espnW Summit Taps Jess Sims as First-Time Host

Jess Sims is hosting the espnW Summit for the first time, and the event opens today, October 14, at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California. The 17th annual espnW Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota, runs through October 16.

Virtual attendance is free at espnwsummit.com, and nearly all programming will be livestreamed across espnW and ESPN digital and social platforms. According to Sports Video Group, the full agenda was announced on September 17.

Susie Piotrkowski, VP of Women’s Sports Programming and espnW, said the event brings together the people shaping the women’s sports ecosystem and setting the path for where the business is headed next. She added that the team is glad to welcome the community back to Ojai for a 17th year.

What the espnW Summit Schedule Includes

Opening night starts with a live taping of Welcome to the Party featuring Billie Jean King, Abby Wambach, and Julie Foudy. An advance screening of Give Me The Ball! follows. The ESPN Films 30 for 30 documentary on King’s career was directed by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff.

Keynotes anchor the program. Chelsea Handler takes part in a keynote conversation, and Chlöe Bailey delivers an evening keynote and musical performance. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman also appear in keynote conversations.

The espnW Summit agenda covers athletics, leadership, health, entertainment, motherhood, science, and the business of sports across its three days. Anyone who wants to follow the espnW Summit from home can register at no cost. Because nearly all sessions are streamed, viewers can choose the panels and keynotes that match their interests.

Panels Cover Performance, Motherhood, and Business

A World-Class Athlete panel features Chloe Humphrey, Diana Flores, and Hilary Knight. The Elite Comeback: Motherhood and Performance panel brings together Skylar Diggins, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Becky Lynch.

On the business side, the Women at the Helm panel includes Johanna Faries of Blizzard Entertainment, Natalia Premovic of Mattel, and Stephanie Sherman of DraftKings. Gatorade’s The 6%: Closing the Gap in Women’s Science panel covers the science side of the agenda.

Other segments include Toyota Everyday Heroes and the Global Sports Mentoring Program Showcase. Sarah Spain, Christine Williamson, Andraya Carter, Hannah Storm, Chiney Ogwumike, and Monica McNutt are moderating additional sessions.

The guest list reflects the range of the agenda. Athletes such as Hilary Knight, Skylar Diggins, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone share the program with executives from Blizzard Entertainment, Mattel, and DraftKings, along with a surgeon, a league commissioner, and entertainers including Chelsea Handler and Chlöe Bailey.

How the espnW Summit Fits Into a Busy Stretch for Jess Sims

Hosting the espnW Summit follows a busy run for Jess at ESPN. She has taken on an expanded role on College GameDay for its 40th season, and she hosted the WNBA 3-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

Her Peloton schedule is moving at the same pace. Her Do Hard Things program wraps up on Peloton with the Sims 60 Finale on October 18, two days after the espnW Summit ends. The schedule moves from hosting duties in Ojai straight to the close of a program for Peloton members.

Jess has built a second career in sports broadcasting without stepping away from the Tread or the strength floor. Her first turn as host of the espnW Summit puts that dual career in front of a new audience of athletes, executives, and media voices.

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