By Larson McDonagh 

What values do working for the NFL and parking have in common? More than one might think, according to Esmé Brown, account executive for the parking revenue management platform Ocra and a dancer for the 2026 Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.   

“I didn’t really realize how much overlap there is when it comes to the qualities and characteristics that you need to show up with to each, but at the end of the day, they’re incredibly similar,” Brown said. Well, mostly similar. “I don’t have to do turns and leaps for my sales role at Ocra,” she joked. 

Paths to success 

Born and raised in Minnesota, Brown moved to Los Angeles to attend Occidental College. She was working as the studio manager at Nike Running Studio Santa Monica when Ocra contacted her with an open sales position. Saying “yes” was a no-brainer for her. The fast-paced and people-focused aspect of sales excited her.  

She also admired the innovative business model of Ocra, which assists hotels in selling their extra parking space to non-guests. Brown said her role in sales facilitates a genuine connection with customers, and she enjoys helping them realize tangible benefits from their often-overlooked parking assets.   

“So, it’s not the parking, and it’s not the sales,” Brown said. “It’s the fact that the parking sales that I get to do are genuinely so helpful and provide so much value to our partners.” 

Seattle’s super year 

Brown joined Ocra in January 2025. Because her role at Ocra is remote with travel opportunities, she was able to move from Los Angeles to Seattle, where she joined the Seahawks Dancers just four months later in April. Her position with Ocra “opened that door,” Brown said. “I never had the opportunity to try out for their team because I didn’t have a job that I could take with me to Seattle.”  

The city holds a special place in Brown’s heart. Her father, sister, and grandparents all reside in Seattle, and her grandparents were inaugural season ticket holders with the Seahawks. The dedication to the team even extends to her childhood bedroom, where the walls are lime green to this day. 

Her first year with the Seahawks Dance team turned out to be even more special when the Seahawks made it to the Super Bowl, which was held in Santa Clara, California, this past February. “The Super Bowl was the first time I traveled for the Seattle Seahawks,” Brown said. “I travel so much more for Ocra. But traveling for the Super Bowl was the greatest experience of my life. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” 

One of Brown’s favorite memories from her Super Bowl trip occurred at the airport in Seattle before leaving for California. “It was so special, because random people in the airport would just stop to say hello and ask for a photo,” Brown said. “It was just this energy of excitement and this buzz in the air.” 

Parallel principles 

Brown’s roles with Ocra and the Seahawks Dancers have complemented each other. Ocra created a path for Brown to audition for her dream team. Working for the Seahawks has boosted her football knowledge, which helps with sales. 

“Having knowledge and insights into what’s happening in the world of football has actually really helped me when it comes to having business conversations, finding ways to connect with people through sports,” Brown said.  

She experiences similar genuine person-to-person connections in her role with the Seattle Seahawks, especially when she meets with fans, locally known as “12s” in reference to their role as the team’s “twelfth man.” Throughout the season, the Seahawks Dancers perform at community events. One of Brown’s favorite events was visiting a hospital, which Brown said “was an incredibly meaningful opportunity to bring joy to 12s going through a difficult time,” given the time her family spent in the University of Washington Medical Center, where Brown’s father beat cancer in his 20s. 

“One of the greatest days that I’ve had with the Seahawks Dancers was being able to spread a little bit of cheer and a little bit of joy around the holidays to people who are recovering from some really challenging experiences in their lives,” Brown said. “My favorite part about being a Seattle Seahawks Dancer is just all the opportunities that we get to connect with fans.” 

However, connecting with Seahawks fans and parking customers comes with a huge responsibility. Brown recognizes that how she interacts with people reflects the organizations she works for. Doing her best to represent both is one of her top priorities.  

“In sales, that’s really important, because a lot of times you’re the first person [customers] talk to,” Brown said. “As a Seahawks Dancer, it’s exceptionally important, because you’re a part of the game they experience. You’re so much more than yourself. I’m never having a conversation as Esmé. I’m always having a conversation as Seahawks Dancer Esmé, and carrying that importance and just knowing that you are a part of something greater is really special.” 

Choosing gratitude and trusting the process 

As an organization, the Seahawks Dancers have been phenomenal in supporting the full-time careers of its dancers, Brown said. From defense attorneys to intensive care unit nurses, the Seahawks Dancers pursue diverse careers outside of dancing.  

Ocra has also been incredibly supportive in schedule flexibility, Brown said. The one time her responsibilities for the two organizations conflicted, Ocra passed her duties at a conference to one of her colleagues, so Brown could attend Super Bowl rehearsals. 

“They didn’t think twice,” Brown said. “They just said, ‘What can we do to help make this happen for you?’ So, it becomes easy when both organizations are invested in the success of their people.” 

Brown says gratitude is incredibly important when pursuing your goals. “Today, dance is so much more to me than just an activity,” she said. “It is definitely a part of who I am, and I’m super grateful that I get to do it as a career.” 

“This year has been absolutely incredible,” Brown said, with the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl for the first time in 12 years and doing so during the team’s 50th anniversary year. “It has exceeded my expectations in every single way.” 

Brown’s advice to those aspiring to follow their dreams and advance their careers is to trust the timing and show appreciation for those who helped along the way.  

“Happiness, it’s not something that we find,” Brown said. “It is something that we create in the choices that we make and in the way we look at life. If there’s something that excites you, if there’s something that makes you feel a little bit more alive, it’s worth your time, it’s worth your energy.” 

Larson McDonagh  is a freelance environmental journalist based in Shoreline, Washington. They can be reached at  [email protected].