2021 HOSTS & FEATURED SPEAKERS
Kate
Ackerman, MD
Harvard Associate Professor and Medical Director, Female Athlete Program, Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
Malika
Andrews
NBA Reporter and Host of 'NBA Today', ESPN
Zaila
Avant-garde
2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion
Halle
Berry
Academy Award-winning actress and Director of the upcoming film, Bruised
Maya
Brady
Standout UCLA softball player
Heidi
Browning
Chief Marketing Officer, NHL
Angela
Courtin
Global Head of Brand Marketing, YouTube
Rachel
Epstein
Senior Director, ESPN and espnW Marketing
Julie
Foudy
espnW columnist and ESPN soccer commentator
Laura
Gentile
Executive Vice President, Commercial Marketing, Disney Networks & ESPN and Founder, espnW
Ginny
Gilder
Co-Cwner, Seattle Storm
Allison
Glock
Journalist, TV writer/producer, and filmmaker
Gwen
Goldman
Yankees Bat Girl
Raina
Kelley
Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, The Undefeated
Nina
King
Athletic Director, Duke University
Kelly
Kleine
Executive Director of Football Operations, Denver Broncos
Alix
Klineman
Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist
Candice
Lee
Athletic Director, Vanderbilt University
Brian
Lockhart
Senior Vice President, ESPN+ Original Content and ESPN Films, ESPN
Nicole
Lynn
President of Football Operations, Klutch Sports Group
Sarah
McLachlan
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter
Abby
McLoughlin
Marketing Director, Curran Theater & Gwen Goldman's daughter
Jessica
Mendoza
MLB Analyst, ESPN
Alana
Nichols
Six-time Paralympic medalist, wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing
Debra
OConnell
President, Networks - Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, The Walt Disney Company
Lynn
Olszowy
Producer, ESPN and Co-Host of espnW's Laughter Permitted podcast
Jon
Patricof
CEO and Co-Founder Athletes Unlimited
Dawn
Porter
Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Trilogy Films
Shelby
Rogers
Professional Tennis Player
April
Ross
Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist
Angela
Ruggiero
CEO and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab
Mollie Marcoux
Samaan
Commissioner, LPGA
Saycon
Sengbloh
Award-winning actress and stars in ABC's 'The Wonder Years'
Ramona
Shelburne
ESPN NBA Insider and Senior Writer
Sarah
Spain
espnW Columnist and ESPN Reporter
Michele
Steele
Studio Anchor, Reporter, ESPN
Carol
Stiff
President Stiff Sports Media Consulting, LLC
Hannah
Storm
SportsCenter Anchor
Gabby
Thomas
Olympic medalist & New Balance Athlete
Tyler
Tumminia
Commissioner, Premier Hockey Federation
Julie
Uhrman
Founder and President, Angel City Football Club
Zaila
Avant-garde
2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion
Zaila Avant-garde is a multi-talented powerhouse, with success springing from all her endeavors - and all before the ninth grade. Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, she won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, making her the first African-American to win in almost 100 years of the competition. Avant-garde landed on her winning word, murraya – a type of tree – by associating the word with famous comedian Bill Murray. He surprised her by phoning in during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Avant-garde’s spelling triumph is just one entry on a very impressive resume. Along with competing in spelling bees for two years, Avant-garde holds three Guinness World Records for her basketball prowess. She holds the records for the most bounce juggles in one minute with four basketballs, the most basketball bounces in 30 seconds with four basketballs, and ties the record for most basketballs dribbled at once.
Her success has been celebrated by the likes of Barack and Michelle Obama, LeBron James, and Dr. Jill Biden, who attended the Spelling Bee.
Avant-garde’s aspirations continue to grow; she hopes to one day play basketball at Harvard before a career at NASA or in the NBA.
https://d3bp9g7eptramp.cloudfront.net/espnwsummit2021/img/uploaded_bios/avantgarde_zaila_984fbbe175100184f6804777226787f2.jpg
