Caroline Klein has served as chief communications officer for the Utah Jazz, an entity of
Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), since August 2022. In this role, her responsibilities
include driving the strategy behind the organization’s public relations, community
relations, broadcasting, and streaming efforts, while also coordinating large-scale
marketing initiatives through all the company’s platforms, encompassing the Utah Jazz
NBA franchise; the Delta Center; and the Salt Lake City Stars NBA G League team.

Other duties involve government relations and corporate communications as a
public-facing representative of the Jazz in the community. For the impact she made on
the organization in her first year, Utah Business magazine named Klein one of its “CXO
of the Year” honorees in 2023.

Klein joined the Jazz after spending more than 15 years leading strategic
communications experience efforts on domestic and international levels. Previously, she
spent 10 years with Preferred Travel Group in Newport Beach, Calif., which manages
and operates six travel and hospitality brands including Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
During her time there, which began as a senior manager of public relations for the
Americas and culminated in the CCO role, Klein built and evolved the company’s public
relations, social media, and corporate communications functions – orchestrating
multiple extensive global marketing communications campaigns, launching a new
destination marketing division called PTG Consulting, and serving as a key executive on
new brand launches and pivotal rebrandings.

Previously, Klein worked at several boutique PR agencies in New York City and
Chicago, specializing in the travel and hospitality industries. A native of Milwaukee,
Wisc., she holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University and has been
to more than 60 countries.