The NCAA and Women Leaders in Sports collaborated to host the inaugural Women’s Sports Leadership VIP Summit

The NCAA women’s basketball and Women Leaders in Sports are jointly hosting the inaugural NCAA Women’s Final Four Women’s Sports Leadership VIP Summit on Thursday and Friday in Cleveland.

This event brings together influential women leaders from the sports and business sectors to:

• Explore strategies to collectively harness the momentum of women’s sports for enhanced growth, attention, exposure, and value across all women’s sports.
• Identify avenues for increasing female representation and leadership in sports, including both men’s and women’s athletics.
• Foster connections among various segments of the sports industry.

The two-day summit will feature think tank sessions and a public question-and-answer forum, coinciding with the Women’s Final Four event in Cleveland. Additionally, there will be invitation-only receptions and networking events centered around the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.

Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports, will lead the think tank sessions tailored for summit participants. On Friday from 11-11:45 a.m. Eastern time, two panel sessions will be open to the public at Beyond the Baseline inside Tourney Town. Attendees, as well as local and national media outlets, will have opportunities to interview participants.

Executives from various levels of sports, including collegiate, amateur, and professional, have been invited to participate and contribute their insights on pertinent issues and topics. The VIP Summit aims to facilitate networking opportunities and serve as a platform for advocating for the national women’s sports ecosystem.

VIP Summit attendees include:

• Dawn Aponte, chief football administrative officer, NFL.
• Cheri Blauwet, associate professor, Harvard Medical School; board of directors, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
• Sandy Hatfield Clubb, president, The Pictor Group; managing director for strategic initiatives, Knight Commission.
• Jill Ellis, president, San Diego Wave Fútbol Club.
• Cathy Engelbert, commissioner, WNBA.
• Sara Gaiero, vice president of production, ESPN.
• Jessica Gelman, CEO, Kraft Analytics Group; co-founder and co-chair, MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference; minority owner of the Utah Royals and National Women’s Soccer League board alternate governor.
• Lynn Holzman, vice president of women’s basketball, NCAA.
• Michele Kang, owner of multiple soccer clubs: the Washington Spirit (NWSL), Olympique Lyonnais Féminin and London City Lionesses; founder and CEO of Cognosante medical technology company.
• Danette Leighton, CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation.
• Rebecca Lobo, women’s basketball analyst, ESPN.
• Muffet McGraw, ESPN studio analyst; board of trustees, Women’s Sports Foundation.
• Kara Nortman, co-founder, Angel City Football Club; co-founder and managing partner, Monarch Collective LLC.
• Patti Phillips, CEO, Women Leaders in Sports.
• Holly Rowe, sports commentator, ESPN.
• Summer Sanders, TV host and reporter; 1992 Olympian.
• Carol Stiff, president, Women Sports Network.