For first time, all participants will be featured at The espnW: Women + Sports Summit in October

espnW and U.S. Department of State will launch the fourth year of the Global Sports Mentoring Program on September 12, when 16 emerging female leaders from around the world begin a four-week mentorship in the United States with top American female executives from some of the most influential organizations in sports and business. During the program, the mentors will share valuable business leadership skills and assist the emerging leaders in developing strategic action plans aimed at creating sports opportunities for underserved women and girls in their home countries.

The mentorship will culminate at the sixth annual The espnW: Women + Sports Summit, to be held October 14 – 16, in Dana Point, Calif.  All 16 emerging leaders will be in attendance at the conference, where they will meet and hear from inspiring and influential voices in the sports industry and beyond.  The Summit will also recognize each of the participants and feature a discussion of the program – the impact made by program alumnae, this year’s experience and the vision for the future.

“Three years in, we can see that the Global Sports Mentoring Program is creating tangible, positive change for women across the globe,” said Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW.  “We take great pride in our alumnae and the significant work they have done in their home countries to empower girls and women with confidence, strength and knowledge.”

The executive mentors in the 2015 program represent the following organizations:  the Big East Conference, Burton Snowboards; ESPN (2); Google; Ketchum Sports & Entertainment, the National Basketball Association; the National Hockey League (2); the PGA of America; Saatchi & Saatchi; Spurs Sports & Entertainment; University of Central Florida, U.S. Olympic Committee; the Women’s Sports Foundation, and Women’s Tennis Association.

The emerging leaders hail from 11 countries across the globe:  Egypt, France, India (3), Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya (2), Kuwait, Mexico (2), New Zealand (2), Qatar and Vietnam.

Program alumnae have launched initiatives that promote inclusion and create opportunities for the underserved in their home countries, such as 2014 participant Dima Alardah, who assists Syrian refugees living in Jordan. Through her partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council, Dima provides the women and girls in the camps vocational training, as well as opportunities to grow through sports.

The program, created in 2012, is part of the U.S. Department of State’s dedication to advancing the rights of girls and women around the world and is conducted in coordination with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Sport, Peace, and Society to engage, inspire, and empower a new generation of women and girls through sports.

Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #empowerwomen.

About espnW

espnW serves women who love sports. espnW.com provides an engaging environment that offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and shares a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women. Founded in July 2010, espnW lives across digital, television, films, events, educational platforms and social media. The annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit is the leading event of its kind in the sports industry.

About U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes mutual understanding between Americans and people from around the world through a wide range of academic, cultural, private sector, professional and sports exchange programs. These international exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes and emerging leaders from the United States and nearly 170 countries. Alumni of these exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 350 current or former heads of state and government.

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