About Dexter Santos

It is impossible to separate a subject from its background or understand a person without considering the context of their life. The figure that comes into focus against this backdrop is a dynamic catalyst for fortunate connections.

​

Opportunities were scarce growing up in North Carolina. With loss and uncertainty in his early life, basketball became Dexter’s anchor. A move to Chicago before high school started an unexpected journey toward growth. Hours hooping with his cousins at the Salvation Army got Dexter noticed by his coach, who recruited him to attend a prestigious private high school where he learned discipline and character were just as important as academics.

​

With no clear roadmap to college, Dexter found his own way and landed at Eastern Kentucky University. He thrived in the competitive world of Division 1 basketball while earning a degree in psychology.

​

Like many D1 athletes, Dexter thought basketball would be his life. He was struck by the reality of making it as a pro. At a crossroads, Dexter moved to Atlanta. After being turned down by the Hawks, he was offered an entry-level sales position with the Atlanta Braves, at the time one of the lowest-ranking teams in Major League Baseball. The position became the starting point for a groundbreaking career in three of the Big Four U.S. professional sports leagues.

​

At the Braves, Dexter discovered a gift for turning empty stadium seats into sold-out crowds. He had an instinct for audience engagement, creating experiences that brought fans into something bigger. He developed promotions honoring the history of the Negro Leagues and Latino players. He built community engagement programs for youth and created profitable partnerships with corporate sponsors. Dexter stayed with the Braves for nine years and four World Series, including their historic 1995 championship.

​

Having built alliances with athletes, professionals, and city leaders, Dexter returned to basketball as Director of Marketing and later Civic Affairs for the struggling Atlanta Hawks. In his time with the Hawks, he expanded the franchise, secured major corporate sponsorships, directed charitable initiatives through the Hawks Foundation, and oversaw fan engagement at a pivotal time when the team was transitioning to a new arena and an NBA lockout tested fan loyalty. Dexter’s talent for seeing connections where others didn’t led to memorable synergies between business, music, art, and culture. Among the most memorable: his commissioning of an art installment by Thornton Dial, the creation of "A Day in the Life of a Child” Martin Luther King Day youth-mentor program, and bringing world-renowned jazz artists Mike Phillips, Kem, Marion Meadows, and others into the arena. These engagement strategies not only expanded the fan base and boosted brand affinity, they transformed the gameday experience.

​

Dexter pivoted into the gaming industry and government services with the Florida State Lottery. He served as Chief Marketing Officer, managing a $37 million advertising budget and a team of more than 200 employees. He oversaw research for the multi-billion dollar agency, focusing on the psychographics of gaming, all while forming alliances with major brands like Disney and Universal Studios, and leading the state’s transition to the Mega Millions and Powerball platforms.

​

Dexter's role at the NFL Players Association cemented his reputation as one of the most creative minds in sports marketing. As Vice President of Player Services, he oversees global market activation for 2,000 NFL players, working with corporate sponsors, agents, and marketing reps to create opportunities that generate over $300 million annually. He’s the architect behind the NFLPA’s presence at marquee events like the Hall of Fame Legends Reception, Super Bowl VIP Party, Draft Week’s NFLPA Debut, and Rookie Premiere. Working closely with active and retired players, Dexter has expanded player camp programs to more than 200 across all 32 markets and internationally, and he launched the Sandlot 7v7 player-centric youth tournament. Seeing the value of cultural convergence, Dexter has introduced NFL players into spaces they had never been before—including Big Tech partnerships, the Grammys, and a long-running collaboration with ABC’s “Celebrity Family Feud.”

​

Professionally and personally, Dexter lives by the principle that connections are never transactional, they’re transformational. He has built relationships at all levels of organizations, within communities, and across industries. He’s mentored dozens of young professionals into the ranks of sports and entertainment executives. In an industry that evolves constantly, Dexter has continually stayed ahead of the curve, future-focused, shaping outcomes. 

​

With a network that spans generations of talent, Fortune 500 brands, wealth management firms, family offices, artists, musicians, philanthropists, and innovators, Dexter is uniquely positioned to spark influential connections.