Meet the Team

We are a collective of professionals with extensive and diverse experience across business, sports, entertainment, and academia. Powered by one goal – to create better workforces and workplaces. 

Our Individual Experience is the WellsQuest Difference. 

Janelle Wells, Founder & Partner

Love, learn, lead, and lift are hallmarks of Dr. Janelle E. Wells’ life work. Through her love of sport, Dr. Wells earned a collegiate athletic scholarship, progressed into the coaching ranks, and then transcended into the private sector and classroom as a professor of practice after earning her doctorate from the University of Florida. As a lifelong learner, Dr. Wells’ lived experiences stimulated her research in organizational behavior, specifically leadership, career development, and gender equity, which has been published in outlets such as the Journal of Sport Management, the Leadership & Organizational Development Journal, and Sport Marketing Quarterly. In addition to 30-plus peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, in 2019 she co-edited the book The Business of Esports: The Wild Wild West on Fire.  

Putting theory into practice, Wells is the Co-Founder of WellsQuest. Most recently, she partnered with the Vinik Sports Group, the parent company of the Tampa Bay Lighting, to create the Lightning Leadership Line – a personal and professional development initiative. 

Lifting with her servant heart, Dr. Wells finds fulfillment developing students as an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, serving her community as an advisory board member of the YMCA, and empowering women as a founding board member of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Tampa Bay and founding research fellow for Wasserman’s The Collective Think Tank. Dr. Wells’ most meaningful purpose is raising three active young boys with her husband. 

Dr. Doreen MacAulay, Partner

Doreen MacAulay is a facilitator, author, and university instructor with 20+ years of experience in organizational and personal development.  

Doreen is passionate about creating equity in the workplace, as well as helping people develop their authentic and effective selves. Using her background in organizational behavior, she facilitates the professional development of people so that they can realize their goals and aspirations.  

MacAulay is an award-winning Instructor at the Muma College of Business, University of South Florida, where she teaches in the fields of leadership, organizational behavior, and management to undergraduate, graduate, and executive students. She has worked with Fortune 100 and 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions to help develop and enhance their approach to DEI through interactive and customized workshops.  

She holds a PhD in Management from St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Doreen’s research focuses on gender equity, organizational change, and identity. She has lectured at various academic institutions within the United States, Canada, China and Spain.  

Ashley Lee, Project Manager

Ashley Lee is a dynamic professional with a multicultural perspective and a wealth of international experience. Over the past seven years, Ashley has thrived in diverse environments, collaborating with individuals from around the world. With a bachelor’s degree in management in public affairs and a master’s degree in management, concentrating in project management, she possesses a robust academic foundation. Her passion for continuous learning is evident in her dedication to expanding her expertise in project management and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Ashley’s enthusiasm for personal and professional growth is matched only by her commitment to excellence in her work.

Abby Lang, Digital/Social Coordinator

Abby Lang combines a strong foundation in social sciences with a passion for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). Originally pursuing business, she pivoted to social sciences after discovering DEIB through her first ethnic studies classes. Abby draws on the power of storytelling to bridge connections across communities.

Her experience spans community building, DEIB initiatives, and social media management, where she embeds DEIB values into digital spaces. Abby’s drive lies in connecting with diverse audiences, amplifying underrepresented voices, and shaping inclusive online environments.

Harrison Mootoo, Facilitator

Harrison is a dynamic account manager known for leading teams to success and hitting project goals with flair. With a knack for aligning projects to meet stakeholder needs, Harrison has a proven background in building strong partnerships, retaining key accounts, and boosting profitability. Passionate about networking and devising winning strategies, Harrison thrives on collaboration and brings a strategic edge to every team. With robust experience in marketing and customer relationship management, Harrison is all about creating lasting connections and driving results.

Advisors

Yulander Wells, Jr.

Advocacy Strategist

Yulander Wells, Jr. serves as the Deputy Athletic Director for the University of Notre Dame. He is responsible for all of the department’s core business and revenue generation functions, as well as fundraising efforts.  

