Our Operations Team

Eric Lindley began his journey with the Newport Gulls in November of 2023, joining as an intern and contributing to the planning and execution of the team's Sixth Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Silent Auction. A proud Rhode Island native, Eric is a former baseball player with Stonehill College's inaugural Division I program and has since transitioned his passion for the game into a leadership role as a Team Manager for the Johnson & Wales Baseball organization. Now serving as the Director of Baseball Operations for the Newport Gulls, Eric oversees each aspect of pre and post season operations, as well as the coordination and execution of the Gulls' unique game-day experiences at Cardines Field, while continuing to strengthen and build the relationship of Newport County within the Gulls!

Rachel Durand joined the Newport Gulls in 2024 as the Summer Camp Director, leading youth programming and community engagement during the team’s championship season. As a lifelong baseball fan, she has turned her love for watching the game into a career. In addition to her work with the Gulls, Rachel also contributes to the operations and media staff for Eastern Michigan University Baseball, a Division I program. This summer, Rachel has taken on an expanded role as the Assistant Director of Baseball Operation for the Gulls, supporting operations, team logistics, and game day execution. She also moonlights as part of the media staff, assisting with graphic design and social media content to enhance the team’s online presence and fan engagement. With a passion for baseball and bringing people together, she’s dedicated to making the Newport Gulls experience unforgettable for players and fans alike!

Juliana is from East Greenwich, RI, and is currently a dual MBA/M.S in Sport Management student at UMass Amherst. Prior to UMass she completed her undergraduate at Syracuse University, majoring in sport management with a sport analytics and chinese language minor. During her time at Syracuse she was the Director of Operations for their men’s ACHA ice hockey team, and completed her capstone in Marketing & PR at the Nashville Sports Council. She returns to the Gulls after the 2024 season where she served as the Director of Community Relations, and is excited for her new role as Executive Assistant General Manager.

Pat joined the Gulls staff in 2025 in the role of Director of Retail Operations.  His responsibilities include the design and ordering of new apparel and souvenirs, maintaining the organization's inventory quantities and pricing detail, identifying new opportunities both locally and nationally to promote the Newport Gulls Brand, and managing the Online Gully Shop. He is also responsible for the assignment and training of the staff at the busy Cardines Field Gully Shop during the season. The volume of traffic we have in this department is sure to keep him busy and allow him to create success for the organization.

A 2021 Graduate of Southern CT State University, and further an MBA in Marketing from the same institution, Pat brings a wealth of education and knowledge to our staff and we are excited to watch him grow what has become a nationally recognized and sought after brand. Pat is no stranger to baseball either, as he was a Pitcher at the collegiate level, a Coach in the travel baseball circuit, and in fact played Summer Collegiate Baseball right here in the New England Collegiate Baseball League for the Sanford Mainers.

We welcome Pat to the Gulls and appreciate his commitment to helping us continue to “Raise The Bar in Summer Collegiate Baseball”!

Donny came on board in the summer of 2018, and has catapulted the Gulls Concession Operation to a level that is far and above the best in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Not only does he run the field concessions, but prepares our Team meals for both teams on game nights, Sponsor meals for our Clubhouse program, specialty events for Host families and other guests of the Gulls…basically anything to do with food and drink for our organization. His reputation with teams throughout the League on the post game meals is phenomenal, as they all look forward to the quality, quantity, and diverse selection of post game menus…unique for baseball programs at this level.

Donny is in the restaurant business, which gives him the skills and knowledge of buying right, maintaining inventory, protecting margins and understanding the importance of menus regardless of the level of the event we host. It has truly been a game changer for our organization. The challenges at our home stadium for serving and for lines at the concession stand has been consistently streamlined over the years, now even offering the ‘Gulls2Go’ program where our fans can order right from their seat and pickup at a designated station away from the in-game chaos of a baseball stadium.

We are lucky to have Donny at the helm of this integral part of the Newport Gulls experience and is a key contributor to our “Raise The Bar” motto.

Emily Oakes is entering her senior year at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts, majoring in Sport Management. Originally from Tiverton, Rhode Island, sports have been a central part of her life since childhood. She’s played softball since she was five years old and currently competes on an 18-and-over travel team. This summer, she's excited to be joining the Newport Gulls as the Director of Game Day Operations. Her role offers an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the sports industry and apply the knowledge and skills she's developed through both her academic studies and athletic involvement. She looks forward to contributing to a successful and memorable 2025 season.

Katherine Martone is a rising junior at Indiana University studying Sports Marketing and Management. She is originally from North Kingstown, Rhode Island. She is passionate about all thing's sports, whether that’s watching or playing them...especially baseball! This summer, she’s thrilled to be serving as the Community Relations Director for the Newport Gulls. She's excited for the opportunity to work alongside the Gulls family - not only to help grow their community outreach, but also to expand her own knowledge of sports marketing as a whole.

Nathan Grace is a rising senior at Johnson & Wales University majoring in Sports, Entertainment, and Event Management. He is from Acushnet, Massachusetts, and is currently the team manager for JWU's baseball team. This summer, he will be joining the Gulls as the Baseball Operations Manager, where he is excited to contribute to a successful 2025 season. 

