Michigan Athletics

ElevateHER

2026 Women in Sports Summit

About the Summit

Elevating Women in Sports

The Women in Sports: ElevateHER Summit is a high-impact Michigan Athletics event designed to promote the importance and value of creating opportunities for women in athletics; bring our community together to hear from industry leaders and alumni; and create meaningful professional development, networking and mentorship opportunities for student-athletes, alumni and community members.

The Summit will bring together high-profile, powerful women in the sports industry for an intentional evening of storytelling, leadership development and networking.

Storytelling. Leadership Development. Networking. Mentorship.

Event Schedule

Summit Timeline

5:30 p.m.

Doors Open & Networking

Meet current and former student-athletes and coaches, network with other attendees and experience interactive stations throughout the concourse.

Adaptive Sports & Fitness: Learn how U-M is expanding accessible and inclusive opportunities for women athletes, including those with disabilities.
Sports Innovation Zone: Discover how the HPSSC Athlete Innovation Program supports U-M student research and student-athlete performance, and test your own movements with real-time feedback.
Virtual & Augmented Reality with XRbility: Try the award-winning augmented reality system designed for inclusive play.
Performance Nutrition Zone: Explore how tailored nutrition drives health, recovery and peak performance for athletes.

5:59 p.m.

Welcome & Introduction

Welcome by Warde Manuel, Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics, followed by an introduction from Andrea Joyce.

6 p.m.

Featured Panel: Women in Sports -- Pathways, Power and Persistence

Andrea Joyce, emcee and moderator

Featuring Kate Johnson (U-M, political science, 2001), Li Li Leung (U-M, psychology, 1995), Estee Portnoy (U-M, LSA, 1989) and Casey E. Taylor (U-M, Kinesiology, '09).

6:40 p.m.

Panel Concludes & Closing Remarks

Andrea Joyce, emcee and moderator

6:43 p.m.

Michigan Fanfare Band Performance

“The Victors”

6:45 p.m.

Networking & Activations

Continue networking, mingling and participating in the interactive experiences.

7 p.m.

Summit Concludes

16% 50% Before Title IX, women made up less than 16% of college athletes. Today, they account for nearly half.

67% of surveyed women executives said a background in sports positively influences their hiring decisions.

80% Of female Fortune 500 executives competed in sports.

94% Of female C-suite executives played organized sports. (52% collegiately)

At Michigan

In 2025-26, corporate partner NIL marketing funds, through Learfield, reached all 29 sports, with 174 deals with female student-athletes -- 9% more than male student-athletes.

Champions Circle® creates direct, compliant NIL opportunities for Michigan student-athletes, connecting them with fans, brands and partners to leverage their personal brands for success. It works with student-athletes from every U-M women’s team, including selling licensed apparel, trading cards and making youth camp appearances.

Nationally

At the typical FBS school, for every dollar spent on women’s sports, about two and a half dollars are spent on men’s sports. Source: National Women’s Law Center

With schools now able to share revenue -- $20.5 million this year -- with athletes, a majority of those dollars go to football and, to a lesser extent, men’s basketball players. Female college athletes face not only a lack of revenue sharing but a threat of program cuts. Source: SBJ

As of 2026, women’s college basketball viewership has grown 33% year over year. Source: Forbes

Across all divisions, women make up about 43% of NCAA varsity athletes despite women accounting for 55% of the female undergraduate population. That lack of proportionality has held steady over the past decade. Source: SBJ

Leadership and participation statistics: NCAA, EY/espnW and Deloitte.

Panel Information

Pathways, Power
and Persistence

Meet the Michigan alumnae and industry leaders joining the 2026 ElevateHER Summit.

Andrea Joyce

U-M Class of 1976

NBC Sports Group figure skating and gymnastics reporter
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Author of “Legends of Women’s Gymnastics”
Career spans 18 Olympiads, from Seoul in 1988 through the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games
2024 Sports Emmy for Paris Olympic Games coverage

Kate Johnson

U-M Class of 2001 • Rowing

Google Global Marketing Director of Sports, Entertainment and Content Partnerships
Orchestrated ESPN and WNBA agreement making Google a financier of 25 game productions
Gatorade’s Women’s Sports Advisory Board
2004 Team USA Olympic Silver Medalist
Three-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Rower of the Year
Previously: VISA, IMG Consulting

Estee Portnoy

U-M Class of 1989

Senior VP, Jump Management, LLC, Jordan Brand board member
Manages all of Michael Jordan’s corporate partnerships from strategy and PR to licensing and appearances
Executive producer of the “Last Dance” documentary
U-M Sports Management Advisory Board
Co-founder of KEEN USA, encouraging kids with special needs to get involved in sports

Casey E. Taylor

U-M Class of 2009 • Track & Field

Adviser to StatusPRO, guiding leadership on growth planning, external communications and forecasting
Three-time Big Ten champion, Michigan Women’s Track and Field Hall of Fame
Previously: Strategic partnerships, brand and acquisition marketing at Procter & Gamble and Discover Financial Services

Li Li Leung

U-M Class of 1995 • Women’s Gymnastics

Former president and CEO of USA Gymnastics
Guided USA Gymnastics out of bankruptcy, secured the largest sponsorship partnerships and oversaw a period of historic competitive success culminating in the 2024 Paris Games
Member of four consecutive Big Ten championship women’s gymnastics teams
Previously: VP of NBA global partnerships

Oct. 15 Crisler Center

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ElevateHER

Join Michigan Athletics for an evening centered on opportunity, leadership, connection and the future of women in sports.

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Michigan Athletics Presents ElevateHER

ElevateHER

Elevating Women in Sports