Women Leaders in College Sports Launches Women Leaders Podcast

May 1, 2017
Contact: Rachel DeSchepper
Women Leaders in College Sports
[email protected]
816-389-8208

Kansas City, Mo. – Women Leaders in College Sports, the premier member organization that develops, connects, and advances women leaders at all levels in college sports, launched its first podcast, the Women Leaders Podcast (#WomenLeadersPodcast) today.

In every episode, Women Leaders CEO Patti Phillips talks with strong, resilient, inspired, and passionate women who lead in collegiate athletics administration, at the NCAA, at top-tier search firms, in business, and more, and whose career paths are inspirational and empowering.

“We have been very intentional since our re-brand about offering resources to our members year-round, in addition to our world-class opportunities at our leadership events and National Convention,” says Phillips, who hosts each episode. “The Women Leaders Podcast is the perfect opportunity for our members to learn from and be inspired by incredible women who have paved the way for them and helped move the needle for women in intercollegiate athletics. We’re incredibly excited to share their stories with you!”

The series launches with four episodes, which are 20- to 40-minute conversations with Women Leaders in College Sports members and influencers in intercollegiate athletics: Vicky Chun, Women Leaders in College Sports president and Colgate University vice president and director of athletics; Sandy Barbour, Penn State University director of athletics; Samantha Huge, William & Mary director of athletics; and Grace Calhoun, University of Pennsylvania director of athletics.

“We want to illustrate that every woman’s career journey, at every level, is not always a straight one,” says Phillips. “We hope you’re able to glean lessons, find inspiration, and be motivated to aspire higher by these women’s stories!”

Future episodes of Women Leaders Podcast will be released twice a month, and will be available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and at womenleadersincollegesports.com/podcast.

About Each Episode

Episode 1: Vicky Chun

Vicky Chun is vice president and director of athletics at Colgate University and current president of Women Leaders in College Sports. She and Patti Phillips go way back—all the way to when they were interns at the NCAA together!—and the two of them chat about Vicky’s strategic and intentional path from player to coach to athletics administrator.

Episode 2: Sandy Barbour

Sandy Barbour, director of athletics at Penn State University, is one of four athletics directors in the Power Five conferences, and has a long list of accolades, including being named one of the 100 most influential women in business, landing a spot on Forbes’ list of most powerful women in sports and the top 25 most powerful people in college sports. She and Patti Phillips chat about her path to athletics administration.

Episode 3: Samantha Huge

Samantha Huge was recently named athletics director at William & Mary, after a successful tenure as senior associate AD at Texas A&M. She chats with Patti Phillips about her career journey, admitting that early on, her moves were neither intentional nor strategic—developing those skills was something she had to learn with experience.

Episode 4: Grace Calhoun

In this episode, Patti Phillips chats with Grace Calhoun, athletic director at the University of Pennsylvania. Grace was a gymnast as a kid, went to school to be an electrical engineer, was a track and field star at Brown, and received an MBA and a Ph.D in higher education—all before making her way to the top seat in athletics administration. She has shattered glass ceilings in each and every stage of her career!

About Women Leaders in College Sports

Founded in 1979, Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA; www.womenleadersincollgesports.org) is the only nationally recognized collegiate professional membership organization whose mission is to develop, connect, and advance women leaders working in intercollegiate athletics. More than 3,500 members strong, Women Leaders promotes the growth, leadership, and success of women as athletics administrators, conference commissioners, professional staff, coaches, and student-athletes.

Follow Women Leaders in College Sports on Facebook (fb.com/WomenLeadersCS), Twitter (@WomenLeadersCS), and Instagram (@WomenLeadersCS).

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