Women Leaders in Sports Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 140: President Linda Livingstone Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips… Today I am thrilled joined by the President of Baylor University, Dr. Linda Livingstone! President Livingstone, a former Division I Women's Basketball player and the current chair of the NCAA Board of Governors, has led Baylor through an impressive transformation during her tenure that started in 2017. Throughout our conversation, she breaks down her leadership style and the importance of creating a culture that works. Hear straight from the President on what qualities she looks for when hiring and tactical leadership skills women can improve on to land the next role. We also talk candidly about the slow pace of women elevating into the Athletic Director level, and she provides ideas and strategies on how to change that. Lots of great nuggets here, let's dive into this important conversation…and remember, We Are Women Leaders.

Episode 139: Sonja Stills Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips…

Today I'm joined by Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Commissioner Sonja Stills! Sonja is the first woman commissioner in the conference's history, as well as the first woman commissioner of a Division 1 HBCU Conference…talking about Kicking Glass!

There are so many great insights in this conversation – including the importance of going above and beyond in your job, and how that will always pay off for you down the road. Sonja says jobs are not a-la-carte, and she gives great examples from her career about how saying yes and taking initiative pays off.

She also passionately and clearly talks about the importance and benefits of HBCU's. Let's dive into this insightful conversation…and remember, We Are Women Leaders.

Episode 138: President L. Song Richardson & Dr. Angel Mason Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips… Today we honor and celebrate Juneteenth - the day that enslaved black Americans in Texas became free. Juneteenth gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we've come and how far we still have to go. In this episode, we take you back to a vital conversation that took place at our 2022 National Convention in Kansas City, where Dr. Angel Mason, Director of Athletics at Berry College and one of our Women of Color Circle Leads, sat down with Colorado College President L. Song Richardson, for an honest discussion about race and gender. President Richardson, a legal scholar, lawyer, and expert on implicit racial and gender bias, has dedicated her career to civil rights and equity. These two women leaders tap into the importance of celebrating the victories, but also point out the challenges still ahead, and why we need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Let's dive into this important conversation…and remember, We Are Women Leaders.

Episode 137: Why We Hire Who We Hire with Jenny Borg & Kristy Bayer Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips…

I'm excited about this episode which highlights the strategies leaders use in recruiting and hiring top talent. It's obviously a topic that plays a crucial role in shaping all successful organizations.

And we're joined by two rockstar Women Leaders, who have excelled in the world of college sports and are at the forefront of hiring talent at their Universities.

Kristy Bayer - the Athletic Director from Rockhurst University Has been the lead or part of most hires during her 20-year career as a head coach, senior ranking and deputy AD, and now as athletic director, and has incredible insights on how to stand out and succeed in the hiring process.

Jenny Borg is Notre Dame's Senior Associate Athletic Director – Strategy & Culture. Jenny has held roles as supervisor of employee services, as consultant to Human Resources, and advisor to athletics strategy, all of which has required a keen eye or recruiting talent that builds winning cultures.

Together, Kristy and Jenny share their insights on everything from how to get noticed, get and win an interview, and what not to do during interviews.

Whether you're job hunting, a hiring manager, or interested in the dynamics of building a winning team, you won't want to miss this conversation!

Let's dive in! And remember, We Are Women Leaders

Episode 136: Making the Pivot with Angie Torain & Jenn Hunter May 11, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips…

I'm excited to bring today's episode to you as I talk with two phenomenal women about their experiences with Making a Pivot in their careers:

Jenn Hunter currently the Chief Impact Officer for the Big 12 Conference, pivoted from the pro sports space after working at the Portland Trailblazers for nearly four years.

Joining her is Angie Torain, the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Chicago, who made the pivot from working in Division l at The University of Notre Dame to Division lll to sit in the chair at Chicago.

Both women talk about how their varied and diverse experiences transferred to their new roles in new arenas and ultimately, allowed them to bring (or add) value in transformative ways. They not only explain how they navigated these big changes but give tangible actions steps on how to make a pivot and be successful doing it!

Jenn and Angie are CRUSHING it and I can't wait for you to hear their stories. Let's dive in! And remember, We Are Women Leaders.