Prior to joining Notre Dame, Wells has served in athletics leadership roles at Harvard University, the University of South Florida, and the University of Florida. Prior to his public service in higher education, Wells led financial and accounting services in the healthcare, home services, and car industries.

A leader driven by a philosophy to serve, partner, inspire and excel, he uses these pillars as his compass to operate with integrity, inclusiveness, commitment, and with a winning attitude. It is his core belief that academics and athletics are essential for the holistic development of all students, and the ability to be a high performer in both are not mutually exclusive. 

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Wells earned his Bachelor of Business Administration-Finance Degree in 2001, and his M.B.A. in 2005 serving as a three-year basketball captain and earning all-conference honors each year. His most notable role is being an engaged father raising three sons with his wife.  

Gibran Washington

Operational Excellence

Gibran is a seasoned hospitality industry leader with over 20 years of experience. He began as an unpaid intern in a family member’s restaurant group and fell in love with the industry’s meaning of servant leadership. He worked with 16 different brands ranging from quick-service restaurants to fine dining during his 12-year tenure at Tinsley Family Concessions, where he was the Senior Director of Operations. He also oversaw the daily operations of two of the busiest restaurants in the country for their respective brands.

Gibran’s experience continued to grow as he worked as a Regional District Manager for SodexoMagic and as Vice President of Operations for Purple Square Management Company, where he managed the daily operations of 130 restaurants and 1,700 employees. Currently, he is the CEO for Ethos Cannabis, a medical cannabis company based in Philadelphia.

Gibran’s leadership skills were honed as a NCAA Division I basketball player at Hofstra University, where he was the team captain all four years. His family is his greatest achievement, and he is supported by his wife Jennifer and their three daughters, who teach him the importance of leading by example both in his personal and professional life.

Eryn McVerry

Brand Storyteller

Eryn McVerry is a distinguished strategic marketer and brand steward with a rich career history that encompasses agencies, brands, and professional sports franchises.  As the founder of Maryn & Co., a strategic consultancy agency, Eryn collaborates with and advises sports, media, technology, and marketing organizations in crafting business plans, marketing efforts, and revenue-generating strategies. Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, Eryn served as EVP of Brand for the Chicago Blackhawks where she led the charge in bringing the Blackhawks brand to life. Her efforts fostered cultural connections for the team and organization, which spanned the city of Chicago to a global audience through dynamic media, sports, and community initiatives. 

Before her tenure with the Blackhawks, Eryn’s marketing contributions were instrumental in the success of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Under her leadership, the Lightning’s marketing efforts earned the prestigious distinction of Team of the Year by the 2021 Clio Sports Awards and Sports Business Journal.

Her journey into the world of professional team sports was preceded by a career in advertising, where she worked at renowned agencies such as TBWAChiatDay, mcgrarrybowen, Ogilvy, and Momentum. Her vision helped shaped memorable campaigns for iconic brands within and adjacent to the sports industry, including NASCAR, Budweiser, Gillette, Sport Check, the U.S. Army, and more.  

Eryn serves on the Sports Management Advisory Board at the University of Michigan, her alma mater.  She holds a bachelor’s degree from the university, and while she furthered her education with a master’s in advertising from Michigan State University, her loyalty lies with the maize and blue. 

Rob Werdann

Sports Professional

With over 30 years of experience in professional basketball as a player, coach, and scout, Rob Werdann has spent his career immersed in the pursuit of excellence, leadership, and growth. From earning McDonald’s High School All-American honors to competing and coaching at the highest levels of the game, Rob’s journey has been defined by teamwork, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to helping others reach their full potential.

A proud graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in Communications and Media Studies, and holder of a Master’s in Sports Management from Western Carolina University, Rob bridges the gap between sports and leadership development. He draws from decades of experience in competitive environments to teach the principles that drive high-performing teams: discipline, adaptability, communication, and trust.

Beyond basketball, Rob is a devoted husband and father of two sons. The Werdann family is guided by four core pillars: integrity, humility, discipline, and faith—values that shape not only how they live, but how Rob leads and coaches.

Today, Rob inspires individuals and organizations to lead with purpose, build cultures rooted in trust, and approach challenges with resilience and grace…on the court, in the office, and in life.