����vlog��Ƶ

Innovative digital strategist shaping the future of NFL fandom

Born in India and raised in Dallas from the age of 9, Sana Merchant-Rupani immersed herself in life at ����vlog��Ƶ. She was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta academic honor society and was involved in the South Asian Student Association, Program Council and the Public Relations Student Society of America. She received the John D. Graham Scholarship, the Marcia Silverman Minority Award, the National President’s Citation, the Robert Redman Scholarship and the “M” Award. A member of Tri Delta, Merchant-Rupani served as philanthropy chair and house manager, and on the Panhellenic Council. She was a Mustang Corral leader and a Homecoming candidate. While a student, she interned at Edelman, The Marketing Arm, The Dallas Morning News and American Airlines Center.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in corporate communications and public affairs, she began her career at Burson-Marsteller (now Burson). Two years later, she joined the marketing and public relations team at the Empire State Building, where she drove the brand’s overall social media strategy and messaging. In this role, she also supported the planning and execution of one-of-a-kind marketing campaigns, including #WhosGonnaWin with Verizon, Zedd’s True Colors album launch with Universal Music Group, the 50th anniversary celebration of the Ford Mustang, and the first-ever live projection onto the building with the Oceanic Preservation Society, among others.

Merchant-Rupani just completed her 10th season with the National Football League, where she currently serves as the senior director of club and college marketing. She and her team support the NFL’s 32 teams and 110-plus collegiate partners to meaningfully drive the game of football further through engaging and relevant social content.

She and her team work hand in hand with all 32 NFL clubs on strategic planning, social analytics, monetization strategies and content best practices both domestically and internationally. In close collaboration with internal departments, she ensures that club strategies reflect broader league priorities and partnerships – amplifying both local impact and NFL-wide objectives.

Merchant-Rupani’s team partners with over 110 colleges nationwide through the College Social Program, tapping into the passion of college football fans to turn school spirit into long-term NFL support. By creating innovative content opportunities, they work to engage and build the next generation of NFL fans.

She has been recognized by Forbes as a member of their “30 Under 30” class in 2019, as well as by Hashtag Sports’ inaugural “Creators of Color” program in 2021. That same year, she and her team were named among Ad Age’s Marketers of the Year. She was also a part of a cross- functional internal team that won a Sports Emmy for “Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage” highlighting the League’s 100th anniversary in 2020.

Merchant-Rupani is a devoted fan of her hometown sports teams. She lives with her husband, Rahim, and their 14-month-old son.