The 12th annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit brought together -- virtually and in-person -- a unique group of industry influencers and athletes.
From Halle Berry and Sarah McLachlan to Alix Klineman and April Ross, here's what happened this year:
Monday, Oct. 18
Ok, now that the @WNBA finals are over, I'm packing to attend the @ESPNW Summit. I'll be on the Changing Ownership Model panel led by @SarahSpain talking all about the evolving dynamics of women's sports franchise ownership. See ya there? https://t.co/CdqNML9iaJ
— Ginny Gilder (@ginnygilder) October 18, 2021
8 p.m. ET: Summit Opening and Welcome with Laura Gentile / Executive vice president, commercial marketing, networks & ESPN, and Julie Foudy
"It just comes down to persistence. Being resolute and saying, 'I'm not going to give up on this idea . ... When I look back, I'm really glad we never gave up on this idea.'" -- Laura Gentile
.@JulieFoudy can really do it all 😂#espnWsummit pic.twitter.com/9I7ZUVW77S
— espnW (@espnW) October 19, 2021
8:30 p.m.: espnW Keynote Conversation featuring Halle Berry, Academy Award-winning actress and director of the upcoming film "Bruised," with Malika Andrews
"I don't feel like I have anything to prove, nor do I want to prove anything. I just want to do stories that excite me, that ignite me, give me a chance to grow where I can learn something new, not repeat myself. Continue to get excited about going to work every day. Having a new challenge. Facing those fears, daring to risk. But not proving anymore. Just being." -- Halle Berry
What an incredible conversation with @halleberry at the #espnWsummit
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) October 19, 2021
📸: @ESPNImages pic.twitter.com/aIjJvW2gQS
"Through my research I found that most men are fighters to be the breadwinner, to rise out of poverty - for money.
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) October 19, 2021
Women r fighting to get their power back... some have been abused or assaulted... they fight to feel whole & complete again" - @halleberry on "Bruised"#espnwsummit
9:10 p.m.: Global Sports Mentoring Program: Making an Impact with Julie Foudy
Day one: The Summit in 60 seconds
Tuesday, Oct. 19
12:30 p.m. ET: Morning Welcome and espnW showcase featuring Laura Gentile / Executive vice president, commercial marketing, networks & ESPN; Rachel Epstein / Senior director, ESPN and espnW Marketing; Allison Glock / Journalist, TV writer/producer and filmmaker and Brian Lockhart / Senior vice president, ESPN+ original content with Julie Foudy
"I believe that women shape culture and our output should reflect that." -- Allison Glock
1 p.m.: Women at the Helm: Nicole Lynn / President of football operations, Klutch Sports Group; Heidi Browning / Chief marketing officer, NHL, Mollie Marcoux Samaan / Commissioner, LPGA and Kelly Kleine / Executive director of football operations, Denver Broncos with Sarah Spain
"We are in this moment where we've done really well, but the next step is to be unique ... figure out how we can allow our women to reach their peak potential, too ... we've been kind of surviving rather than fully thriving." -- Mollie Marcoux Samaan
"When I got to an executive level, a friend of mine told me, 'Don't let anyone change you. You are where you are because of who you are.'" -- Heidi Browning
"I can be an agent. I can be an attorney. I can be an author. I can be a wife. I can be a friend. And I can be great at all of them, and so can you." -- Nicole Lynn
"I have screwed up so many times ... but that's how you grow. You need to screw up, you need to learn. ... It makes you stronger." -- Kelly Kleine
1:45 p.m.: The Role of Brands in Elevating Women in Sports and Media: Angela Courtin / Global head of brand marketing, YouTube with Hannah Storm
2 p.m.: Fifty/50: Title IX at Fifty Years -- a look ahead featuring Dawn Porter / Filmmaker, Trilogy Films and Allison Glock / Journalist, TV writer/producer and filmmaker with Hannah Storm
"Too often we've let people control the narrative and pit us against each other, and that is not the story of Title IX. The story of Title IX is women reaching around and figuring out how to pass on their information, and you see that so strongly today." -- Dawn Porter
An important look at the upcoming Fifty50 TitleIX documentary with @HannahStormESPN, @AllisonGlock and the unbelievably badass @dawnporter. #espnWSummit pic.twitter.com/kKco3plx6a
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) October 19, 2021
2:45 p.m.: Team Toyota Athlete spotlight featuring Alana Nichols / Six-time Paralympic medalist, wheelchair basketball and Alpine skiing with Sarah Spain
"I was in the lowest, darkest place of my life ... and then I found wheelchair basketball ... and I started to feel hopeful, and set little goals that became bigger." -- Alana Nichols
More on Nichols:
Paralympian Alana Nichols on turning doubt into motivation and inspiring others
4 p.m.: W Power Talks hosted by Hannah Storm:
-- Angela Ruggiero / CEO and co-founder, Sports Innovation Lab & Spearheading The Fan Project
