As part of our leadership curriculum, we expose our student-athletes to a variety of feature speakers and guest panelists from diverse backgrounds. Guests speak to the student-athletes about their own athletic experience(s) and how sports have helped shape their lives. They also talk about how sports have helped develop the leadership skills that they currently utilize in their daily lives.
JFSLA Keynote Speakers for 2008
St Mary's Location:
BRANDI CHASTAIN:
A Northern California native, was a member of the USA Women’s Soccer Team for 16 years. She is a two
time Olympic Gold Medalist (1996 and 2004), a two time World Cup Champion (1991 and 1999), and an Olympic Silver (white gold) Medalist (2000). Besides having an incredible career playing for her country, Brandi also had a very successful collegiate career at both UC Berkeley and Santa Clara University. She was a 3 time All American where she made the postseason all 4 years and #1 ranked Santa Clara made it all the way to the final four her senior year. Brandi still likes to point out to Julie that Stanford never beat Santa Clara during their years playing against eachother. Julie really likes when Brandi reminds her.
Thrust into the spotlight with her World Cup winning Penalty Kick in the 1999 World Cup, Brandi has spent much of her soccer career and post-soccer career helping young children enjoy the gift of sports. She donates much of her time to a wonderful local charity, the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative, which she co-founded with Marlene Bjornsrud.
She also has written a book called “It is Not About the Bra” and done television work as a reporter and soccer analyst. She is currently a USOC Ambassador helping the next generation of young Olympians maximize their potential.
New Jersey Location:
CARLI LLOYD:
A New Jersey native, has been playing on the USA Women’s National Team since 2005 and is a starter in the midfield. Carli
won a bronze medal in the 2007 Women’s World Cup in China and was named Tournament MVP at the prestigious Algarve Cup in Portugal the year before. She will also be a member of the Olympic team traveling to Beijing for the Summer Olympic Games in August. And equally important, she has the coolest jersey number on the team.
Before 2005 she played on the U-21 National Team and had a great soccer career at Rutgers University. Carli finished her career as Rutgers' all-time leader in points (117) and goals (50). She was also a three-time NSCAA All-American while in college.
Before Rutgers, she was named the 1999 and 2000 Girl’s High School Player of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Also was named to the 1999 and 2000 Parade All-America Teams.
Chicago Location:
MARCIA MCDERMOTT:
Marcia McDermott is the first general manager of Chicago’s WPS franchise.
Her background as an elite player, coach and administrator has made McDermott one of the most respected leaders in American soccer. A successful career as a player with the legendary University of North Carolina teams of the late 1980s and coaching success at the collegiate and professional levels provide a strong foundation for her new position as Chicago’s general manager.
McDermott began her coaching career as an assistant coach at North Carolina-Greensboro. From there, she spent two years as head coach at Maryland, then three as the head coach of Arkansas. In 1994, McDermott moved to Northwestern where she launched the women’s soccer program and led the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament in 1996 and 1998 when she was also honored as the NSCAA Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year.
In Carolina, the Courage captured the WUSA regular season and post-season (Founders Cup II) championships in her second season (2002). McDermott moved to the front office the following season and served as the team’s assistant general manager and director of ticket sales.
As a player, McDermott captured three NCAA titles at the University of North Carolina including 1986 when she was named an NCAA All-American and served as a team captain. She wore the United States National Team colors seven times and has the fifth-best strike rate among US players with seven or more caps. McDermott scored goals in 57.1% of her U.S. appearances. Only Abby Wambach (82%), April Heinrichs (79%), Michelle Akers (69%) and Mia Hamm (57.4%) have scored at a higher clip.
Most recently, McDermott served as the Associate Head Coach of the University of Illinois’ women’s soccer team where she helped the Illini to NCAA bids in 2006 and 2007. She has also worked as a consultant for Chicago based Inteflex, a firm that specializes in sales force effectiveness in the specialty pharmaceutical industry.
McDermott also is very active in the NSCAA, having served on the Women's Committee and Board of Directors prior to her current position as a Vice President on the Executive Committee of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and will be the President of that organization in 2010. She has also worked as a scout for the U.S. Women's National team and is on the board of the non-profit Chicago SCORES, which helps urban children by using writing, community service and soccer as tools to better their lives.
2007:
Billie Jean King – Legendary Hall of Fame tennis star and founder of Women’s Sports Foundation. Named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” by Life Magazine. Keynote speaker for St Mary’s College.
Christie Rampone – New Jersey native, World Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and 10 year veteran of USA soccer team. Keynote speaker for Peddie School in NJ.
Stephanie Raymond – Illinois native and current WNBA player with the Chicago Sky. Keynote speaker for Chicago location.
2006:
Robyn Roberts – Co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Keynote speaker for Peddie School location
Mia Hamm – Member of US National Soccer Team for 17 years. World Cup Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and all time leading scorer. Keynote speaker for Sonoma State location.
JFSLA Guest Panelists:
2007:
Peddie School (NJ): Caitlin Cahow – Member of the US Women's Olympic Ice Hockey Team
Judith Newman – President of School Book Clubs at Scholastic Publishing; publisher of Harry Potter franchise
Kelly Whiteside – Sports writer for USA Today. Formerly with Sports Illustrated and Newsday
Kerry Tatlock – NBA's senior director of global marketing partnerships
Chicago, IL:Cindy Alston – Former Chief Marketing Officer, Gatorade
Mary Dillon -Global Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s
Margaret Stender – President and GM of the Chicago Sky
Sue Wellington – Former President of Gatorade
St Mary’s College (CA):Susan Armanta – Hispanic coordinator with the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative, a local non-profit getting young girls active
Sandy Barbour – Athletic Director at University of California, Berkeley
Pat Loomes -- Executive Director of Girls. Inc in Alameda County
Jill Vialet -- Executive Director of Sports4Kids
2006:
Peddie School (NJ):Lucy Danziger – Editor in Chief of SELF magazine
Carol Blazejowski – General Manager of NY Liberty and Hall of Fame Basketball player
Christine Brennan – USA Today columnist, author, TV commentator
Aimee Mullins – Women's Sports Foundation President, disabled sprinter, paralympian, actress
Kathryn Carter – Executive Vice President, Soccer United Marketing
Sonoma State (CA):Marlene Bjornsrud – Former General Manager of the WUSA's San Jose Cyberrays and President of Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative
John Lewicki – Director of McDonald’s US Sports Marketing
Tonya Antonucci – CEO of Women's Soccer Initiative, Inc.
Amanda Micheli- Award winning and Oscar-nominated Filmmaker and Cinematographer