I-Cubs’ Cravens Called Up to Big Leagues

DES MOINES- In 2021, the Iowa Cubs media and public relations staff will have a new look.

Shelby Cravens, the I-Cubs Director of Media Relations for the past five seasons, is on her way to Major League Baseball. Cravens, 28, heads west, taking a job as the Coordinator of Digital Communications and Media Relations with the Colorado Rockies.

During her time in Des Moines, Shelby was the primary liaison between the Iowa Cubs front office and the Chicago Cubs staff when it came to roster moves, player appearances and all team-related information. The Ogden, UT, native also thrived in the “other duties as assigned” department as her responsibilities covered everything from serving as the voice of the team’s social media accounts to spearheading initiatives between the Iowa Cubs staff and the Des Moines community.

Additionally, Cravens has been heavily involved in diversity in sports. Following the 2019 season, the University of Utah graduate chronicled the annual Women in Baseball Leadership Event (WiBLE) for MiLB.com at the Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego. She has also served on the advisory council for the Department of Communications and Media at the University of Northern Iowa.

To fill the void left behind by Cravens’ departure, former Group Sales Executive Beth Kneeskern and former Media Relations Assistant Colin Connolly will be taking on new roles.

Kneeskern, who recently received her Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication from the University of Iowa, will be the team’s Marketing Manager. In her third season with the I-Cubs, she will help develop, communicate and execute a comprehensive marketing plan for the ballclub. Her primary goal is to build engagement on the team’s official website and social media accounts in order to increase fan attendance and ticket sales.

After interning in the Media Relations department with Iowa in 2019, Connolly will join the I-Cubs for his first full-time season as the Media Relations Manager. He will assist in the developing and distributing of baseball information and formal communications from the organization and facilitate all official relationships with local and regional media outlets.