"Women's sports fans are the the most digitally savvy fans in sports." -- Angela Ruggiero
-- Kate Ackerman / Harvard professor and medical director, female athlete program, Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
"Women comprise 47% of the U.S. civilian workforce. Women control approximately $20 trillion or 85% of consumer spending. 51% of the personal wealth in the U.S. or $29 trillion. We can do something about that ... we have to imagine the possibilities here." -- Kate Ackerman
-- Zaila Avant-garde / 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion
"If you look at me, you see ... that you can be an African American, you can be a girl. You don't have to be rich. All you need is self-belief that you can do it and the ability and the willingness to do it. And as long as you do that, you've got this." -- Zaila Avant-garde
More on Avant-garde:
Zaila Avant-garde, spelling bee champ and basketball phenom, won't stop being great
Zaila Avant-garde adds 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee to her laundry list of accomplishments
1:30 p.m.: Laughter Permitted Live Podcast featuring Alix Klineman and April Ross / Teammates & Olympic beach volleyball gold medalists with Julie Foudy and Lynn Olszowy
More on Alix Klineman and April Ross:
'The A-Team' of Alix Klineman and April Ross extends U.S. dominance in beach volleyball
"We are perfectionists, but when things aren't going our way we have to let go of that perfectionist mentality and find a way to win anyway." -- April Ross
5:15 p.m.: Gwen Goldman and Abby McLoughlin, Yankees bat girl with Julie Foudy
5:30 p.m.: Gatorade wellness session
10:00 p.m.: espnW Evening Keynote featuring Sarah McLachlan / Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter with Sarah Spain
Day two: The Summit in 60 seconds
Wednesday, Oct. 20
12:40 p.m. ET: The Undefeated Conversation Saycon Sengbloh / Award-winning actress and stars in ABC's "The Wonder Years" with Raina Kelley / Vice president and editor-in-chief, The Undefeated
"I feel the magic in my life every day ... I've broken so many barriers in my career -- it's evidence of the fact that I ignore people who say otherwise." -- Saycon Sengbloh
1:15 p.m.: College Sports Leadership: Candice Storey Lee / Athletic director, Vanderbilt and Nina King / Athletic director, Duke with Michele Steele
"Spaces are not designed for us and that's a hard pill to swallow ... The reality is if that's the outcome you want, then you have to fight for it." -- Candice Storey Lee
"It's not about taking men's basketball down [a level], it's about elevating women's basketball to make sure it's an equitable experience for both." -- Nina King, on the NCAA tournament
2:00 p.m.: Voices of the Future: Shelby Rogers / Professional tennis player; Gabby Thomas / Olympic track-and-field medalist and Maya Brady / Standout UCLA softball player with Julie Foudy
Wow 🤩 Still in awe from being amongst so many inspirational women this week at the @espnw summit- including @JulieFoudy who hosted our panel. What an empowering event. #espnwsummit #thatsaW pic.twitter.com/FdAu83ZDbg
— Gabby Thomas (@ItsGabrielleT) October 21, 2021
"What I'm most excited for with softball are the big steps that we've been taking over the last couple years ... we have a couple pro leagues in the making. I'm excited for the future of our sport. ... The improvement that we can make is in equality." -- Maya Brady
2:45 p.m.: Women's Sports: Changing the Ownership Model Julie Uhrman / Founder and president, Angel City FC; Ginny Gilder / Owner, Seattle Storm; Jon Patricof / CEO and co-founder, Athletes Unlimited and Tyler Tumminia / Commissioner, Premier Hockey Federation with Sarah Spain
"The culture is finally catching up and really understanding the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion...the WNBA led the way. The league is becoming known for what it's always been. The culture is recognizing, 'Wow there might be value here.'" -- Ginny Gilder / Co-Owner, Seattle Storm
"We also want to have impact with every single thing that we do. We never want there to be a tradeoff between making money or doing good. Or showing up in the community and showing up for our players." -- Julie Uhrman / Founder and President, Angel City Football Club
"The sports entertainment aspect of it is so key to the success, especially when you're grass-rooting this. ... Fun is good." -- Tyler Tumminia / Commissioner, Premier Hockey Federation
"Women's basketball I really believe is maybe the most important sport in the United States from a cultural and societal perspective...everyone knows there's not enough opportunities for players out of college...We are really hoping to collaborate even further...the W is the gold standard in women's professional sports, so we just hope we can add to that ecosystem." -- Jon Patricof / CEO and Co-Founder, Athletes Unlimited
3:30 p.m.: Thank You with Laura Gentile and Rachel Epstein
Top Three from The Summit with Julie Foudy, Sarah Spain and Michele Steele