Voice In Sport

Christine Monjer, the President of the Los Angeles Sparks, joins us to share her inspiring career journey, which includes leading brand strategies for the Las Vegas Aces and major shows at MGM Resorts International. She takes us through her dynamic career journey from marketing at Quaker Oats and MGM Resorts to shaping the brand identity of the Las Vegas Aces. Christine shares the power of being fearless in her professional life, emphasizing how important it is to speak up, take risks, and pursue what truly excites you. She also reflects on the lessons she’s learned from her career transitions and how transferable skills have played a pivotal role. Our personal and professional journeys are seldom linear or predictable. Christine speaks from personal experience about how the unpredictable can be a source of growth and strength. Christine opens up about the importance of giving herself emotional space, especially after facing significant personal challenges; this practice helped her grow into the successful leader she is today.

“Ask for the coffee, ask for the promotion, speak up in the meeting. If you see that something’s going left and it needs to go right, say it. Be less afraid of saying the wrong thing. Stay present and be fearless” - Christine Monjer

In this episode of the Becoming President series, President and COO of the Atlanta Dream, Morgan Shaw Parker walks us through her career journey from being an intern at the Kansas City Chiefs, to becoming the first female Vice President of Communications in the NFL, and eventually to the C-Suite of the Dream. Shaw Parker shares the importance of being intentional in curating a team ready to ‘roll up their sleeves and get in the mud together.’ Success comes from teams comprised of people with a shared mission, perseverance, and mutual respect. Ultimately, Morgan encourages us to embrace diverse perspectives and pave the path for other women. 

“Be open to taking on any challenge, especially things that scare you, especially things that are outside your comfort zone. Go in eyes wide open and figure it out because you wouldn't be there if you weren't smart enough to figure it out” -Morgan Shaw Parker 

In a new, exclusive Voice in Sport podcast series featuring women presidents, we dive into the stories of trailblazing leaders shaping the future of sport. This episode highlights Keia Clarke, the President & CEO of the New York Liberty, who shares her incredible journey to the top of one of the most iconic teams in the WNBA. Keia began her career at the NBA/WNBA League Office, prior to joining the New York franchise. Among her many awards, Keia was named to Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports list, Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers Class of 2023, and most recently, CNBC’s Changemakers Inaugural Class of 2024. Clarke’s story is one of persistence, learning, and trust-building. Reflecting on her career growth, she discusses the challenges she overcame, the importance of mentorship and building trust, and encouraging innovative leadership. From Clarke's first chapter, “Sport Adjacent” where she stepped outside her comfort zone fresh out of college, to her current role in chapter, “Point Guards Lead From the Front” as the President & CEO, her journey is a remarkable trajectory of personal and professional growth. 

"You always want that feeling of we did this, not, I did this” - Keia Clarke.

In a new, exclusive Voice in Sport podcast series featuring WNBA presidents, we dive into the stories of trailblazing women shaping the future of basketball. This episode, Jennifer Rizzotti, a basketball legend and current President of the Connecticut Sun has had nothing short of a remarkable career. She is a former standout point guard at the University of Connecticut, national championship winner, WNBA professional athlete and two-time WNBA championship winner, and 2013 inductee in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. In this conversation, Rizzotti shares insights into her leadership journey, the lessons she’s learned from building teams, and her passion for developing the next generation of female leaders in sports. Reflecting on her 17 years of head coaching at the University of Hartford, her continued work with USA Basketball, and entry into the C-Suite at the Sun, this episode is packed with inspiration for aspiring athletes and leaders alike. 

“There’s no dream that's too big, right? If your goal is to be a president of an organization, put the work in, build the relationships, and just be somebody who wants to learn all the time" - Jen Rizzotti. 

Dr. Lennie Waite is a VIS Expert and Industrial-Organizational Sports Psychologist who specializes in team dynamics, motivation, and performance. In today's episode, Dr. Waite shares her expertise on the science behind eating disorders and disordered eating. She discusses how unhealthy habits can manifest in young athletes, what the warning signs are, how these habits can spread throughout teams, and the ways we can support athletes who struggle with these challenges. Dr. Waite also delves into the current culture surrounding eating disorders within the NCAA and running community with the goal of better informing coaches, athletes, teams, and parents on how to talk about these topics in healthy, supportive, and constructive ways. Overall, Dr. Waite encourages everyone to stand up and use our voices for positive change.

