espnW Announces Full Agenda and Speakers for the 14th Annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota

September 20, 2023

The Summit returns to the Ojai Valley Inn and will take place in person and virtually October 23-25. Lineup includes WNBA star Candace Parker, Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and pioneering sports agent and partner at WME Jill Smoller, with Performance by Grammy-nominated artist, Regina Spektor

espnW has announced the full agenda for the 2023 espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota, taking place October 23-25 at Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, CA. Leaders across sports, business and entertainment will unite for a range of keynotes, breakout sessions, panels, and presentations, focusing on creating positive change and opportunity for women in sports. Programming from this year’s Summit will also be live streamed across select espnW and ESPN digital and social platforms – virtual registration is free at https://espnwsummit.com.

The Summit will once again be hosted by SportsCenter Anchor Elle Duncan, and feature panels moderated by World Cup Champion Julie Foudy,SportsCenter Anchor Nicole Briscoe, Basketball Host and Analyst, LaChina Robinson, ESPN Radio Host and TV Personality Sarah Spain, and SportsCenter Anchor Hannah Storm. Featured events and panels during the Summit will include:

• • ESPN Films Presents:Candace Parker: Unapologetic: A first look at the brand new ESPN Films documentary, following a conversation with two-time WNBA champion, Candace Parker and host Elle Duncan
  • The Selling of Women’s Sports: TWDC’sPresident of Advertising Sales, Rita Ferro, and ESPN’s Sarah Spain will introduce a conversation with industry experts at the forefront of driving investment and growth in women’s sports through innovative advertising frameworks and strategic partnerships.
    • FeaturingDeidra Maddock, VP, Sports Brand Solutions at TWDC, Sara Gotfredson, Founder, Trailblazing Sports Group, and Stephanie Marciano, Head of Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Ally, led by Sarah Spain
  • A Venture Fund for Women’s Sports: An in-depth talk featuring Kara Nortmanand Jasmine Robinson, Co-Founders and Managing Partners of Monarch Collective, an investment fund exclusively focused on investing in women’s sports, teams, leagues, and adjacent rights-based revenue streams with Julie Foudy
  • Women of F1 and F1 Academy: In the ultra-competitive and fast-paced world of Formula 1, hear from women who are carving out opportunities for themselves in the paddock, in broadcast, behind the wheel, and beyond.
    • Featuring ESPN’s VP of Production Kate Jacksonand 18-year old F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante, led by Nicole Briscoe
  • espnW Keynote Conversation with pioneering sports agent and partner at WME, Jill Smoller joins ESPN’s Hannah Stormto discuss her career journey and experience representing some of the most successful athletes in the world.
  • World Class Athlete Panel: A conversation with game-changing athletes, WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever and USA Volleyball Paralympic Gold Medalist Nicky Nieves, led by LaChina Robinson. Additional athletes TBA.
  • The Evolution of the LGBTQ+ Community in Women’s Sports: Hosted by Grey’s Anatomy star R. Fightmaster, panelists will tackle topics of inclusivity and how societal acceptance has evolved in women’s sport.
    • Featuring All-American Champion Runner, Nikki Hiltz, WNBA All-Star and WNBPA Vice President, Layshia Clarendon, andVP of Women’s Sports Programming & espnW, Susie Piotrkowski
  • Power Talks: Conversations with industry leaders in their fields
    • Shelley Pisarra, Executive Vice President, Global Insights, Wasserman
    • Marsha Gaye-Knight, Founder, Black in Sports Business
    • Carolyn Braff, Head of Brand Strategy, Gatorade
  • espnW Evening Keynote and Performance with Grammy-Nominated singer, songwriter, and pianist Regina Spektor, following a conversation with Sarah Spain
  • Freezing Time: Female Athletes and Pursuit of Parenthood: A conversation with the women who negotiated the first-ever high-profile partnership around egg freezing and family planning for female athletes, and the experiences of athletes on their IVF and egg freezing journeys.
    • Featuring EVP, Talent + The Collective, Wasserman Lindsay Kagawa Colas, WNBA MVP champion Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks, three-time Olympic gold medalist bobsledder Kaillie Humphries, Emmy-Award winning producerSusan Ansman, led by LaChina Robinson
  • espnW Keynote Conversation with Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Sprinter and Hurdler, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone with Elle Duncan
  • Women at the Helm: A conversation withCo-Owner of KC Current Angie Long, NFL’s SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing Marissa Solis, Meta’s VP of Media Partnerships Campbell Brown, and USTA’s Managing Director of Marketing Nicole Kankam, led by ESPN’s Sarah Spain.
  • Toyota Everyday Heroes: Presented by Team Toyota Athlete and 2x Olympic track and field medalist, Gabby Thomaswith Elle Duncan. Toyota’s Everyday Heroes program recognizes female individuals making a difference for women and girls in their local communities through sports.
  • Global Sports Mentoring Program Showcase: Introduction and GSMP overview of 2023 delegates with United States Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Lee Satterfieldand World Cup Champion Julie Foudy.

The espnW: Women + Sports Summit continues to be a leading event in the sports industry, bringing together voices from across multiple industries to push women forward and create more opportunities for advancement in sports. Previous speakers include: Head Coach of the Las Vegas Aces, Becky Hammon, President of U.S. Soccer, Cindy Parlow Cone, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, Cynthia Marshall, Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter, St. Vincent, Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry, NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann, Peabody Award-winning producer Shima Oliaee, best-selling author and activist Glennon Doyle, WNBA All-Stars Sue Bird, Liz Cambage, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, best-selling author Chelsea Clinton, and more.

About espnW
espnW is a global multiplatform brand dedicated to engaging and inspiring women through sports. espnW.com, the brand’s content home, offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and captures the biggest trends in sports life/style. espnW also provides a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women and highlights the crossroads of sports and culture. Founded in July 2010, espnW’s content and voices live across digital, television, radio, films, events, educational platforms and social media.

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