Jenna Kempner ’18 is Changing The Game

By Kim Wunner, July 2, 2026

The Park alum has built a career telling the stories of the world’s greatest athletes.

Jenna Kempner '18 at the 2025 March Madness Playoffs. Photo Submitted.

“How can I be the best at this?” is the question Jenna Malamud Kempner ’18 asks herself every time an opportunity comes her way.

That mindset has guided her from the studios of Ithaca College to some of the biggest sporting events in the world, where she now creates content featuring the most elite athletes of our time.

“I'm not going to sugarcoat it, says Kempner. “Being a woman in a male-dominated industry, I've had to learn twice as much and work twice as hard for half as much”.

It’s a lesson she learned early.

Growing up on Long Island, New York, with two brothers and a sports-loving father, Kempner was surrounded by competition. As the middle child and the only girl, she often felt like she had to keep up. Competitive soccer became a place where she found both confidence and community—something that would continue to shape the way she approached her career.

When it came time to think about college, she had her sights set on becoming a sideline reporter.

Her mother, Robin Malamud ’88, encouraged her to visit Ithaca College, knowing the Roy H. Park School of Communications offered the kind of hands-on experience Kempner was looking for.

On April 26—just five days before national decision day—Kempner toured Park.

Kempner working for ICTV at Yankee Stadium at Cortaca Jug 2015 with fellow '18 Alums Jamie Reich and Mackenzie Lozano

Kempner working for ICTV at Yankee Stadium at Cortaca Jug 2022 with fellow '18 Alums Jamie Reich and Mackenzie Lozano. Photo Submitted.

“I remember this feeling of community and genuinely being so blown away when seeing all the facilities. I asked my tour guide a million questions. Nothing even held, like, a candle to it. I was like ‘Oh my god, I have to be here’”.

Once she arrived on South Hill, Kempner went straight to ICTV, preparing for the on-air career she imagined for herself.

What she didn’t expect was to find the people who would become part of her lifelong story.

“I feel an intense kinship with ICTV because it gave me my family,” she explains. “I met my husband, James Kempner ’18, at IC. His brother, Matt Kempner ’15, is married to Breanne Espina Kemnper ’15 who was the station manager of ICTV when I was a freshman. Breanne’s best fiend -- Dani Amyot Azpiazu ’14 -- was my tour guide the day I fell in love with Ithaca College.”.

After graduation, Kempner set her sights on Bleacher Report, a digital sports media company she believed was on the verge of something big. She even turned down an offer from MLB Network to pursue the opportunity.

Fellow Ithaca College alumnus Alex McKeen ’17, who worked at Bleacher Report, remembered Kempner as a talented editor. He introduced her to his boss, and she was hired.

Kempner started as a highlight editor and clipper— watching games, finding the moments that mattered, and creating content at a rapid pace.

But Kempner approached it the same way she approached every challenge. “How can I be the best at this?”

She became determined to be the fastest, most reliable clipper on the team. Her work ethic and attention to detail opened doors.

She moved into asset management, archiving footage into a content library. It was a role that required technical skills she hadn’t developed yet—but Kempner saw it as another opportunity to learn. “This is part of it, I'm figuring this out, I'm gonna learn how to be the best.”

While working in that role, Kempner built a relationship with the woman leading Bleacher Report’s social media team. When an associate producer position opened, she encouraged Kempner to apply. After four interviews, she was hired.

When COVID hit, there was more access opportunities online sports content. Bleacher Report had built a devoted audience and established itself as a leader in online sports coverage. The company gained rights to cover more major properties and events, creating new opportunities.

“I feel like both Ithaca and my career path have etched itself as a beautiful thing of being. You can be a woman in a male-dominated industry, and be yourself.”

Kempner Interviewing Pro-Golfer, Tiger Woods. Photo Submitted.

In 2021, Kempner was selected to cover March Madness in Indianapolis for three weeks. There, she learned how to interact with athletes up close, build relationships quickly, and recognize the moments fans would want to see.

Today, as Lead Producer for Field and Access Content, Kempner interviews some of the world’s most recognizable athletes, including Tiger Woods, Eli Manning, Victor Wembanyama, and Coco Gauff.

She travels the world covering events like the World Series, the French Open, and the Super Bowl.

And while she is often surrounded by household names, Kempner never forgets the women coming up behind her.

At Super Bowl LX, she spotted Rayahna Tryka ’26 and Molly Golden ’28, who were among the Park students selected to cover the game as part of Radio Row—the event’s media hub.

“I saw that there's two young women there. If I was at Radio Row when I was in college, how cool would that have been? I saw them and I need to talk to them and make sure that they're good, and see if there was anything that they needed. So I'm now connected with both and they're incredible.”

After nearly a decade in the industry, Kempner sees her career as more than a series of accomplishments.

“I feel like both Ithaca and my career path have etched itself as a beautiful thing of being. You can be a woman in a male-dominated industry, and be yourself.”

“I had a feeling I was the underdog, even though I know I was not,” she explains “I’m still going to work twice as hard and it’s paid off dividends in my career.”

Kempner in the city she loves - NYC - on the street parade with the Knicks won the playoffs this year.

Kempner in the city she loves - NYC - on the street parade with the Knicks won the playoffs earlier this year. Photo Submitted.

Along the way, Kempner has found inspiration and support from women who helped pave the way—including Kristin Rogers ’12, who also worked at Bleacher Report.

“I've always kind of looked at them as sources of strength in all of those moments and thought, if they're doing it, and they're kicking ass doing it, why can't I?”

Now, she hopes to provide that same sense of support for women entering the industry.

“I make sure that the young women that are working their way up in this feel seen. And I think that they are amazing, too, and we all can lean on each other in a certain way. That's been something that's been really grounding through the entirety of my career.”

What’s next for Kempner?

More of the same.

She is growing alongside a company she believes in, doing work she loves, and continuing to challenge herself.

For Kempner, success has never been just about reaching the biggest stages. It’s about staying curious, doing the work, and creating opportunities for others along the way.

Get In The Game

The Roy H. Park School of Communications prepares students to shape careers they have dreamed of. Students developed the skills, experience and confidence to pursue careers in the middle of the action.