Women Leaders in Sports Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 100: Sandy Barbour, Heather Lyke & Jacqie McWilliams Jan 24, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the 100TH EPISODE of the Women Leaders Podcast!

Since 2017, powerhouse women from all corners of the collegiate athletics industry and beyond have shared their career and leadership journey with us on the Women Leaders Podcast. With over 122,000 all-time downloads in just four years and an average of 4,000 downloads per month, these conversations have provided timely and impactful insights to our listeners by covering relevant and relatable topics for women leaders at all levels - (like being THE FIRST or THE ONLY, managing up, navigating transitions, being a mom in athletics, building and sustaining organizational culture, and so much more).

Today, for our 100th podcast episode we are talking with the 2021 Women Leaders Executive Committee: Sandy Barbour, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at the Pennsylvania State University, Heather Lyke, Director of Athletics at the University of Pittsburgh and Jacqie McWilliams, Commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA).

All three of these women leaders have shared their personal career story as a previous guest on the Women Leaders podcast - for the 100th episode they are back and here to engage in a different conversation.

These three will be YOUR truth tellers for all things career advancement- sharing their personal learnings, observations and best advice on career strategy so that you can position yourself for the job you want and advance into higher levels of leadership. Listen in to hear what Heather Lyke sees at the "greatest gift" you can bring to your athletics department, Sandy Barbour tells us why she hires who she hires and Jacqie McWilliams talks about the critical skills of managing up AND down to lead at the highest level.

And most importantly - all three leaders tell us why women should be opting in, NOT out right now in our industry and how to own and elevate your leadership presence!

Watch or listen in to get a front row seat of my conversation with three of the best women leaders in the business! Yes, that's right - you can WATCH the 100th podcast! We've recorded the video and posted it to the Leadership Hub video library so you can get a behind the scenes look at the Women Leaders Podcast. Be sure to check it out and remember, we are women leaders!

Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member!

Episode 99: Valerie Cleary Jan 03, 2021

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by Valerie Cleary, director of athletics at Portland State University Val has somewhat of an underdog story that reminds young women that a career in sports is possible! A small, farm town girl from Northern California who never aspired to be an athletic director - Val used her undergrad experiences as a tour guide, orientation leader and sorority sister to find her passion for higher education, which led to a Masters in Counseling and Student Development, a degree she uses every single day. While Val has spent many years in higher education, she was only in athletics for 1 year before being asked to serve as the interim AD, which says a lot about her skillset and leadership abilities. She has since been hired into two different athletic director roles and is thriving. Find out she created her own "search firm" for hiring new coaches, developed her philosophy around what "fit" for a department really means, and how she makes sure everyone working under her has a voice in the process. Val also talks about how GIRL POWER is important in her life thanks to the "Big Sky (Conference) Strong Squad," and why leading by example is so important- especially as we continue to care for our mental health in times of uncertainty. Managing up in athletics, she shares, is crucial to success - and Val is no stranger to this skill as she has navigated not one, but THREE presidential transitions in just three years. Being a quiet observer, communicating goals, learning your supervisor's learning style and getting to know your boss's support team are some of the tricks she has learned along the way. There are nuances to her style, though, that are brilliant. We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 98: Crista Samaras Dec 13, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by CEO and Founder of Brave Enterprises, a great friend of Women Leaders and former convention keynote, Crista Samaras Crista is a coach, entrepreneur, and power-packed, energetic pep talk master who has coached thousands of people to feel great about themselves and to accomplish things they never thought possible,

And while her energy is infectious and not to be forgotten,, she is a brilliant teacher, practitioner, and believer in research and stats. There is endless substance behind her inspiring message., that will make you feel ready to CRUSH IT. Crista's career journey is one of discovery, bold passion and relentless curiosity about this thing called life. She grew up in a family of 6 fellow lacrosse athletes who all competed at the collegiate level, and she talks openly about how her struggles as a Princeton student-athlete taught her the true definition of grit and why it is important to "know your controllables." Both of these learnings now serve as core components of the curriculum she has created for Brave Enterprises, which mentors and molds leaders of all ages to BRAVE their FEAR. In our discussion, Crista bravely opens up about living with depression and the ways she manages it, like building her "circle of trust team" and coaching them on how to communicate with her when she is depressed. What Crista shares here is the kind of vulnerability and transparency that changes lives. She reminds us that sharing our experiences allows us to better support one another. Crista also talks about the difference between being BRAVE, and being fearless. And she shares some tools on how to do that, like understanding Motivation, Method, and Mindset, and remembering the BRAVE sandwich, which includes Purpose, Bravery, and Curiosity. She also gives tips on navigating uncertain times which includes understanding the difference between facts and feelings. Simple, but so very powerful! We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 97: Krista Montague Nov 29, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Philips is joined by Director of Athletics at Montana State University-Billings, Krista Montague. The first female athletic director at MSU-Billings AND at a NCAA institution in the state of Montana, Krista has spent her entire career in athletics supporting and pouring her heart into the community that helped to shape her. We talk about how the journey from staff, to interim AD, to Athletic Director has contributed to her now 22-year career at MSU-Billings. I love this story about Krista's early introduction to sports – which came when she was able to shadow her grandfather, who chose to coach girls basketball at a time when girls and women were just beginning to have the opportunity to play. Her time at practices, on the bench, and on the bus really shaped her love of the sport, and she went on to earn a scholarship to play at MSU-Billings – and by the way, her daughter plays there now as well! In our conversation, Krista shares her thoughts about how women feel pressured to choose between career and family, but explains that it is possible to have both! We also talked about her leadership philosophy, which includes the importance of being a good listener, meeting people where they are, and setting expectations but then getting out of the way and letting people do their work. There lots of great insights here! I hope you enjoy our conversation and remember; we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 96: Irma Garcia Nov 15, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics at Saint Francis Brooklyn College, Irma Garcia. With a breadth of knowledge in many areas across this industry, her heart for using them all to better the lives of others is what makes Irma a true Woman Leader! Starting as the Head Women's Basketball Coach and now the Athletic Director, she has used every moment of her 32-year career at her alma mater to uplift and inspire. The first Hispanic female to step into the Athletic Director chair at the NCAA Division I level, she says the resiliency of her Brooklyn roots inspired her to pursue her passion for playing basketball and use her voice to better the college athletics industry. Irma's philosophy on molding student-athletes into impactful world citizens has guided her through stops at every level of coaching and administration. Teaching has always been her first love, but she believes a good teacher always becomes the student. That mindset, she says, has helped her to become a more versatile leader through the dual-pandemic our country has faced in 2020. She reminds us that education is the key to addressing social injustices in our communities and shares how life-long learning has impacted her approach to addressing this on her campus. In our conversation, Irma talks about how she leads her team with passion, love and smiles! She shares what it means to be "Brooklyn Tough", how Women Helping Other Women (WHOW) has molded her experience as an Athletic Director, and why family values play a role in her journey. She also teaches us how to incorporate "no, but" into your vocabulary and tips for learning to "Move the Room and move Zoom." We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 95: Portia Hoeg Nov 01, 2020

Show notes

Hello, and welcome to the Women Leaders podcast! I'm Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports. Today, I am excited to be joined by current Women Leaders Board member and the Executive Director of the Centennial Conference, Portia Hoeg. Portia has a broad experience in the world of collegiate athletics, that includes an all-star student-athlete experience, an internship at the WBCA, administration stops at 5 different colleges, almost 8 years in the AD chair, and now a year and a half as a commissioner. And throughout every step of her career, she has been a steadfast advocate for collegiate athletics at the NCAA Division III level. In our conversation, Portia talks about discerning great opportunities, the current realities of the ethnic minority population in Division III, using her voice during the health and racial pandemics that our nation faces, and what it has meant to her to be the first African American woman to ascend to the Commissioner role at the DIII level in any conference. Portia also shares best practices for how she uses her calendar to her advantage for integrating her life as mom, wife and leader, and how she and her husband, who also serves as a coach and administrator in this industry, manage it all. Lots to unpack here! I hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 94: Courtney Lovely Evans Oct 18, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by the Director of Athletics at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Courtney Lovely Evans. Courtney has ascended to the AD chair quickly, although this was not necessarily her goal in college. It was actually the opportunity to work for two female leaders at Georgia State that opened her eyes to collegiate administration. In our conversation Courtney talks about the 3 types of decisions we are all faced with, her ideas on hiring to weaknesses, having a fearless approach to "friendraising," and the value of a personal board of directors, especially while making choices in transition. She shares about how her stops at Georgia State University and the NCAA National Office fueled her passion for positively affecting the student-athlete experience, and credits those positions with forming her use of storytelling and relationship building to advocate for her student-athletes. Finally, Courtney also opens up about how "being the only" was part of her journey to becoming the first minority administrator at Palm Beach Atlantic named to both the university's cabinet and the athletic director chair. Her philosophy on "leading with love," she says, has not only been her guiding force in leading her department through the racial and medical pandemics in our nation, but also in her approach to engaging in conversations daily on her campus and in the athletics space. Lots to love here. I hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders!

Episode 93: Candice Lee Oct 04, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by a true trailblazer, Dr. Candice Storey Lee, the Vice Chancellor for Athletics & University Affairs and Athletics Director at Vanderbilt University. Candice's' appointment is historic as Vanderbilt's first female athletic director AND the first African American woman to lead an athletics program in the SEC. We talk and how she has handled that, AND the COVID and racial pandemics that hit our country shortly after she started her role. In fact, We dive into the experience of "racial battle fatigue" and how campus culture shapes student-athlete experiences today! Her values of service and duty have allowed her to flourish through many periods of transition. Growing up in a military family, Candice attended 14 schools before beginning her now 25 year career at Vanderbilt; a career that includes two additional higher ed degrees and various leadership roles within the athletic department that she now leads. Candice had a successful college basketball career in the SEC, and she talks about how she discovered her talent for building a team and harnessing the discipline needed to accomplish her goals through the sport. We also discuss how relationships built on integrity and trust have been the difference makers in her career, There are so many insights here. We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 92: Mollie Marcoux Samaan Sep 20, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the Ford Family Director of Athletics at Princeton University. Mollie's journey to the AD chair is a unique one, having never worked in college athletics prior to accepting the role at Princeton. We hear this a lot on the men's side, but not as much with women. Mollie did start her career at a boarding school where she held many jobs, including coaching the girls ice hockey and soccer teams. But she soon landed an entry level job at Chelsea Piers and began a 19-year run there that saw her elevated into several different leadership roles, including Exec VP of Chelsea Piers Connecticut. Mollie said her experience there, which included work in events, fundraising, marketing and business operations to name a few, more than prepared her to lead at Princeton. And not so much because of the work she was doing, but because she was constantly challenged to learn new skills in new areas, which forced her to continue to cultivate a strong growth mindset! In this conversation, Mollie gives great tips on hiring coaches -she's had 14 successful hires in her tenure- and again, had not worked on a college campus previously," , , and we discuss leading in times of crisis. Princeton was one of the first schools to cancel competitions when Covid hit, and she talks through that communication process, She also talks about the "MYTH of stress" - which also happens to be the title of one of her favorite books. She shares a TON of great advice here, like "play life like you play sports" which includes picking your teams wisely. Amen! We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

Episode 91: Michelle Morgan Sep 06, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by Michelle Morgan, Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation at John Carroll University. Michelle's mission in life is to "make a mark on the world with a skate on one foot and a black pump on the other" and there is no doubt this mission is evidenced in her reality. Michelle grew up as an ice hockey student-athlete and used her love of the sport to propel her career. She was the first female awarded a scholarship from the Chicago Blackhawk association, at age 18, which presented further opportunities for her to work with both the NHL and NFL. But her transition to college athletics came unexpectedly, when she helped write a 'Director of Marketing' job description for her alma mater and decided to apply in the process.

In our conversation, Michelle talks about the importance of developing a solid network and skills relevant to our industry; which for her, included participation in the 2016 Women Leaders Institute for Administrative Advancement.

She also discusses the realities of relocating for a job and its impact on your personal and professional life. For Michelle, self-care includes never leaving vacation days unused and she expresses the importance of this as a leader and the opportunity it creates for your support staff.

We also talk about transparency, accountability and consistency as critical qualities of an effective leader. There is so much to unpack in this discussion! We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women Leaders! Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to become a member! Follow us at fb.com/WomenLeadersCS, and on Twitter and Instagram @WomenLeadersCS.

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