The third year of the espnW and U.S. Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program will begin September 9 when 17 emerging female leaders from around the world start a four-week mentorship in the United States with top American female executives from some of the most influential organizations in sports and business. During the program, the mentors will share valuable business leadership skills and assist the emerging leaders in developing strategic action plans aimed at creating sports opportunities for underserved women and girls in their home countries.
“espnW is proud to continue our collaboration with the U.S. Department of State on this unique program that makes a powerful and lasting difference in the lives of girls and women through sports,” said Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW. “We’re thrilled to welcome the 17 emerging leaders to the United States. Each one is paired with a tremendous mentor and host organization, and I know both sides will come away with a new sense of ambition and inspiration.”
The executive mentors in the 2014 program represent the following organizations: Burton Snowboards; DLA Piper; ESPN (2); NCAA; the National Hockey League (NHL); Procter & Gamble; The Professional Golf Association of America (PGA); Playworks; Saatchi & Saatchi; U.S. Olympic Committee; Wasserman Media Group; Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT); the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA); Women’s Sports Foundation; and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
The emerging leaders hail from 15 countries across the globe: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, Haiti, Jordan, Kenya (2), Lebanon (2), Pakistan, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.
Past mentorships have produced unique and inspiring projects globally, including a program in Taiwan aimed at empowering physical education teachers to promote gender equality and an initiative in Egypt that offers a safe setting for girls in Cairo to learn life skills through basketball.
The initiative, created in 2012, is part of the Department of State’s dedication to advancing the rights of girls and women around the world and is conducted in coordination with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Sport, Peace, and Society to engage, inspire, and empower a new generation of women and girls through sports.
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