INTRODUCING
Kiara McClendon
“I’m a dot connecter”
Athlete Relations. Financial Education.
Entertainment Events. Personal Empowerment.
Isaiah 49:18
Sport Mastermind Specializing
in Athlete Personal &
Professional Development
Kiara McClendon is a fierce & focused force in the world of sport & entertainment.
Born & raised in New Jersey, her suburban roots & city hustle have helped McClendon experience professional success across multiple arenas at a young age. While studying at Rutgers University, McClendon helped coordinate sports & entertainment events for some of the biggest names in entertainment & supported corporate communications for multiple organizations. She went on to earn her bachelor’s & two Master's degrees, & launch a flourishing career in sports.
In her eight years working in collegiate sports, McClendon mentored over 500 athletes across six prominent Division I athletic programs. In 2022, she moved to Atlanta and transitioned to serving professional athletes as the first Director of Player Engagement for a WNBA franchise. McClendon specializes in connecting with athletes, assisting them with their personal and professional goals outside of sport, and ensuring they understand and utilize their power both within and beyond their athletic identity. To this day, she keeps in touch with many of her mentees who’ve now become family. Her work has led to the creation of programming, athlete leadership groups and community initiatives that have greatly influenced athlete development in the collegiate sports industry.
Brands She's Worked With
Youth & Family Financial Educator
In 2019, she created The Adventures of the Money Mavens® brand to educate, uplift & empower K-college aged students with financial knowledge in a culturally relevant and engaging way. Her bilingual coloring activity books and flashcard set were designed in like with the NEFE’s financial education topics for K-6 grade students.
To date, she has sold over 2000 copies of her books and flashcard sets, with more to come! The Money Mavens Crew™ characters have brought their fun and adventure to over 500 children and college students across 15 schools and youth organizations in the United States and Canada.
McClendon has been hired as a financial educator to deliver guest speaking sessions, bootcamps, summer camp installations, and educational consultations for yout across the US and Canada. Key organizations include Columbus City Schools, Jack & Jill, SAFY, Ohio State University, collegiate athletic programs, Fifty4Free (Canada), the JoNathan Foundation, and many others.
to view & order her books!
Position Announcement
The Adventures of the Money Mavens
Book Release
Shoutout Atlanta
Article
Revolt
News Article
In the Press
Click each article to view
Three-Time Self Published Author & Former Forbes Freelance Writer
McClendon is a gifted writer, using her creative thinking and way with words to impact audiences across the globe.
In 2019, she created The Adventures of the Money Mavens® brand, which has grown to include three self-published interactive storybooks for K-12th grade learners. To date, she's sold over 2000 books and provided education and access to knowledge for customers in the US, Canada, and Australia (as known).
She was also a former contributor for Forbes, publishing key articles on sports, entertainment, issues affecting the Black community, and athlete transitions to life after sports. Her largest article on the Forbes platform has garnered over 25,000 views to date.
Athlete Testimonials
“I’ve been fortunate to have someone who not only cares for me as an athlete, but also as a human, which is critical to my success. It was a grind staying consistent in the classroom and balancing sports. Kiara goes above and beyond with her student athletes, making sure they are doing well in all aspects of life. From staying organized with my scheduling to money management, these are just a few examples of the service she has provided for my career. I’m forever grateful to have her in my corner.”
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Keandre Jones,
Entrepreneur & Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals
“Kiara got me right. Whether it was about school, dealing with family, venting about the ups and downs of a season, and more, she was always there for me. She was someone who I could trust, and I’m grateful we crossed paths. She has helped me become a better and more well rounded man.”
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Jordan Fuller,
Entrepreneur & Safety,
LA Rams
“All the mentorship and guidance I’ve received through the years from Kiara at FSU and in the professional realm has been invaluable to say the least. Because of her I’ve been able to make some tough decisions and steer my life in what I feel to be the right direction. She’s always available when needed (which she shouldn’t be) and extremely reliable and trustworthy. Just an overall genuine soul who prides herself in mentoring others. I don’t know where I would’ve been today without her.”
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D’Mitry Charlton,
Crime Analyst & Former Track & Field Athlete
Florida State University
Engaging & Empowering Speaker Using Her Voice to Uplift, Inspire, & Educate Her Audiences.
McClendon’s specialty is uplifting and inspiring her audiences, teaching them how to maximize their potential, and helping others increase their comfort with, confidence in, and knowledge of personal financial management strategies that work for them. Overall, she feels most fulfilled when she can assist others in fulfilling their personal goals. A lover of youth development, women’s empowerment, and community engagement she is excited to expand her speaking engagements beyond sports & financial education to increase her impact.
Contact to book Kiara for speaking engagements, campaigns, or partnerships.
These links are for inquires related to Kiara only and not any companies she’s affiliated with.
Speaking Testimonials
Kiara conducted a financial literacy session with 38 campers ranging in the ages of 10-16. Her delivery method was ideal for this age group and they were able to grasp the information. She did an amazing job at ensuring the campers remained engaged and also was able to provide materials that they could take away and continue the learning process after the camp. Our group learned a lot and we are excited about bringing her back next year to continue pouring into young people about the importance of understanding their finances.
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Reggie M. Simpkins,
President and CEO,
The Jo-Nathan Foundation
I’ve had the pleasure of booking Kiara twice to come speak to my high school students about financial literacy. The first time they begged me to set up a second one!
One thing I noticed about my students after was their comfort speaking about and asking questions about financial literacy. Kiara provided a great foundation!
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Jasmine Wooton
Program Manager, Alumni Relations
Washington Leadership Academy
Ms. McClendon gave a professional, highly informative talk to about 300 of our student-athletes. She was direct and kept our student-athletes focused and attentive. During the hour long talk she gave our kids knowledge of what they could expect when entering college. She made it clear to all that they would be held accountable, academically and for their actions both publically and in private. It was an eye opening experience for many of our student-athletes. The last 15 minutes of Ms. McClendon’s talk led to a highly spirited question and answer period. Ms. McClendon in my opinion Mountaineer Nations can be proud of.
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Ronald Bligh,
Athletic Director,
West Orange High School
Curator of Engaging Sports & Entertaiment Events
McClendon’s experience in sports & entertainment has afforded her the opportunity to coordinate large and small scale events for highly recognized brands. While working at Atlantic Records in college, she supported the publicity and promotions for urban & pop artists TI, Wiz Khalifa, and Ed Sheeran. While with Hot 97, she assisted with planning, execution and original event creation for 50 sponsored events and their premiere large scale concerts, Hot 97 Summer Jam and Rock the Bells.
McClendon worked with the 2018 Women's Final Four to execute Beyond the Baseline. Her first contracted large scale event, she curated 15 original programs aimed exposing the over 1 million patrons visiting the Women’s Final Four to various facets of working in sports. Notably, she secured WNBA stars Briann January and Stefanie Dolson for panel discussions and helped reunite the historic Columbus Quest women's basketball team in a beautiful private moment.
Contact to hire Kiara to plan or coordinate your next event. .
These links are for inquires related to Kiara only and not any companies she’s affiliated with.
