Beyond the Baseline: Gailor Large

As Senior Director of Marketing at USTA Southern California, Gailor Large blends strategy, creativity, and heart—qualities that have helped elevate the organization’s brand and redefined how it engages the tennis community. 

Since joining in 2023, Gailor has dedicated herself fully to strengthening the section’s social media presence, brand identity, partnerships, content strategy, and community outreach. Her efforts have modernized USTA SoCal and raised its visibility, both locally and nationally.

Ambitious and determined, Gailor brings more than marketing expertise, she brings people together. Her calm, grounded energy makes people feel comfortable and included, connecting with just about anyone. She listens closely, values input, and inspires those around her—whether she’s pitching a new campaign, leading a strategy session, or helping at a grassroots event. What truly sets her apart, though, is the culture she creates.

“Gailor radiates positivity, not just as a leader, but as someone you genuinely love being around,” shared Lexie Wanninger, USTA SoCal’s Integrated Marketing Manager. “She’s compassionate and encouraging, creating a space where we feel free to be ourselves, try new things, and grow in our own ways. Even though everyone on our marketing team is so different, she understands each of us individually and builds the kind of deeper connections that bring us closer together. Because of her, we’re not just a team, we’re a tight-knit unit that supports one another and gets things done.” 

Early Life and Introduction to Tennis

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Gailor grew up an only child in a close-knit household with her parents, her mother a now retired restaurant critic and her father a therapist. She spent her childhood in the family home her parents bought in the 1970s, where they still live today.

Though she tried nearly every sport, tennis wasn’t initially on her radar. That changed one summer while in Sewanee, Tennessee, just before she turned eight.  

“My grandmother booked a lesson for me as a summer activity,” Gailor recalled. “I was so nervous that I asked my mom to play, too, so we started on the same day. It shifted the dynamic of our relationship and to this day tennis continues to connect us.”

From that moment, tennis became an integral part of her life. A few years later, Gailor entered her first tournament, discovering not only a love for competition but also an invaluable lesson in confidence and resilience. 

“I played my first tournament when I was 10, almost 11. It was that summer that I really fell in love with competing. It was so much fun and gave me confidence,” Gailor shared. “The intense emotion, pressure, and conflict of junior tennis was something I hadn’t faced anywhere else in my life at that age. It forced me to make quick decisions, become comfortable with conflict, and trust myself.” 

Ranked among the state’s top junior tennis players while attending the Bryn Mawr School for Girls, Gailor also thrived on team camaraderie, playing varsity field hockey and basketball, too.

Carving a Legacy at Princeton

During her senior year, Gailor committed to Princeton, joining the Tigers in 1998. The team posted three straight winning seasons including a 17-3 record in 2000 capped by a perfect 7-0 Ivy League record. While the 2001 season brought injuries and challenges, Gailor remained a consistent bright spot and leader.

Gailor had risen from the No. 6 singles spot to co-captain and the team’s top singles player. That spring, she went 5-2 against Ivy League opponents and 10-8 overall, earning unanimous First Team All-Ivy honors.

The best victory of her collegiate career came that same season when she upset Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Martina Nedelková, then ranked No. 4 nationally, in a dramatic three-set match.

She closed out her final season by receiving the prestigious Leon Lapidus Memorial Award, given annually to the Princeton women’s tennis player who best exemplifies excellence and dedication. The Tigers also earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) academic honors during her tenure. 

“I have so many happy memories on and off the court. My very favorite moments were probably with my college team,” Gailor reflected. “We had a really cool, diverse group and my doubles partner Amanda (Hastings-Phillips) Saunders and I had an absolute blast,” including a doubles win over Dartmouth to claim the 20th annual Princeton Invitational in 2000. 

While tennis remained a central part of Gailor’s college experience, academics were just as important. 

“At Princeton, tennis was a major commitment, but it also gave me structure. I absolutely loved college,” Gailor said. “I majored in History and was lucky to study with many exceptional professors. Learning about the Civil War directly from historian James McPherson was a dream come true. The friends I made in college are like sisters and brothers to me.” 

Professional Pursuits

After graduating, Gailor set her sights on building a career off the court. Her journey began in Hollywood, where she worked in the entertainment industry for the first time in Southern California. She spent a year at William Morris Endeavor before moving to DreamWorks, where she worked in film development through 2007.

Seeking to expand her skill set and bridge her passions for sports, business, and community, Gailor decided to pursue her MBA in 2008 at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. During her time in Illinois, she participated in Global Health Initiative fieldwork in Uganda and became involved with the Women’s Business Association, Sports Business Club, Media & Entertainment Club, Tennis Club, and even the Flag Football Club.

“My Kellogg MBA gave me a rigorous foundation in business—from leadership and strategy to marketing, finance, and operations—all of which were completely new to me after my liberal arts undergraduate degree.”

In 2012, Gailor returned to Southern California and began a new chapter with FOX Sports in Los Angeles, where she would spend the better part of the next decade. She initially served as Director of Marketing for FOX Sports San Diego, leading brand strategy, creative campaigns, grassroots activations, and partnerships. Her work involved close collaboration with professional teams, corporate sponsors, and nonprofit organizations to drive community engagement and build fan loyalty.