"You only have one body, and it has to last us our entire lives” - Dr. Lennie Waite, VIS Expert

Athing Mu, a professional track & field athlete and 2x Olympic gold medalist in the 800m and 4x400m relay in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, shares her journey of having success in running at an early age, and the transition to becoming a pro athlete. In this episode she takes us through growing up in a Sudanese family in New Jersey and the impact her seven siblings have had on her passion for running. Athing discusses her time as a high school and college athlete and what it was like turning pro, landing Nike as a sponsor and winning a gold medal all before the age of 20. After a disappointing result at Worlds in Budapest - she takes us through how she managed the pressure and disappointment and the steps she took to build a strong support system around her and climb back to the top of the 800m podium at the Diamond League Championship by setting a new World Record. While running is a huge part of Athing’s identity she emphasizes the importance of having hobbies and passions outside of sport and surrounding yourself with inspirational teammates that help keep the joy of sport front and center. 

““Pressure’s always going to be there. It’s about how to take that pressure and use it to fire you up for what you need to do and accomplish””. - Athing Mu 

CLIF endurance athlete and a leader in the space of ski-mountaineering and endurance sports, Caroline Gleich shares with us how she has built her career and broken barriers as a woman and as an activist. She began her ski career while attending University of Utah and then went on to become the first woman to ski all 90 lines of the Chuting Gallery, climb Mount Everest and has competed in several ultra-marathons. Carolines legacy extends beyond her expeditions as she combines her passion for sport and advocacy as an activist for gender equity and environmental policy, traveling to Washington DC to testify in front of the House and Senate and organize climate rallies. Today she shares with us the pros and cons of social media, how to best protect yourself as a woman when faced with online harassment and how to build your brand with a powerful community of women and mentors. Caroline explores with us the path to becoming a pro and how to tear down the harmful narratives in sport around the “ideal” woman's body type. 

"Sometimes I feel like if I fail on an expedition that I'm not just failing for myself, I'm failing for all women and that's just simply not true.” - Caroline Gleich

Emma Schieck, Paralympic sitting volleyball player and gold medalist in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games, shares her journey into adaptive sport and the challenges, relationships, and unforgettable rewards within it. She takes us through her childhood growing up without a knowledge of paralympic sports. She gives us an inside look at what it felt like to serve in the match point of a gold medal game. She emphasizes the importance of honoring our passions, never giving up, and believing in ourselves against all odds.  Emma expresses hope for a future where paralympic sports gain more viewership and respect. She is such an inspiration for all female athletes and especially those with disabilities who dream of achieving their own goals. 

“They're challenging and competitive. No matter what your disability is, no matter what your sports background is, playing a paralympic sport is going to push you and it's going to be different.” -Emma Schieck

Kaitlin Hawayek is Team USA Ice Dancer and a 2022 Pyeongchang Olympian. She is a 5x Bronze Medalist at the National Figure Skating Championship, 2018 Four Continents Champion, 2018 NHK Trophy Champion, and 2014 World Junior Champion. Kaitlin takes us through her junior career, highlighting the lessons she learned in competing in a multitude of environments at a young age. She shares her journey struggling with an eating disorder and how she grew into a healthy relationship with her body image. Later in her career, facing near career ending injuries, Katilin discusses how she took a pause from sport in order to take care of her physical and mental health. Through her journey, Kaitlin shares incredible advice for women athletes on how to take care of our bodies and minds, to advocate for our needs, and to find and develop resources for both our personal and athletic success and longevity.

"I am limitless. I am neither who I was or who I want to be, but I am who I am right now. I am a human that has so many values beyond sport. Sport is what I do. Art is what I share. But I love myself because of my kindness, because of my resilience, and because of my passion and creativity."  - Kaitlin Hawayek

Sasha Digiulian, professional rock climber and CEO of Send Bars is a key figure in the world of climbing. She has won the World Championships for Female Overall and has placed Silver in the Bouldering World Championships, as well as Bronze in the Duel. Sasha has been the undefeated PanAmerican Champion from 2004 to the present, and also a three-time US National champion. She joins us to share her journey in the world of climbing, the mindset of a risk-taker, and how she navigates body image and scrutiny in the age of social media. Sasha also teaches us how she manages fear and self-doubt when performing her difficult climbs, and the lessons she’s learned from becoming a champion in climbing - which she also writes in her new upcoming book “Take the Lead: Hanging On, Letting Go, and Conquering Life's Hardest Climbs” available September 26, 2023. Sasha’s impact reaches far beyond climbing, she is an example to many young women to embrace their own potential and carve out their own paths. 

“It's women achieving something that opens the floodgates to other women seeing inspiration and possibility.” - Sasha DiGiulian