The one-day conference will unite sports industry leaders and top female athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez and veteran Chicago sports broadcaster Peggy Kusinski

espnW will once again bring its signature Women + Sports conference to the Midwest with the second annual espnW: Women + Sports, Chicago event. Taking place on Wednesday, May 3, the one-day conference will unite leaders in sports and business for discussions, presentations and activities geared to inspire and engage women in sports. espnW writer and ESPN Radio host Sarah Spain, a native Chicagoan, will be the event host. Registration is now open to the public (http://www.espnWchicago.com).

Among the featured speakers and panelists will be gymnast and Olympic gold medalist, Laurie Hernandez — who is coming off her win on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars — and veteran Chicago sports broadcaster Peggy Kusinski. Hernandez will participate in a Q & A with espnW writer and analyst Julie Foudy as part of the event’s “Athlete Spotlight: Striving for Excellence in Sport and Beyond.” Kusinski will offer a keynote address, “Breaking Barriers: A Journey of Leadership.”

“Our first event in Chicago was inspiring and productive. We’re excited to build on that momentum, creating another engaging and motivating experience for Chicago-area executives,” said Laura Gentile, senior vice president, espnW & Women’s Initiatives. “We will again offer a strong lineup that will bring together some of the most experienced and powerful voices in the sports and business worlds.  We aim to further the conversation on important topics genuinely affecting women in our industry.”

Additional ESPNers joining Gentile, Spain and Foudy in Chicago will be espnW and ESPN The Magazine editor-in-chief Alison Overholt and SportsCenter: Coast to Coast host Cari Champion.

The 2017 Chicago event will offer attendees the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, including a 5K lake run with Foudy, as well as network with speakers and executives throughout the day. For more information about espnW: Women + Sports Chicago, and to see the complete agenda visit http://www.espnWchicago.com or follow on Twitter with @espnW and #espnWchicago.

About espnW

espnW is a global multiplatform brand dedicated to engaging and inspiring women through sports. espnW.com, the brand’s content home, offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and captures the biggest trends in sports life/style.  espnW also provides a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women and highlights the crossroads of sports and culture. Founded in July 2010, espnW’s content and voices live across digital, television, radio, films, events, educational platforms and social media. The annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, now in its eighth year, brings together top athletes and industry leaders for meaningful conversations around women and sports, and is the leading event of its kind in the sports industry.

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