From 2014 to 2017, she transitioned into the role of Director of Sales Strategy, eventually becoming Senior Director of Sales Strategy & Partnerships through 2019. Among her many contributions, one standout achievement was co-founding The Women of FOX Sports, a group focused on empowering women within the company.

It was during this period that Gailor also discovered a new personal passion, yoga and meditation, which became a grounding force in her life.

“I started practicing yoga in my early 30s. I loved the fact that it was both physically challenging and calmed my mind,” Gailor said. “I became a certified instructor in 2016 to deepen my personal practice and when COVID hit I started teaching a bit, sharing the practice mainly with family and friends. We all needed it. I still teach every other Sunday night, unless I’m working or have a family commitment.”

Returning to Her Roots: Beginnings at USTA Southern California

In early 2023, Gailor felt a pull to bring her professional experience in sports marketing full circle, back to the sport that shaped much of her early life. She reached out to a few trusted connections: her longtime friend Mike Saunders, Head Men’s Tennis Coach at UC Irvine, and Kim Borza Donaldson, a former FOX Sports colleague now working at the USTA Foundation. Those conversations helped open the right doors and ultimately led to Gailor joining USTA Southern California in March 2023 as Senior Director of Marketing.

From day one, Gailor made an immediate impact, bringing a fresh energy and perspective to the organization’s marketing and communications efforts.

“My job is to deliver on our mission of growing the game by inspiring healthier people and communities everywhere,” Gailor mentioned. “Our team handles brand management, social media, our website, content creation (photo, video, written), PR, field marketing, graphic design for events and gear, on site branding, paid marketing, partnerships, and more. I also support our Executive Director, Trevor Kronemann, and the Board of Directors (as do the other Directors) on other strategic priorities and projects. On any given day I might be negotiating a partnership deal, campaign planning, reviewing our growth, budgeting, working on a cross-department initiative, helping someone on my team solve a tricky problem, or hanging signs and feeding balls at BNP Family Day. No two days are the same.” 

Since stepping into the role, Gailor has helped shape and drive major initiatives that have elevated the organization’s impact. She has played a key role in growing flagship events such as the mentioned Family Day at the BNP, the SoCal Pro Series, JTT Team Championships, and the California Officials Summit. She also helped launch USTA SoCal’s first Blind and Visually Impaired (BVI) tennis event—a deeply personal milestone given her father is blind—while supporting efforts in wheelchair and adaptive tennis. Gailor has empowered her team by providing the resources and trust needed to produce elevated content, launch a new website, and strengthen community engagement. Under her leadership, USTA SoCal doubled down on performance-driven digital and social advertising, improved data acquisition and analysis to guide strategy, and bolstered cross-departmental collaboration while securing new partnerships. She also oversaw the rollout of a branded box truck and sprinter van, launched the “Taking it to the Streets” field marketing initiative, and introduced fresh programs like Tennis Towns.

More than any single accomplishment, Gailor is most proud of the team she’s built and the meaningful impact they’re making together every day. 

“I am grateful in this role to be able to work with great people, problem solve, learn, be both creative and analytical, and make a real impact,” Gailor added. “While I’m proud of many things we’ve done, my number one accomplishment by far has been building an awesome team—Lexie Wanninger, Jon Mulvey, Rachel Scalera, and our newest team member Riley Shear.”

While Gailor’s impact is widely recognized across the SoCal tennis community, it’s equally felt by the people who work alongside her daily. 

“Every time I get the chance to work with Gailor, I walk away feeling more energized. She’s innovative, caring, and kind in a way that makes people feel valued while also moving ideas forward in exciting ways,” shared Senior Director of Competition Maria Goldberg.

“What I love most is how she makes every person feel seen, heard, and valued, while also giving us the freedom to push the envelope and experiment,” added Lexie Wanninger. “That trust makes our work not only productive, but exciting, inspiring, and fun. Beyond her leadership, Gailor is incredibly grounded. As a mom and a yogi, she models balance in such an authentic way, reminding us that success isn’t just about productivity, but about living fully. Personally, she inspires me to slow down, step outside, take a walk, breathe deeply, and notice the beauty in something as simple as a sunset. Working with her has truly been one of the most rewarding parts of my time here.”

A Balanced and Fulfilling Life

At 46, Gailor approaches life with vibrancy on and off the court. When she’s not immersed in tennis, she finds her greatest joy outdoors, spending time with her husband and two daughters—whether relaxing at the beach, hiking, swimming, playing tennis, or practicing yoga. Some things most people don’t know about Gailor include that she spent two weeks in Uganda on a Gates Foundation grant helping implement pediatric DNA PCR HIV testing for infants, she went into labor three weeks early while yelling at the TV during the Super Bowl, and she’s never tried soda or ketchup.

In life, her goals are simple yet profound: to be a good person and to raise good humans.

For anyone thinking about picking up tennis, her advice is straightforward: just grab a racquet and have fun. She encourages newcomers to dive in with an open mind and reminds us that the joy of the game isn’t measured in wins or losses, but in connection, and the simple love of being on the court.