SPOKANE, Wash. – Katie Harnetiaux, a Principal of Aequus Sports, LLC and Co-Owner of USL Spokane, has joined the club as President. For the past seven years, Harnetiaux has held various leadership positions at Amazon, most recently as Head of North America Stores Marketing.

In her role as President of USL Spokane, Harnetiaux will oversee the organization's operations across all verticals as she builds upon the current organization and revenue structure. Her focus will be on strengthening the brand's product offering, expanding the fan base, extending community partnerships, and growing advocacy and engagement. This includes establishing new revenue streams, increasing monetization opportunities, and leveraging her deep knowledge of retail business and brand marketing to create new and engaging experiences for players and fans.

"USL Spokane has always been about more than soccer, "Harnetiaux said. "From the beginning, this was an opportunity for me to lead a team of business professionals, players and youth to shine a light on Spokane, drive greater equity in sports and inspire change on a broader societal level. Soccer is the world's game, and Spokane is now playing a critical role in rapidly shifting the landscape of women's sports. I am proud to be from Spokane, represent Spokane and now be a part of this USL Spokane team."

"Katie brings with her a wealth of experience in retail business operations as well as customer and brand marketing that will be integral to meeting the demands of our community, fans, and players," said Ryan Harnetiaux, Managing Partner for Aequus Sports, LLC. "With her entrepreneurial spirit, positive energy and broad experience across customer touchpoints, Katie will be a strong asset as we aim to become the most impactful soccer club in the USL."

Prior to her most recent role at Amazon, Harnetiaux led the Sports and Outdoors business and the Global Handmade business for the e-commerce giant. She also held director roles at Starbucks, leading retail marketing for Teavana. In addition, she sits on various boards across Washington.

There is great momentum and investment in USL Spokane's vision for professional soccer. Earlier this month, ONE Spokane Stadium in Spokane's North Bank Arts and Entertainment District officially opened. In addition, Spokane Velocity FC – the men's USL League One team – now has nearly 1,000 people on the waitlist for season tickets beyond the 3,800 who hold deposits. It is anticipated that deposit holders will begin their conversion process by the end of this month.

"I look forward to continuing to connect with soccer fans and the local community, partnering with the area schools, community businesses and leaders," Katie Harnetiaux added. "My goal is to build a business that will serve as a community asset for Spokane for a long time. We are establishing a first-of-its-kind, world-class soccer organization. There are many exciting developments we will share in the coming months."

On Friday, Nov. 3, USL Spokane will soft launch its new team store in the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane. On Sunday, Nov. 5, also at the Davenport Grand Hotel, the club will reveal the name and crest of its women’s USL Super League team.