WISE/R Symposium 2024 Sessions

How to Speak Like a Pro
Sponsored by the National Football League
Studies suggest that audiences respond more to how you sound when you speak (your delivery) than the substance of what you say (the content itself). This interactive session will demonstrate this clear challenge and focus on the massive opportunity this gives you as a communicator. Because once you've decided to speak up, you need to make sure that you reach and move your audience.

What you'll learn

  • Vocal Variety: The five musical dynamics of how you sound, why it matters, how to modulate it, and how to use vocal variety to sound like the most authentic version of yourself.
  • The revelatory power of Enunciation and Diction: how clear and distinct sounds impact your audience's hearts and minds.
  • Linguistic Precision: how to be in command of the words that leave your mouth. This includes accuracy, removing non-fluencies, and more.
  • After the session, you'll have access to GK Training's interactive, AI-powered practice app, Question Roulette, which gives real-time metrics and feedback.

Presenter: Michael Chad Hoeppner


Putting Analytics to Work in the Real World
Sponsored by the Wasserman Foundation
Everyone understands the potential of data to create and monetize fan engagement. The key question is: How? These seasoned leaders will go beyond the theory to give you real-world examples of how analytics are helping them build their business by acquiring (and re-acquiring) customers to sell tickets, services, merchandise and more.

What you'll learn

  • Types of Data: First-party vs. Third-party data sources
  • Case Study: US Open Tickets and Sales Strategy
  • Fanatics' shared infrastructure model
  • Using analytics to sell subscription services

Panelists: Chris Benyarko, Diane Gotua, Kirsten Corio
Moderator: Shelley Pisarra


Making Your Plan to Thrive
Sponsored by the National Basketball Association
Pursuing a career in a high-pressure environment like the business of sports requires the resilience of a pro athlete, especially if you're a woman. That means re-training our priorities to put our own wellbeing first now, so we can prevent today's stresses from diminishing tomorrow's quality of life and productivity.

What you'll learn

  • The truth about fertility and family planning options, fibroids and their treatments, and perimenopause
  • Practical guides to aging and health for women who have felt ignored or marginalized by the medical profession
  • How to make sure that caring for others (such as children, parents, or other loved ones) does not come at the expense of caring for yourself

Speaker: Sharon Malone MD
Moderator: Caroline Clarke


Speaking Up for Success
Sponsored by the National Hockey League
Reaching our career and personal goals often depends on our ability to speak up. But many accomplished professional women struggle to do so, especially in male-dominated spaces like the business of sports. This session is intended to help you understand what gets in the way of speaking up and equip you to make better choices about if, when, and how to speak up.

What you'll learn

  • Understanding the dilemma: the cost-benefit analysis of speaking up or saying nothing
  • Strategizing how to lower the costs and increase the benefits to speaking up
  • Improving your clarity and confidence when you advocate for yourself
  • Modeling behaviors that help others to speak up
  • Regaining balance when the conversation throws you off

Presenter: Anh Tran


The Mainstream Rise of Women's Sports
Sponsored by UTA
A 2023 Wasserman study found that media coverage of women's sports nearly tripled from 2019 to 2022. In 2024, Deloitte predicts more unprecedented growth for women's sports, driven by greater exposure and new investment. While we've always believed that women's sports is good business, what happens when the rest of the world gets the message? You'll hear from investors, sponsors and brand consultants who are driving this change and their insights about what comes next.

What you'll learn

  • Key drivers behind the growth of women's sports
  • Is it here to stay?
  • Why this matters to you and your career

Panelists: Jasmine Robinson, Laura Jordan, Shelley Pisarra, Steph Marciano
Moderator: Kathleen Francis


Masterclass with the 2024 WISE Women of the Year
Sponsored by Major League Soccer
For more than 25 years, WISE has honored women who have broken barriers, acted as a voice for other women, and made a significant impact on the business of sports. In this signature session, this panel of extraordinary women will share their challenges, insights, and most memorable moments from their leadership journeys.

What you'll learn

  • How to recognize moments of pivotal growth and change, and face them with grace and skill
  • How to collect the right career experiences to position yourself for the leadership roles you really want.
  • The advice they'd share with their younger selves—so you can benefit from it now.

Panelists: Ayala Deutsch, Kate Johnson, Michele Kajiwara, Renee Chube Washington
Moderator: Caroline Clarke



Agenda, timing, sessions and speakers are subject to change.