Greenlee Professional Achievement Award
Brad Gee, 2008, journalism and mass communication
Vice president of football communications, Kansas City Chiefs
Brad Gee is the recipient of the 2024 Greenlee Professional Achievement Award, which recognizes a Greenlee School graduate who has demonstrated leadership, impact and achievement in advertising, journalism and mass communication and/or public relations.
Gee started his career with the National Football League as a communications intern with the Denver Broncos right after earning his journalism and mass communication degree from Iowa State University in 2008. From there, he joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a public relations intern in 2009 which turned into a full-time position. Since then, Gee has continued his rise in shaping the Chief’s football communications efforts.
Gee works closely with the teams’ players, coaches, personnel executives and football operations departments on numerous projects and initiatives, including interviews, feature sit-downs, media preparation, team partnership obligations, internal and external player asks and special projects.
Over the last six seasons, Gee has been a part of the communications efforts for the Chiefs in six straight AFC Championship Games (hosting five) as well as four Super Bowl appearances in five years. The three-time Super Bowl champion organized player and coach media responsibilities, schedules and preparations for Super Bowls LIV, LV, LVII and LVIII.
He handles the club’s day-to-day media operations and logistics, serving as the lead point of contact for media regularly assigned to cover the team. His is also the main liaison for the club’s internal content teams.
Gee has worked 10 Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls and one AFC Championship Game as a member of the NFL’s public relations staff.
Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Gee spent three years working in the Cyclones’ Athletics Communications office while earning his bachelor’s.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be recognized by the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. When I think back to my time at Iowa State, and specifically my classes in Hamilton Hall, I think about all the people there who invested time in me knowing what goals I had in mind. They provided me with the education and resources I needed to begin my career in athletics and eventually reach my dream job in the National Football League. Beyond the classroom, I met some of my life-long friends through the Greenlee program, and I’m forever thankful for all of the opportunities, personally and professionally,” Gee said.
Greenlee Young Alumni Award
Ana Ramirez, 2016, advertising
Digital marketing manager, Two Rivers Marketing
Ana Ramirez is an experienced digital marketing professional with a strong background in both channel-based and localized marketing strategies. She is the recipient of the 2024 Greenlee Young Alumni Award. The Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication Young Alumni Award recognizes a Greenlee School graduate under 40 years of age or with fewer than 15 years of professional experience who has demonstrated excellence within their field. This award serves as an “early career” recognition of excellence in advertising, journalism and mass communication or public relations.
She serves as the digital marketing manager at Two Rivers Marketing, overseeing the development and execution of digital marketing campaigns and packages for multi-location, distribution, dealer and agent networks. These campaigns encompass various channels, including web, mobile, local listings, social media, display, search engine optimization and search engine monetization.
Before joining Two Rivers Marketing in 2022, Ramirez worked at Gannet, owner of the USA Today Network, where she started her career as an SEO analyst and quickly advanced to the senior digital presence manager role.
In 2016, Ramirez graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s in advertising, a minor in design studies, and a certificate in Community Leadership and Public Service. In 2019, she furthered her education by obtaining a master’s in journalism and mass communication.
Ramirez says she is a proud Greenlee School alumna and is honored to be the recipient of the 2024 Greenlee Young Alumni Award.
These awards, which were established in collaboration with the Greenlee School Advisory Council, provide avenues for mid- and early-career recognition of Greenlee School alumni. They build upon the school’s longstanding James W. Schwartz Award, the highest award conferred by the school that has traditionally served as a lifetime achievement recognition, and mirror university and college awards for similar achievements.
The recipients of the alumni awards will be recognized at the spring 2024 Greenlee School Honors and Awards Banquet on April 25.
Nominations will be accepted for the 2025 awards starting in this fall.