Julia Sillman is a rising senior at Roger Williams University, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Sports Studies. Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, she has spent the past few years studying sports marketing and community engagement. This is her first time working directly in event operations and sports programming, but she’s been surrounded by sports her whole life and has always loved being part of that world. Julia is excited to bring her enthusiasm and sense of community to the Gulls and contribute to a strong and successful 2025 season. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, going for walks, spending time at Fenway Park, and cheering on the Newport Gulls! 

Tyler Skorski, originally from Rhode Island, will be a junior in the Fall of 2025 at Clemson University pursuing a dual degree in Marketing and Sports Communication. While at Clemson, he has been involved in multiple sports media outlets engaging in sports journalism. Tyler is looking forward to working with the Gulls this summer to gain additional hands-on experience in the sports industry.

Emma Wagner is a rising Junior at James Madison University majoring in Sport and Recreation Management with a minor in General Business. She is originally from Ho-Ho Kus, New Jersey and has spent her past 2 years working with JMU’s Baseball Team as an On-Field Student Manager. In her free time, Emma is either working out, on the  water or with friends and family. Emma is excited and looking forward to working with such a talented and knowledgeable group to make the Gull’s season unforgettable. 

Maxwell Proulx is a rising senior at Bryant University majoring in Team and Project Management with a minor in Sports Studies. He is from North Kingstown, Rhode Island and has also lived in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. He is an avid sports fan and is excited to gain experience and build connections through the Newport Gulls. Maxwell is one of the Assistant Operations Coordinators for the summer and will also be a Promotional Event Manager. In his free time, Maxwell loves to play sports, watch sports, and be with friends. 

Chris Dring recently graduated this past May from Bryant University majoring in accounting. He is from Portsmouth Rhode Island, and he’s spent the last 3 summers gaining experience on the media side of the Gulls, working cameras, and helping with broadcasts. This summer, he’s going to be the financial manager on the operations side of the organization. Chris enjoys playing basketball & golf, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family in his free time. He’s excited to apply his skills, learn, and do whatever it takes to help the 2025 season run smoothly in his new role while the team is in pursuit of a 3-peat.

Ronan West is a rising junior at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. He is from Mamaroneck, New York, but grew up visiting his grandparents in Newport. In the past, he has coached youth teams and athletes, done sports photography, and interned at a non-profit mental health organization. He is excited to assist with inventory/retail operations for the Gulls this summer. In his free time, Ronan is passionate about lacrosse, basketball, photography, and pop punk music.

Brian Grednuk is a Senior at the University of Rhode Island majoring in Sports Media and Communications with a minor in Kinesiology. He is originally from Newport, Rhode Island and has spent the last few years gaining experience in the baseball world, with his time freelancing as an amateur scout, and professional sports along with his time at Rhode Island Football Club as a member of the Team Operations staff in their 2024 inaugural season. He is excited to get more hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations for a baseball organization and learn more to help with a future career in amateur scouting. In his free time, he enjoys snowboarding, running, and taking in as many baseball games and content as possible.

Holiday Awe is a rising senior at the University of Rhode Island majoring in Sports Media and Communications and minoring in Public Relations. She is originally from South Kingstown, Rhode Island and has been gaining experience in community relations and event operations since high school. She is excited to be overseeing the Newport Gulls event space, "The Clubhouse" this summer, her second season in the NECBL. In her free time, Holiday enjoys spending time with friends, going to the beach, and watching college baseball.

Anthony Malcolm is a rising junior at Clemson University majoring in Business Management. He is originally from Newport, Rhode Island and Middleboro, Massachusetts. A lifelong baseball player with a passion for sports stats and analytics, Anthony is thrilled to join the Newport Gulls as an Official Scorer. He looks forward to learning more about the game he grew up loving and being part of a great sports program this summer.

Ryan Cox is excited to return for his third season with the Gulls! When he is not serving as the Gulls’ Director of Entertainment, Ryan teaches music and mathematics at The Prout School in Wakefield, RI, where he has been since 2018. He also describes himself as a “musical chameleon” and performs frequently as a sought-after freelance multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music director. He is a proud Providence College alum and is pursuing a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Rhode Island. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys watching hockey, playing bar trivia, and tracking down the best food the Ocean State has to offer.

Scott Cooper is returning to the Newport Gulls for the 2025 Season as the Assistant Director of Entertainment. Scott, who is the Head Coach of Gaudet Middle School Baseball and a Middletown Resident, knows the ins and outs of the Gulls Organization as he returns for his 4th year with the Newport Gulls.

Ben Logel is a rising sophomore at Merrimack College, majoring in Sports Management. He resides in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and is returning to the Gulls for his fifth summer in the new role of entertainment coordinator. Ben loves all things related to baseball, having played in the past and always wanting to stay involved with the game. Ben is excited to do his part in entertaining the best fans in the NECBL at Cardines all Summer long and hopes to keep it going till the Gulls bring home the three peat.