Programs

Power Play

Power Play: A Celebration of Women’s Leadership in Sports

Each March, in honor of National Women’s History Month, the WISE NYC Metro Chapter proudly hosts Power Play, a premier panel event showcasing the strength and influence of women in sports business.

This signature program features senior and executive-level women from the same organization or sector of sports business, each representing a different area of expertise. It is a rare and powerful moment where women’s voices take center stage—with an all-female panel and moderator.

A Legacy of Elevating Women in Sports Business

Since its debut in 2010, Power Play: Up Close With… has not only become a cornerstone event for the NYC Metro Chapter but has also inspired WISE chapters nationwide to adopt and expand the program. This annual event continues to advance the dialogue on female leadership, providing valuable insights, mentorship, and inspiration to the next generation of women in sports.

Seeing other women succeeding and celebrating their success is critical for women’s professional development.  Don't miss out on our premier panel event of the year as we celebrate trailblazing women, foster industry connections, and champion the power of female leadership.

Who Will Be The 2026 Featured Organization ???

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the “Power Play: Up Close With ...” panel returns with an all-star line-up of executive-level female sports business leaders from the same organization for a panel discussion on career issues, sports business and more.

Featured Organization Announcement: February 2026.

Flashback: Past "Power Play: Up Close With...." Events 

Boardroom (2025)


L to R: (moderator) Michelai Graham, Tech Reporter + Digital Creator; Abigale Smith, Vice President of Partnerships; Sarah Flynn, Chief Marketing Officer; Bernadette Doykos, Senior Director of Editorial Strategy; and Rachel Fleitell, Chief Operating Officer.

New York Road Runners (2024)


L to R: (moderator) Dara Aaron Kennedy, Broadcast Journalist; Crystal Howard, SVP of Public Affairs; Samira Shah, SVP of Legal, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary; Christine Burke, SVP of Strategic Partnerships and Runner Products; Jeanmarie Cooney, SVP of Finance, Strategy and Operations; and Erica Edwards-O’Neal, Esq., SVP of Diversity, Equity and Social Responsibility.

Chief People Officers (2023)*


L to R: Jennie Hansen, Chief People Officer, EL1 Sports; Julie Li, Chief People Officer, Jump; Lauren Lopez, Chief People and Culture Officer, NWSL; and Clara Stroude-Vazquez, Chief Culture and Inclusion Human Capital, Miami Heat. 

 * Special Virtual Live Stream Presentation

Power Play 2022 NBC Sports

WOMEN OF NBC Sports (2022)


L to R: Christine Dorfler, Chief Financial Officer, NBC Sports Group; Wendy Bass, Senior Vice President, Programming & Rights Management, NBC Sports Group; Bertha Coombs, CNBC Reporter (moderator); Samita Mannapperuma, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, NBCUniversal Television & Streaming; and Lyndsay Signor, Senior Vice President, Consumer Engagement, NBC Sports Group. Hosted at 30 Rock.

Photo Credit: Stephan Hudson Photography

2021BSEPowerPlay

WOMEN OF BSE GLOBAL (2021)*


The panel was moderated by Sarah Kustok, NBA Analyst for the Brooklyn Nets and featured
Keia Clarke, CEO, NY Liberty; Adina Erwin, General Manager, Barclays Center
; Mandy Gutmann, Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Relations, BSE Global; 

Savan Hacknorath, Senior Vice President of Human Resources
; and Laurie Jacoby, Chief Entertainment Officer, BSE Global.  Special guest opening remarks were delivered by sports icon and trailblazer, Billie Jean King. 
*due to COVID-19/pandemic restrictions, the 2021 Power Play panel was held as a virtual event.

2020MKTGPowerPlay

WOMEN OF MKTG (2020)*
Victoria Azarian, Chief Creative Officer; Samantha Bond, Vice President, Entertainment and Talent Partnerships; Erica Calhoun, Vice President, Key Accounts and New Business; Elaine Deakers, Vice President, Client Service; Heather Lotstein, Director, Business Development; Emily Spiegel, Vice President and Group Director. Moderated by Kim Barrett Vice President, Corporate Development.

*due to COVID-19, the 2020 Power Play panel was held as a digital activation, becoming the first time the event was not held in-person.

Jennifer Cramer, Jennifer Maurillo, JoAnn Neale and Emily Unruh with Reporter Susannah Collins

WOMEN OF MLS (2019)
L to R: Susannah Collins, MLS Host and Reporter (moderator); JoAnn Neale, President and Chief Administrative Officer; Jennifer Cramer, Senior Vice President; Emily Unruh, Vice President Retail Development & Partnership Marketing; and Jennifer Maurillo, Senior Vice President, Events. Hosted by Proskauer.

