As part of Secretariat’s Global Sports Consulting Practice, Ms. Oates brings significant expertise in government relations; education, labor, and workforce policy; and public-private partnerships to clients across the sports business ecosystem. She combines sound business and legal acumen, strategic judgment, and operational precision to help clients succeed in high-impact, cross-border matters – including venue development and financing, collective bargaining, dispute resolution and NIL compliance. Her unique value lies in bridging policy, operations, and finance to reduce risk and ensure compliant delivery—at scale and on time—for sports projects and transactions, despite market swings, political shifts, budget pressures, aging infrastructure, and evolving regulatory frameworks.

Formerly General Counsel for Washington D.C.’s state labor agency, Ms. Oates resolved federal audit risks, developed enterprise compliance tools, and provided legal and strategic oversight over the appropriation and expenditure of $1.2 billion in local and federal funds. She led sensitive internal investigations and negotiated complex, high-profile public-private deals, including DC’s $515M investment in the Capital One Arena redevelopment. Ms. Oates also served as an Administrative Law Judge, adjudicating workers’ compensation matters, which gives her a decision-maker’s perspective in dispute resolution and arbitration.

With experience navigating public systems and large capital programs, Ms. Oates is well-positioned to support global clients – including sovereign and private investments, league and club development, venue mega-projects, naming-rights and sponsorship structures, and governance frameworks aligned with international best practice.