Episode 135: Laura Gassner Otting Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm your host, Patti Phillips. Today, I'm here with a very special guest, Laura Gassner Otting, Washington Post Best-Selling Author and Speaker – Yes, the same Laura who delivered an epic keynote speech at our 2022 National Convention in Kansas City! I'm excited to have her on the podcast today to talk about her newest book - Wonderhell! Which is Inspired by conversations with movers and shakers, ground-breaking leaders, entrepreneurs, and of course, her own experience with success. The title of the book actually threw me, until she explained that success isn't a destination, its a portal. What we thought was the pinnacle of achievement (its a wonderful!) is instead a door that invites us to live up to the burden of our newfound potential (which can be hell!) aka WonderHell! This is exactly the kind of book we all need to help us get to that next level in our professional and personal lives by structuring the chapters as an amusement park. Chapters such as Impostortown, The Carousel, and The Tunnel of Love metaphorically take us through the burden of newly discovered potential of success and life. Grab a copy of Wonderhell here! Let's dive in! And remember, We Are Women Leaders.

Episode 134: Ross Bjork & Kristen Brown Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

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

Today we bring you part two of our series on Managing Up, and we have Texas A&M in the house!

I am joined by Kristen Brown, Deputy Athletics Director, and Senior Women's Administrator…and Ross Bjork, Director of Athletics. They are a dynamic duo, and we have a great convo.

Kristen is an all-star coming to Aggieland in 2020, after serving as an Associate Athletic Director for administration at the University of Maryland since 2014. She has a huge portfolio at A & M, and obviously manages up to Ross.

Ross is an industry veteran with a proven track record of success AND empowering women at every stop in his career. He has managed up to many leaders throughout his career, and currently manages up the President of Texas A&M, Katherine Banks, who also happens to be the first woman president he has worked for.

This is a continuation of the conversation from our last episode, where New York Times Best Selling Author Lindsey Pollak discussed the concept of Managing Up. It was a great follow-up to hear from two industry executives who do this day in and day out with, and for, one another.

If you missed the last episode, make sure to go back and give it a listen, because no matter where you are in your career, managing up is essential to getting you to that next level!

Here we go with part 2...enjoy! Remember, We are Women Leaders!

Episode 133: Lindsey Pollak Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

Hello and welcome to the Women Leaders Podcast. I'm Patti Phillips, and I am pumped to kick off the first episode of our two-part series on Managing Up!

I am joined by Lindsey Pollak, New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's leading career and workplace experts and WOW!...She nailed it!

We have been hearing from so many leaders that today's workforce isn't executing on Managing UP at a high level, or at least as much as we used to. Lindsay explains why, and then gives tips on what to do about it.

Whether you are in your first job, a middle manager, or are leading an organization, this conversation is for you! It is literally, a MUST LISTEN.

Let's dive right in with Lindsey! And remember, We are Women Leaders.

Episode 132: Judy MacLeod Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Hello, and welcome to the Women Leaders podcast! I'm Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports. In this episode, I'm joined by Judy MacLeod, our 2020 Women Leaders Executive of the Year winner, and the first female commissioner of a FBS conference. We dive deep into Judy's career journey - She has excelled in the industry for years as a coach, athletic director and most recently in her current role as Commissioner of Conference USA. You won't want to miss our open dialogue on how her team is navigating the landscape of change and conference realignment, and how they leveraged that to secure an exciting new broadcast deal for the conference. Judy also touches on how her time on campus set her up to succeed as a Commissioner, the importance of serving on national committees, and how she has navigated being the "only woman" so many times in her career. Don't miss a moment of this conversation...and remember, we are Women Leaders!

Episode 131: Celebrating Female Playmakers in Football in partnership with the CFP Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Hello, and welcome to the Women Leaders podcast! I'm Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports.

A few weeks ago, we attended one of college sport's biggest event: the college football national championship in Los Angeles! In partnership with the College Football Playoff, Women Leaders hosted a panel and reception at the Grammy Museum.

I sat down with four industry leaders including: Gloria Nevarez, Commissioner of the Mountain West Conference, Desiree Reed-Francois, Athletic Director at the University of Missouri, Diana Sabau, Deputy Commissioner & Chief Sports Officer at the Big Ten, and Mike Bohn, the Charles Griffin Cale Director of Athletics at the University of Southern California.

This panel did not disappoint...we discuss why football continues to take up so much of the conversation within college athletics, the obstacles and biases that have prevented women from leading athletic departments with prominent football programs (although that is slowly changing), and how we can leverage the power of football to help move us forward.

Let's jump right into the conversation and remember, we are Women Leaders!

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