First Reactions

Upon entering the Loews Hotel in Kansas City, we could immediately feel the buzz and energy in the air as the Convention came to life. There was Women Leaders in College Sports signage and swag at every nook and cranny of the lobby – the WL logo on a big screen, WL phrases and mantras on the staircases, huge block letters to take photos by – it was evident that the Women Leaders team put an incredible amount of effort into creating an energetic, uplifting environment.

Sarah Tourville (Sr. Vice President/Chief Revenue & Innovation Officer at the Kansas City Royals) said it best:

“I was pretty overwhelmed walking into the conference center today – from the branding on the floor, to the décor, and then as the sessions broke you could feel the energy amongst the conference center – there’s an inspiring vibe here, a comradery of people that are genuinely excited to lean into one another but also in reverse, to help advocate for one another, so it’s pretty exciting.”

Our Involvement

As a company who truly values uplifting women in the workplace and in sport, Navigate is honored to be a partner and trusted advisor for Women Leaders. As a partner, Navigate provides Women Leaders in College Sports data and analytics to support key decision making and guide them to reach more women and men allies in the sports industry.

Takeaways From the Industry Pros

To further contribute to the convention, Navigate sponsored the Women Leading in Pro Sports panel with the following panelists: Sandra Richards as the moderator (Managing Director, Head of Global Sports & Entertainment and Segment Sales & Engagement at Morgan Stanley), Katherine Holland (Chief Operating Officer & Director of the KC2026 FIFA World Cup), Sarah Tourville (Sr. Vice President/Chief Revenue & Innovation Officer at the Kansas City Royals) , and Dawn Aponte (Chief Football Administrative Officer at the NFL). We had the opportunity to interview these leaders 1:1 to dig deeper into their experience at the convention, their careers as women leaders in sports, and what they foresee as the future of women in sports.

Take a look at what they had to say:

Final Takeaways

As first-time attendees, we were blown away by how inspired we felt entering and leaving the convention. Being surrounded by a variety of women at all career levels with such energy and passion was an experience we’ll never forget. If you’re in the collegiate sports space in any capacity, this is a must convention for you – next year is in NOLA!

For anyone considering attending a Women Leaders National Convention in the future, we recommend the following game plan:

  1. Take advantage of the wisdom and leaders in the room – There were 1,200 attendees this year. That is a lot of minds and connections. In addition the wonderful speakers, take the time to speak to the people around you. There is something to learn from everyone who attends. The convention is not only a great place to learn and grow, but also an amazing place to network! Step up your game with a digital ID card with the HiHello app, or at the very least have business cards on you. Don’t forget to follow-up once you’re home from the convention time.
  2. Plan out your day ahead of time – The Women Leaders team creates a packed and powerful lineup of insightful speakers and events, although it can be hard to make everything happen. Take the time to plan your day so you don’t miss out on any great sessions or networking opportunities. It is also smart to build in breaks and keep yourself energized.
  3. Go to the morning workout – We know this sounds a bit daunting but getting your blood flowing with other attendees before the sun is up and before the Convention is awake is really awesome. Women Leaders builds in a workout, which we don’t believe many conferences do, for you to maximize your day and get your energy up for the session. We had the best time on the rooftop watching the sun rise, so do it!
  4. Buy some swag – Not only does Women Leaders put on a fire convention, but they sell great apparel and accessories, which benefits their mission.  The process was easy accepting all payments, and it was hard to pick our favorites.  We’ve been wearing our swag since Convention and love revisiting the entire experience – we have a feeling you will too.

 

We’re greatly looking forward to the 2023 Women Leaders National Convention next October 8th – 10th in New Orleans, LA. If you’re interested in learning more about Women Leaders in College Sports, please visit their website to get connected.

If you would like to learn more about our partnership, and how we are helping the Women Leaders team elevate, please email ALLY@NVGT.COM.