Photo Credit: Stephan Hudson Photography

Nicola Douglas, Lisa Murray, Alyssa Romano, Lauren Tietjen, and Moderator Lindsay Berra

WOMEN OF OCTAGON (2018)
L to R: Nicola Douglas, Vice President, Human Resources; Lisa Murray, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer; Alyssa Romano, Director, Communications; Lauren Tietjen, Vice President, Global Communications.
The panel was moderated by Lindsay Berra, Sports Journalist. Hosted at Octagon.

Photo Credit: Stephan Hudson Photography

Stacey Fitch, Deidra Maddock, Maria Soares, Carol Stiff, and Moderator Elle Duncan

WOMEN OF ESPN (2017)
L to R: Elle Duncan, SportsCenter Anchor (Moderator); Deidra Maddock, Vice President, ESPN Sports Marketing; Maria Soares, Senior Coordinating Producer, ESPN International/ESPN Deportes; Stacey Fitch, Vice President, Operations; Carol Stiff, Vice President, Women's Sports Programming. Hosted at Hearst Building.
*10th Anniversary of Power Play*

Photo Credit: Stephan Hudson Photography

Catherine Beldotti Donlan, Penny Ericson, Sam Halverson, Terri Hines, and Moderator Ann Liguori

WOMEN OF CONVERSE (2016)
L to R: Catherine Beldotti Donlan, Vice President/General Manager, North America; Penny Ericson, Vice President, Chuck Taylor Global Footwear; Sam Halverson, Vice President Human Resources; Terri Hines, Vice President Global Communications. Ann Liguori, Sports Radio/TV Host and Executive Producer, and Author (Moderator)

Photo Credit: Stephan Hudson Photography

Susan Cohig, Carol Dann and Chrissy Rajala

WOMEN OF THE NHL (2015)
Susan Cohig, SVP Integrated Marketing, Business Affairs; Carol Dann, Senior Director; Chrissy Rajala, Director of Media Planning; Lynn White, VP Integrated Sales, International Sponsorship Sales. Hosted by HardRock Times Square.

Val Ackerman, Amber Cox, Ann Wells Crandall, Kimberly Keenan Kirkpatrick, and Moderator Laura Behnke

Women of the BIG EAST (2014)
Val Ackerman, Commissioner, BIG EAST; Amber Cox, Associate Commissioner for Women's Basketball; Ann Wells Crandall, Chief Marketing Officer; Kimberly Keenan Kirkpatrick, Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Senior Women's Administrator, Seton Hall University. Laura Behnke, Weekend Sports Anchor, Channel 7 Eyewitness News (Moderator). Hosted by Dave and Busters Entertainment Times Square.

Sandy Cross, Cynthia Howard, Laura Sequenzia, and Sarah Turcotte

Women of the Golf Industry (2012)
Sandy Cross, Director Business Development, The PGA of America; Sarah Hirshland, Senior Managing Director of Business Affairs, USGA; Cynthia Howard, Director, New Business Development, PGA TOUR; Laura Sequenzia, Publisher, Golf World. Sarah Turcotte, Senior Writer, ESPN The Magazine (Moderator). Hosted by The Friars Club.

Amy Aronoff Blumkin, Jennifer Gilkie, Christine Tripoli Krische, Elsa Lopez, Michele Rankin, and moderator Anita Marks on stage at a WISE chapter event

Women of the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee (2013)
Amy Aronoff Blumkin, Chief Marketing Officer; Jennifer Gilkie, Chief of Staff; Christine Tripoli Krische, Vice President, Events & Hospitality; Elsa Lopez, Director of Special Community Programs; Michele Rankin, Vice President, Volunteers. Anita Marks, NY Football Giants Broadcast Team, NBC Sports, Bleacher Report (Moderator). Hosted by HardRock Times Square.

Bernadette McDonald, Wendy Lewis and Jacqueline Parkes

Women of MLB (2011)
Bernadette McDonald, Vice President, Broadcast Operations; Wendy Lewis, Senior Vice President, Diversity and Strategic Alliances; Jacqueline Parkes, Chief Marketing Officer. Hosted by MLB.

Lori LeBas, Roxanne Jones, Moria Davis, Alison Overholt, and Moderator Sage Steele

Women of ESPN (2010)
Lori LeBas, Senior VP, Strategy & Business Operations; Roxanne Jones, VP ESPN Publishing; Moria Davis, VP Marketing; Alison Overholt, Editor in Chief, GIRL Magazine, espnW & ESPN RISE. Sage Steele, Daytime SportsCenter Update Anchor/Co-Host (Moderator). Hosted by the ESPN Zone Times Square.

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