FAIR PLAY, SC, October 15, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Michele Zarzaca has been recognized for achievement in sports and entertainment.

Ms. Zarzaca's career in sports and entertainment spans five decades, marked by a steady ascent through some of the industry's most dynamic organizations. Since 2023, she has served as director of sports broadcast talent relations at TNT Sports US, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., based in Atlanta. In this role, Ms. Zarzaca manages logistics for a large group of high-profile former athletes who now serve as broadcasters, coordinating their schedules and overseeing all aspects of their travel. She is also responsible for on-site support and guidance, acting as a sounding board for the talent she manages. Her colleagues have affectionately dubbed her the "team mom" and "mother hen" for her ability to keep everyone organized and ensure that each broadcaster is where they need to be at the right time.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Zarzaca was senior manager of talent services at Turner Sports from 2018 to 2023, following five years as manager of talent services beginning in 2013. During this period, she played a pivotal role in maintaining relationships with key personnel at TNT Sports, which proved instrumental when she was welcomed back to the organization after the Atlanta Thrashers franchise left Atlanta. Upon her return, she was elevated from manager to director level, restoring the seniority she had built prior to her move into hockey operations — an achievement she considers among her proudest.

In 2012 and 2013, Ms. Zarzaca worked as a freelance production manager at Turner Sports and provided administrative support for Thunder AAA Hockey Non-Profit in Duluth from 2012 to 2019. Her earlier tenure as senior director of team services with the Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Club from 1999 to 2011 stands out as a defining chapter in her career. There, she managed team travel, oversaw player immigration and relocation and served as secretary to the coaching staff. The transition back into hockey operations drew upon relationships she had cultivated during her work with Atlanta's first hockey franchise in the late 1970s — contacts that remained valuable decades later.

From 1981 to 1999, Ms. Zarzaca held various roles in sports administration at Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., during a period of significant growth and transformation for the company. Her journey began even earlier with the Atlanta Flames in 1976, when she accepted a full-time position after an arena vice president approached her during her sophomore year of college.

Ms. Zarzaca's expertise in logistics management, talent scheduling and travel coordination has been widely recognized throughout her career. She is praised for achieving a level of mastery that allows her to juggle multiple sports simultaneously and provide seamless support for both NBA and baseball broadcasters under her supervision.

Her professional journey also includes experience as a nurse aide during high school, reflecting an early commitment to service and care for others — qualities that have continued to inform her approach throughout her career.

Ms. Zarzaca attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, completing coursework toward an undergraduate degree in industrial management and hospital administration through her sophomore year before leaving to begin working full-time with the Atlanta Flames in 1976. She credits much of her success to a drive to please those around her — a trait she describes as central to her professional philosophy. This desire to ensure comfort and satisfaction for colleagues and talent alike has shaped her reputation as a people-pleaser who believes that smooth logistics are essential to successful broadcasts.

Growing up as a hockey fan significantly influenced Ms. Zarzaca's career path. With family roots in Philadelphia — home of the Flyers — and frequent attendance at games both there and in Atlanta after the city gained its own franchise in 1972, she developed an early passion for the sport. Although she never played hockey herself due to limited opportunities for women at the time and her lack of skating ability, she found fulfillment working behind the scenes, where camaraderie and teamwork were paramount.

Throughout her career, Ms. Zarzaca has valued professional development and networking opportunities, including several years of membership with Women in Film & Television before scaling back outside commitments due to remote work demands.

Her civic involvement reflects deep compassion for both animals and people in need. Ms. Zarzaca donates regularly to Great Dane Rescue South Carolina — inspired by decades of owning Great Danes — as well as supporting the ASPCA and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She volunteers with the Catholic Charities Food Pantry in Greenville twice a year, delivering bulk food items alongside fellow parishioners from her church. While living in Atlanta, she coordinated weddings and funerals at Cathedral of Christ the King parish.

Ms. Zarzaca's achievements have been recognized with numerous awards over the years. In 2026, Adweek Magazine named her one of its Most Powerful Women in Sports — an honor bestowed on only 20 women annually — which she described as humbling when she was surprised by the news during a staff meeting before traveling to San Francisco for a luncheon honoring recipients during Super Bowl week. Her accolades include nine Sports Emmy Awards: Road to the Final Four NCAA Tournament (2025), Inside the NBA Playoff Run (2024), Inside the NBA Playoff Run (2023), Inside the NBA Playoff Run (2022), Inside the NBA Studio Show (2021), NBA All-Star Game (2021), Inside the NBA Studio Show Limited Run (2021), Inside the NBA Outstanding Studio Show (2021) and Inside the NBA Outstanding Studio Show Weekly (2019).

Born in Atlanta, Ms. Zarzaca now resides on a lake in South Carolina with her husband Scott Cockerill — himself a retired senior remote producer who spent more than forty years covering major sporting events for Turner Broadcasting — and their three Great Danes. The couple met at Turner after Mr. Cockerill joined in 1983; together, they have traveled extensively for work, including assignments covering the Goodwill Games and the Olympic Games through partnerships between Turner and NBC Sports.

Outside of work, Ms. Zarzaca enjoys boating on the lake, watching sunsets with her husband and dogs, and following NHL and baseball broadcasts — interests closely tied to both her personal life and professional responsibilities managing broadcast talent across multiple sports.

Looking ahead, Ms. Zarzaca intends to continue excelling in her current role for as long as possible while remaining open to future opportunities, such as consulting, if circumstances change. She feels content with what she has achieved personally — looking ahead to retirement with her husband — while, professionally, maintaining focus on delivering exceptional results until told otherwise by organizational leadership. Reflecting on her journey thus far, Ms. Zarzaca expresses gratitude for supportive colleagues and executives at TNT Sports along with pride in having built lasting relationships within an industry that continues to evolve around her steadfast commitment to excellence.

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