espnW has announced the full agenda for the 2026 espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota, taking place October 14-16 at Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, CA. The 17th annual Summit will bring together influential leaders across sports, business, and entertainment for a dynamic program of keynote conversations, panel discussions, breakout sessions and more, all focused on creating positive change and opportunity for women in sports. Nearly all Summit programming will be livestreamed across select espnW and ESPN digital and social platforms. Virtual registration is free https://espnwsummit.com.
ESPN’s college sports reporter, influential fitness expert, speaker, instructor and all-around powerhouse, Jess Sims, will host the Summit for the very first time with additional panels moderated by journalist, podcast host, and personality, Sarah Spain, ESPN studio host and SportsCenter anchor Christine Williamson, ESPN reporter and basketball analyst Andraya Carter, ESPN studio host and Sportscenter anchor Hannah Storm, basketball analyst & two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike, and ESPN analyst and host, Monica McNutt. Featured events and panels during the Summit will include:
- Toyota Everyday Heroes: Toyota returns to honor the individuals creating change and opportunity for women and girls in their local communities through sports. Featuring Tiffany Shido, General Manager of Marketing, Toyota North America Markeshia Grant, Executive Director, Epic for Girls and Rhiannon Potkey, Founder and Executive Director, Goods 4 Greatness.
- An Opening Night Liveepisode of Welcome to the Party featuring sports icon and trailblazer Billie Jean King, two-time Olympic gold medalist and soccer icon Abby Wambach, and two-time World Cup champion and former U.S. Women’s National Team captain Julie Foudy.
- Following the conversation will be a special advance screening of Give Me The Ball!, an ESPN Films 30 for 30 documentary highlighting King’s career, directed by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff.
- Keynote Conversation featuring Orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine physician and researcher Dr. Vonda Wright.
- World-Class Athlete panel with UNC and US Women’s Lacrosse player Chloe Humphrey, Captain of Mexico’s Women’s National Flag Football team Diana Flores, and Olympic Gold Medalist Hilary Knight.
- Keynote Conversation featuring the National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner Jessica Berman.
- The Women at the Helm panel featuring President of Blizzard Entertainment, Johanna Faries, Chief Consumer Products and Experiences Officer of Mattel, Natalia Premovic, and Chief Marketing Office of Draft Kings, Stephanie Sherman.
- A Keynote Conversation featuring acclaimed comedian, television and podcast host, and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Handler, known for her sharp wit, candid humor, and fearless approach to tackling culture. Handler was a trailblazer in late-night as host of Chelsea Lately, establishing herself as a distinctive voice and pop culture icon, and has since built a successful career as a multihyphenate spanning stand-up, television, film, publishing, and podcasting.
- The Global Sports Mentoring Program Showcase featuring Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Educational Cultural Affairs, Cate Dillon.
- espnW Evening Keynote and Musical Performance featuring Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer and actress Chlöe Bailey.
- Elite Comeback: Motherhood & Performance featuring WNBA Chicago Sky Player Skylar Diggins, Olympic Gold Medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and WWE Superstar Becky Lynch.
- Gatorade’s The 6%: Closing the Gap in Women’s Science panel discussion.
Vice President, Women’s Sports Programming & espnW, Susie Piotrkowski, said, “The Summit gives us an opportunity to bring together the people shaping the Women’s Sports ecosystem and setting the path for where the business is headed next – game-changing athletes, risk-taking leaders, and those pushing progress forward. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this community back to Ojai for our 17th year.”
The espnW: Women + Sports Summit continues to be a best in class event bringing together influential voices across multiple disciplines to engage, inspire, and create new opportunities for women across the industry. Previous speakers include: Multi-hyphenate actor, director, producer and co-owner of Boston Legacy FC Elizabeth Banks, Grammy Award-winning musician Maren Morris, 2x Olympian, and Olympic Bronze Medalist, Ilona Maher, WNBA Star Candace Parker, Head Coach of the Las Vegas Aces, Becky Hammon, President of U.S. Soccer, Cindy Parlow Cone, 7-time Olympic Gold medalist, advocate and entrepreneur, Allyson Felix, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Dean and Owner of the Angel City Football Club, Willow Bay, Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry, NASA Astronaut Nicole Mann, best-selling author and activist Glennon Doyle, best-selling author Chelsea Clinton, Olympic Medalist Jordan Chiles and more.
About espnW
Founded in 2010, espnW is a global multiplatform brand dedicated to super serving Women’s Sports fans. espnW is the brand that ensures Women’s Sports conversations, culture, and fandom come first—always. espnW is the brand elevating, representing and serving all of Women’s Sports. The fans, the athletes, and the community