roles and will learn more about where their experiences can lead them in professional football.

“This is a great opportunity for Keava and Olivia to continue to develop and grow professionally while also connecting with some outstanding leaders in the NFL,” head coach Ed Orgeron said. “Keava and Olivia are two vital members of our recruiting operation under the tutelage of Sharon Lewis and I’m excited that they have a chance to participate in this unique opportunity.”

Since 2017, the Forum has served to help develop a more diverse talent pipeline by connecting high-potential women to career opportunities in football. Over the past four years, 118 opportunities have emerged for women in football. Past participants of the forum include: Brown University Quarterbacks Coach Heather Marini, the first female positional coach in the history of the sport; Cleveland Browns Chief of Staff Callie Brownson; Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant Defensive Line Coach Lori Locust, the first female positional coach in the NFL; San Francisco 49ers Pro Personnel Analyst Salli Clavelle, the NFL’s first Black female scout; and Washington Football Team Assistant Running Backs Coach Jennifer King, the League’s first Black female coach.

Featured speakers include NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Jane Skinner Goodell, NFL Chief Football Administrative Officer Dawn Aponte, as well as three club owners, seven head coaches and six general managers, who are listed below.

NFL Club Owners
Dee Haslam, Cleveland Browns Manager and Principal Partner
Sheila Ford Hamp, Detroit Lions Owner and Chairman
Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Co-Owner & President of Glazer Vision Foundation

Head Coaches
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins
Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
Robert Saleh, New York Jets
Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Vrabel, Tennessee Titans
Ron Rivera, Washington Football Team

General Managers
Terry Fontenot, Atlanta Falcons
Brandon Beane, Buffalo Bills
Andrew Berry, Cleveland Browns
Brad Holmes, Detroit Lions
Nick Caserio, Houston Texans
Jon Robinson, Tennessee Titans
Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers