WISE/R Symposium 2025 Speakers

Jenny Wood
Author

Jenny Wood, a former Google operations executive whose team drove billions of dollars in revenue for the tech giant each year, is the author of the upcoming book, WILD COURAGE: Go After What You Want and Get It. Wood is also the founder of Own Your Career, one of the largest career development programs in Google’s history, with tens of thousands of people benefitting worldwide. Her writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Forbes. An FAA-licensed private pilot, a daily hiker, an improv student, a tap dancer, and a zucchini bread connoisseur, Wood lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her two young children and her husband Jon. She met Jon by chasing him off the NYC Subway, and theNew York Times featured their story.

Li Li Leung
President & Chief Executive Officer, USA Gymnastics

Since 2019, Li Li Leung has led USA Gymnastics through a cultural transformation, introducing a new board of directors, new mission statement, 70% new staff, and establishing new organizational values prioritizing athlete safety. Headlined by a new Athlete Bill of Rights, USAG under Leung now provides comprehensive health and wellness resources for its members. During Leung’s tenure, USA Gymnastics has entered multiple new commercial partnerships and its teams have experienced record-setting performances, with the women’s artistic team winning gold in Paris, and the men’s team winning bronze, their first medal since 2008. Leung was named a Sports Business Journal “Power Player” in 2020, recognized by the A100 list of the most impactful athletes Asian Pacific Leaders in 2023, and is a member of the 2024 Game Changers class. Prior to joining USAG, Leung was a vice president at the NBA. A gymnast herself, Leung was a member of the U.S. junior national training team.

Sandra L. Richards
Managing Director, Head of Global Sports & Entertainment and Segment Sales & Engagement Group, Morgan Stanley

Under Sandra L. Richards’s leadership over the past six years, Morgan Stanley’s Global Sports & Entertainment business has grown to over 300 Financial Advisors with the Global Sports and Entertainment Director/Associate Director designation, as well as the NFLPA Registered Institutional Player FA designation, dedicated to serving the unique and complex needs of professional athletes, entertainers, creators, industry executives and emerging talent. In 2015, Richards was named a MAKER @ Morgan Stanley, and has also been recognized with numerous other awards, including Crain’s New York Business’ Notable Women in Sports in 2022, Variety’s Women of Impact List in 2019, the New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce Women of Excellence Award in 2018, and the Seton Hall Black Alumni Association’s Vanguard Award in 2018. She was also one of AdWeek’s Champions of Change and a member of Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers class in 2023.

Patty Power
EVP Operations and Engineering, CBS Sports Network

In her role since 2016, Patty Power is responsible for day-to-day production management, technical management, network operations, commercial operations, post production and media services for all CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network’s broadcast and cable network. She also is responsible for the technical production of all CBS Sports remotes including Super Bowl LVIII, LV and LIII, the AFC Championship Game, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and Final Four, the Masters, UEFA, PGA Championship, college football and thousands of hours of studio and original programming. Under Power's leadership, CBS Sports continues to drive groundbreaking workflows and technical innovations across the industry. A six-time Emmy winner, Power was previously SVP of operations and administration for CBS Sports Network, the first 24-hour college sports network, and VP of operations at Major League Baseball Productions.

Sarah Spain
Journalist

Sarah Spain is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning sports journalist. She's the host of the first-ever daily women's sports podcast, iHeart's "Good Game with Sarah Spain," and her first book, "Runs In The Family," is set for release via Simon and Schuster in June. Spain has been a jack of all trades in her more than two decades in the sports business and more than 14 years at ESPN, working as a radio and podcast host, television personality, producer and writer, currently focusing on espnW and the women's sports space. Spain is a member of the inaugural fellows class of ASU's Great Game Lab, was a founding member of the Gatorade Women's Advisory Board, was a Crain's Chicago Business "40 Under 40" honoree and was formerly a minority owner of the NWSL's Chicago Red Stars. Spain is a graduate of Cornell University, where she competed as a heptathlete and served as co-captain of the track & field team.

Amy Scheer
Senior Vice President, PWHL

Amy Scheer’s current role as the PWHL’s senior vice president, business operations, builds on an award-winning four-decade career that spans all areas of sports management. Scheer’s career began with the New Jersey Nets, where she spent more than 15 years, before joining the WNBA’s New York Liberty for a decade as vice president of marketing and communications, where she orchestrated league-leading numbers in attendance, ticket sales and marketing partnerships. Her success continued with the launch of MLS’s New York City Football Club, drawing record-breaking crowds to Yankee Stadium, followed by a role as chief commercial officer for the New York Red Bulls. Following a successful consulting role, Scheer joined the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun as vice president, business operations, prior to joining the NFL’s club business development team where she oversaw the NFL Ticket Network and championed fan engagement initiatives. Scheer moved back into the women’s sports space with the launch of the PWHL, which was honored after its inaugural season as “2024 Sports Breakthrough of the Year” by the Sports Business Journal.

Mandy Gutmann
Vice President, Communications/External Affairs, PWHL

As the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s vice president of communications and external affairs, Gutmann leads all aspects of the PWHL’s communications work, along with the league’s social responsibility and government affairs efforts. Prior to this role, Gutmann ran her own consulting firm, providing services in marketing communications, brand reputation, thought leadership, social media, gameday media operations, and more for clients including the PWHL, NY/NJ Gotham FC, Fund for Public Schools and Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. Previously, Gutmann was executive vice president of communications and community relations at BSE Global properties, including Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets and their NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets, and their NBA 2K League affiliate, NetsGC. In this capacity, she oversaw all aspects of corporate communications, playing a pivotal role in launching the Brooklyn Nets brand after the team’s move from New Jersey, the grand opening of Barclays Center, the reopening of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, and the reopening of the iconic music venue, Webster Hall. Crain’s New York Business recognized Gutmann in 2019 and 2022 as a Notable Woman in Sports. Additionally, she proudly serves as a Stonewall Ambassador for the charitable giving organization associated with the historic Stonewall Inn, the site of the 1969 riots that sparked the gay rights movement.

Jayne Bussman-Wise
Vice President, Growth, Strategy & New Venture, PWHL

For more than 20 years, Jayne Bussman-Wise has worked at the intersection of sports, technology, media and entertainment. In her current role, she leads growth, strategy and new ventures for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), having joined prior to the league’s launch and spent the inaugural season helping to launch and oversee business operations for all six teams. Before joining the PWHL, Bussman-Wise led sports strategy for Amazon’s live audio streaming service, Amp, as part of the company’s creator growth and acquisition team. Before Amazon, Jayne led content and communications for the New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Arena, and earlier in her career helped launch cross-town rival New York City FC, Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise. She was the first-ever digital director for Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets, and also helped open the first-ever all sports museum in New York City, and managed social media and marketing for the NHL’s New York Rangers. Bussman-Wise serves on the National Board of Directors for the Alliance for Women in Media. She was a 2019 Cynopsis Top Women in Media Honoree and part of the Fast Company Most Creative People 1000 in 2014. Jayne has been a WISE mentor, a judge for the Sports Technology Awards, and a Stonewall Day Ambassador with Pride Live, and speaks at industry events including NAB, SXSW, AdWeek and the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

Sarah Spain
Journalist

Sarah Spain is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning sports journalist. She's the host of the first-ever daily women's sports podcast, iHeart's "Good Game with Sarah Spain," and her first book, "Runs In The Family," is set for release via Simon and Schuster in June. Spain has been a jack of all trades in her more than two decades in the sports business and more than 14 years at ESPN, working as a radio and podcast host, television personality, producer and writer, currently focusing on espnW and the women's sports space. Spain is a member of the inaugural fellows class of ASU's Great Game Lab, was a founding member of the Gatorade Women's Advisory Board, was a Crain's Chicago Business "40 Under 40" honoree and was formerly a minority owner of the NWSL's Chicago Red Stars. Spain is a graduate of Cornell University, where she competed as a heptathlete and served as co-captain of the track & field team.

Ingrid Petri
VP Sponsorship Strategy & Business Development, NFL

As vice president of sponsorship strategy and business development at the National Football League (NFL), Ingrid Petri secures new, blue-chip sponsors for the league, and drives the overall strategy of the NFL's sponsorship business. Prior to her current role at the NFL, Petri was vice president of portfolio sales at Anschutz Entertainment Group Worldwide (AEG), driving innovative business solutions for new partners and growing strategic relationships with companies investing across AEG's portfolio, including world-class venues such as Crypto.com Arena and L.A. Live, top music festivals like Stagecoach and Coachella, sports franchises such as the LA Kings and LA Galaxy, as well as AEG Presents' tours and national venues. Petri also spent eight years with the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she built brand partnerships for the league, closing notable first-of-their kind deals with Coinbase, Clorox, Express, Mondelez, and ServiceNow, among many others. Petri has extensive experience across the media landscape — having previously worked for NBC News Networks, Sports Illustrated Property Sales, and as head of sports advertising sales at DirecTV, she has a track-record of securing sizable deals with leading brands across numerous categories. An NFL boomerang, Petri began her career in sports with stints at the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. She is a proud graduate of Villanova University Business School, where she majored in marketing and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Petri remains actively involved with her alma mater, serving on the Mentor Advisory Board for the university's business school as well as on the board of the Villanova Moorad Sports Law Center.

Julie Morris
SVP, Head of Commercial Development & Media, NBA

As the head of commercial development and media, Julie Morris works across the league's global partnerships business to increase existing revenue streams and drive new business opportunities for the NBA. She also oversees the monetization relationship with all league media partners to direct brand integration opportunities across television, digital, social and emerging media. Morris has been with the NBA for 15 years. She is a proud University of Kansas Journalism School alum and holds an MBA from The Gabelli School of Business in NYC.

Jen Cramer
EVP Partnership Marketing, Commercial Media & Partner Solutions/Insights, MLS/SUM

Jen Cramer is the executive vice president of partnership marketing, commercial media and partner solutions/insights for Major League Soccer (MLS) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the preeminent commercial soccer enterprise. A strategic business executive with more than 20 years experience in the sports industry, Cramer's track record of leadership and innovation stretches across all areas of sponsorship and integrated media. Responsible for spearheading the overall strategy and direction for SUM's corporate partners, Cramer leads a team of 40 and directs partner sponsorship efforts with 60 Fortune 500 brands for the premiere soccer properties in the U.S. and Canada including Major League Soccer, Leagues Cup, Mexican National Team and CONCACAF.

Kathleen Francis
National Board Chair and President, WISE

Kathleen Francis brings 25-plus years of experience leading the development and implementation of high-impact marketing programs. Over her career, she has created and executed multifaceted sports marketing strategies that work at the grassroots level for not-for-profits and major corporations, including Major League Baseball, Meadowlands Sports Complex and the United States Tennis Association. She is founder and president of Oasis Sports Ventures, a marketing and grassroots development agency. A 2001 WISE Women of the Year honoree and president of WISE since 2011, Francis launched the WISE Executive Leadership Institute, WISE Emerging Leaders Certificate Program and WISE/R Symposium. Sports Business Journal named her one of its Forty Under 40 sports executives and for two consecutive years honored her as one of its Top 25 Women Sports Executives.

Dethra Giles
Chief Executive Officer, ExecuPrep

Dethra U. Giles is a force multiplier for organizations — a leadership strategist, keynote speaker, and executive coach who specializes in helping businesses unlock peak productivity, performance and profits. As CEO of ExecuPrep, Giles has spent more than a decade guiding global organizations — from the NBA and LVMH to Cox Communications and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America — in identifying, developing, and amplifying high-potential talent that is often overlooked in traditional corporate structures. Armed with a B.A. in English and Spanish from Mercer University and advanced degrees in business administration and conflict management, Giles combines strategy, psychology, and leadership to drive measurable transformation. A four-time TEDx speaker and instructor for elite programs like Goldman Sachs' 10KSB and the Tory Burch Program, she is a trusted voice in leadership development. Giles has been recognized with industry honors, including Panagenius 30 Black Stars Award and Engagedly's Top 100 HR Professionals Award. Her mission is clear: help organizations optimize their greatest asset — people — by turning untapped talent into high-performing leaders who drive results.

Jacqueline (Jack) Howard
Head of Money Wellness, Ally

Jack Howard serves as a strategic program and communications lead, working to establish Ally as the leading voice in financial health and wellness, with a focus on money psychology and behavioral financial education in underrepresented communities. She's also the secretary for the Ally Charitable Foundation. Previously, Howard was senior director of wealth advisors operations for Ally Invest. Before joining Ally Invest, she was the senior director of Ally Corporate Citizenship. Howard was responsible for the creation and execution of strategic programs for the organization's financial literacy program, corporate giving initiatives and employee giving/volunteerism programs. A passionate advocate for financial social inclusion, Howard creates programs that help prepare Brown and Black communities with tools for wealth creation that recognize the significant historical wealth disparities faced by those communities. Howard is a frequent corporate spokesperson and media expert on financial education and economic mobility, including features on CNBC, Essence Magazine and Forbes. Most recently she served as a Money Wellness coach in Side Hustlers, a reality series that debuted on the Roku Channel in March 2024. Howard received the Woman of Excellence Award from the Michigan Chronicle in 2019 and earned a spot as one of 15 women on Next list — an extension of the American Banker Most Powerful Women in Banking program. She was recognized as a 2022 Outstanding Alumni by her undergraduate alma mater, Michigan State University. Howard serves on the national board of directors for the American Bankers Association's Foundation and Society for Financial Education and Professional Development, and the Boys and Girls Club of SE Michigan.