Women Leaders in Sports Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 170: Allison Howard Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders.

Today, I'm joined by Allison Howard, the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Rock Entertainment Group and the Cleveland Cavaliers and the recently named President of Business Operations for the new Cleveland WNBA team.

Allison's career journey...from the Lakers to the KC Current to Cleveland...has been marked by persistence, confidence, and a willingness to pause and self-check when life demands it. She opens up about those moments of personal honesty that have guided her growth.

From learning to listen as a leader to championing new opportunities for women, Allison shares the wisdom and resilience that continue to guide her career.

Keep listening for more insights from Allison - and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 169: Erika Wallace Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders.

Today, I'm joined by Erika Wallace, Director of Athletics at Wayne State University. In just three years, Erika has grown from an interim role to leading her department with impact across athletics, academics, and the community.

Her success stems from showing up with intention and seizing opportunities without waiting for perfect conditions.

In this episode, Erika shares how she's owned her role, made bold decisions, and built confidence as a leader, which she says, was shaped by her experience as a student-athlete and involvement with Women Leaders.

Keep listening for more takeaways from Erika and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 168: Stacey Allaster Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders.

As we gear up for the 2025 US Open this month, we're celebrating a historic moment - it will be the final tournament under the leadership of today's guest, Stacey Allaster.

Stacey, Chief Executive of Professional Tennis at the USTA, made history in 2020 as the first woman to serve as U.S. Open Tournament Director in its 140-year history. Her legacy of leadership, innovation, and excellence will carry on through the exceptional team she's built.

Since joining the USTA in 2016, and as former WTA Chairman and CEO, Stacey has championed equal pay, fan engagement, and the global growth of women's tennis, working alongside legends like Billie Jean King.

As Stacey's career evolves with new priorities and horizons, she stays grounded in her vision statement: a life of fun, freedom, and impact.

Keep listening for more takeaways from Stacey - and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 167: Keia Cole, Chief Digital Officer at BSE Global Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today I'm joined by Keia Cole, Chief Digital Officer at BSE Global — the force behind the Barclays Center, the New York Liberty, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Long Island Nets.

From launching groundbreaking fan loyalty programs to reimagining the role of a mascot as a cultural influencer, Keia is transforming how fans connect with iconic brands through data, technology, and a culture of innovation.

Keia's path is far from traditional — spanning finance, law, the Obama administration, and leading digital transformation in insurance before stepping into sports. At every stage, she's expanded her skills, strengthened her network, and opened new doors.

Keep listening for more takeaways from Keia —and remember, We Are Women Leaders

Episode 166: Jill Ellis, FIFA's First-Ever Chief Football Officer Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today, I'm thrilled to be joined by a true trailblazer—Jill Ellis. Jill is the former President of the San Diego Wave and the legendary coach who led the U.S. Women's National Team to back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles. And now, she's breaking even more ground as FIFA's first-ever Chief Football Officer!

Jill's leadership spans from guiding championship teams on the field to shaping global strategy at the highest levels in Zurich—bringing a strong blend of vision, grit, and impact on the world stage.

What sets her apart? Her fearless curiosity and willingness to take bold risks! Keep listening for powerful insights from Jill —and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 165: Kim Davis, Senior Executive Vice President of the NHL May 01, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast! I'm your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports. Today, I'm excited to be joined by Kim Davis, Senior Executive Vice President at the NHL.

Throughout her journey across industries, Kim has brought with her a powerful toolkit of transferable leadership skills and a strategic mindset. In addition, she has developed a framework—what she calls the 7 Dimensions of Excellence and Growth that help drive real, measurable impact everywhere she's been. Be sure to listen to hear what those are!

We also unpack how to build professional intimacy, how to harness data to drive change, and how reach and reputation create relevance—and ultimately—results.

Episode 164: One Year in as NCAA Senior VP of Championships with Lynda Tealer Apr 03, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast...I am your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today, I'm joined by Lynda Tealer, Senior Vice President of Championships at the NCAA.

With nearly 29 years in collegiate athletics, Lynda has a wealth of experience making an impact in every room.

We dive into the importance of working with the right people, practicing agility throughout your career, and the value of clear communication and setting expectations as a leader.

Plus, Lynda reveals her thoughts on leading in today's rapidly changing landscape of college athletics, and why it's crucial to remain fit in mind, body, and soul as a leader.

Keep listening for more takeaways from Lynda and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 163: Change Management with Novus Global's Shauna Barnes & Kristin Frade Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast...I am your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today, I'm joined by Shauna Barnes and Kristin Frade, Elite Executive Coaches and Partners at Novus Global, Together, they're passionate about helping leaders and organizations go BEYOND high performance to reach their full potential.

Shauna and Kristin emphasize a powerful belief: though change can be uncomfortable, it is inevitable. The key to harnessing potential through change is to work on shifting our mindset: —change isn't happening to us; it's happening for us. We must embrace it, take ownership of it, and evolve as leaders in the midst of it. This will better position us to leverage the opportunities that lie on the other side of change.

In this episode, we'll explore tangible strategies for focusing not just on what we need to do as leaders, but who we need to become to catalyze the change we want to create.

Keep listening for more takeaways from Shauna and Kristin and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 162: Lara Krug Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast...I am your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today I'm joined by Lara Krug, the Kansas City Chiefs' Executive Vice President and Chief Media & Marketing Officer. Yes, THOSE Chiefs, on their way to the Super Bowl, in pursuit of a historic three-peat!

Lara made history herself in 2021, as the Chief's first-ever CMO. Her career spans from the beauty industry to beer to sports, giving her a unique perspective on leading one of the NFL's most iconic brands. In this episode, we dive into Lara's approach of embracing opportunities with a "why not?" and "what if?" mindset, how she believes in taking risks, and her tips on being the only woman in the room in a male dominated space.

Keep listening for more from Lara and remember, We Are Women Leaders!

Episode 161: Jessica Gelman Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders in Sports Podcast...I am your host, Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in Sports.

Today I am joined by Jessica Gelman, Co-Founder and CEO of Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR), a leading sports and entertainment analytics firm.

Jessica is an influential leader and innovator who is driving the sports analytics movement. She co-founded the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and continues to create new avenues for women to succeed in data science careers. She believes and its true – data is the great equalizer!

Jessica explains that KAGR uses analytics to better understand fan behavior and leverage technology to drive more efficient business decisions.

We unpack the importance of having a growth mindset, not being afraid to challenge the way things have always been done and how thinking like a point guard is a great tip for leaders.

Keep listening for more from Jessica and be sure to check out the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference coming up March 7th in Boston!

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