2020 HOSTS & FEATURED SPEAKERS
Malika
Andrews
NBA Reporter
Kelley
Carter
Senior Culture Writer, The Undefeated
Chelsea
Clinton
Author, “She Persisted in Sports”
Antonietta
Collins
SportsCenter anchor
Ayo
Davis
Executive Vice President, Talent & Casting, ABC Entertainment & Disney+
DeMar
DeRozan
NBA All-Star & Olympic gold medalist
Glennon
Doyle
Founder, Together Rising, best-selling author, and activist
Elle
Duncan
SportsCenter anchor
Cathy
Engelbert
WNBA Commissioner
Julie
Foudy
espnW Writer & ESPN Commentator, World Cup champion
Dany
Garcia
Chairwoman and CEO, The Garcia Companies; Co-Founder, Seven Bucks Companies and Co-Owner, XFL
Laura
Gentile
Senior Vice President, ESPN Marketing & Founder, espnW
Gracie
Gold
Professional figure skater & Olympic medalist
Kate
Johnson
Head of Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Google
Flora
Kelly
Senior Director, Strategic & Brand Insights, ESPN
Suzy
Kolber
Monday Night Countdown Host
Jewell
Loyd
Professional basketball player, WNBA Champion
Simone
Manuel
Professional swimmer & Olympic gold medalist
Alison
Overholt
Senior Vice President, Multiplatform Storytelling & Journalism, ESPN
Gunnar
Peterson
Professional Trainer & Director of Strength and Endurance, LA Lakers
Shelley
Pisarra
Executive Vice President, Global Insights & Strategy, Wasserman
Jimmy
Pitaro
Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content
Natalie
Portman
Actress, filmmaker, and Angel City FC Co-Owner
LaChina
Robinson
Women's College Basketball and WNBA, Analyst and Sideline Reporter
Monica
Rustgi-Mody
Vice President, Marketing, Budweiser
Molly
Seidel
Professional distance runner, NCAA Champion
Sarah
Spain
espnW Columnist, ESPN Reporter and Radio Host, and Summit Co-Host
Sage
Steele
SportsCenter anchor and espnW Summit Host
Carol
Stiff
Vice President, Women's Sports Programming, ESPN
Shiz
Suzuki
Assistant Vice President, Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing, AT&T
Maria
Taylor
College Sports Host & reporter, NBA Countdown Host
Abby
Wambach
Soccer legend, best-selling author, and activist
Ayo
Davis
Executive Vice President, Talent & Casting, ABC Entertainment & Disney+
Ayo Davis is the executive vice president, Talent and Casting, ABC Entertainment and Disney+. In her newly expanded role with Disney+, she provides casting strategy and services to the Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment, working closely with the Disney+ team across all scripted and unscripted content. She reports to Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment.
Davis has been instrumental in casting some of ABC’s most recognized shows, including “The Good Doctor”; the Emmy® Award-winning drama “American Crime”; the Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series “black-ish” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” for which Viola Davis won the Emmy as the first African American actress to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She has championed the careers and attracted the likes of some of the industry’s most notable actors, including Eva Longoria, Jesse Williams and Golden Globe® winner Gina Rodriguez.
Prior to being named head of Talent and Casting for the studio and network in 2016, she was senior vice president, Talent and Casting, ABC Entertainment Group. In that role, she oversaw all scripted prime-time casting for The ABC Television Network. She joined ABC Casting more than 16 years ago, overseeing such pilots as the Emmy Award-winning series “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Additionally, Davis helped lead the implementation and launch of the ABC Discovers Initiative, which includes several programs aimed at finding and nurturing up-and-coming talent from around the world.
Davis is on the board at Dillard University, as well as a board member of the T. Howard Foundation. She was on the 2017 host committee board of Girls Inc. and was a 2016 Honoree, as well as a member of Jack and Jill of America Inc., and a supporter of Links Incorporated, an organization based in Orange County that provides community service and mentors youths. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Dillard University.
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