Longtime Team Members Elevated to Leadership Roles Within Mohegan Sun’s Entertainment Team; Elijah Panfili also Joins Public Relations Team as Sports & Entertainment Publicist
Mohegan Sun is excited to announce the promotions of Matt Dole to Director of Entertainment Strategic Planning and Kayla Smith to Manager of Sports & Entertainment. With extensive experience across live entertainment operations, booking strategy and venue management, both leaders have played integral roles in the Mohegan Sun’s success and will continue to help shape the future of one of the nation’s premier destinations for live entertainment.
In his new role as Director of Entertainment Strategic Planning, Matt Dole will oversee and help drive strategic initiatives for Mohegan Sun’s vast entertainment portfolio, with a primary focus on the award-winning Mohegan Sun Arena. He will oversee revenue optimization efforts, artist relations and long-term business strategies. Dole will also play a key role in strengthening and expanding partnerships with industry leaders such as Live Nation and leading artist agencies, while helping shape the entertainment vision for one of the Northeast’s busiest and top-ranked venues, Mohegan Sun Arena. His expertise in talent booking will also support other Mohegan Sun venues, including the Wolf Den and Sun Patio, which over the past two summers has played host to The Roots, Dion, Lakeview, Buckcherry, Lupe Fiasco, Sully Erna and much more.
Dole began his career at Mohegan Sun in 2006 as a restaurant host at Cove Lounge within Mohegan Sun’s Culinary team. From there, he gained experience through a variety of operational focuses including VIP Services, Arena Club and Revenue Management before joining the Entertainment team, where he has continued to play a critical role in venue programming and strategic planning.
“These promotions within our Entertainment team are well deserved, as Matt and Kayla have each played essential roles in the continued success of our entertainment venues,” said Joe Soper, VP of Sports & Entertainment for Mohegan. “Their leadership, dedication and ability to adapt in a fast-paced industry have helped elevate the guest experience across our live venues and I am excited to see them build on that momentum.”
Kayla Smith began her career with Mohegan Sun in 2005 as a Guest Receptionist in Hotel Operations. Through her dedication, strong work ethic, andcommitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences, she advanced into leadership roles as Hotel Supervisor and Dual Rate Manager. In January of 2020, Kayla transitioned into Sports & Entertainment as a Contract & Scheduling Specialist. With more than two decades of experience across multiple areas of Mohegan Sun, Kayla brings a wealth of experience and operational knowledge to her position. As Manager of Sports & Entertainment, Smith will play a vital role in entertainment booking for the Wolf Den, while assisting with booking strategy for The Cabaret Theatre (The Cab), the Sun Patio, and Mohegan Sun Arena. She will also continue to manage the contracts, scheduling of artist/tour hospitality needs and general operational support across Mohegan Sun’s entertainment programming.
Joining Mohegan Sun as Sports & Entertainment Publicist is Elijah Panfili, a Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) graduate with a background in Communications, PR and Marketing. As Sports & Entertainment Publicist, Panfili will support publicity efforts for Mohegan Sun’s extensive lineup of live entertainment, working closely with regional and national media to drive engagement and increase visibility for the hundreds of concerts and sporting events hosted annually at Mohegan Sun Arena and across Mohegan Sun’s other popular venues. Panfili can be reached at [email protected].
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN
Owned by Mohegan, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic Southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, two distinct convention centers, an expo center, a golf course, over 70 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on X and Instagram @mohegansun and view us on YouTube.
###