Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · Obama Presidential Center
Your Emcee for the DayMichael CohnCo-Founder, GSV Sports · Partner, GSV VenturesChatham House Rule all day — no press, no catch.
12:30 – 2:25 · The Auditorium
Doors open at 12:00pm. The program begins at 12:30pm in The Auditorium.
On the program

Michael Moe
Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Tim Tebow
7x NYT Best-Selling Author, 2x National Champion, Heisman Trophy Winner, Founder & Chairman of the Tim Tebow Foundation, The Tebow Group and ESPN Analyst
Penny Schwinn
Former Education Commissioner, Tennessee

Jeff Selingo
Special Advisor to the President, Arizona State University; Contributor to The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal; Co-host Future U podcast
Len Elmore
Co-Chair, Knight Commission; Senior Lecturer, Columbia Sports Management; Former College Basketball Analyst, CBS Sports
Betsy Cantwell
President, Washington State University
Mark Reed
President, Loyola University Chicago; Member, NCAA Division I Board of Directors

Bubba Cunningham
Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Former Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Marie Lynn Miranda
Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago

Bill Polian
Hall of Fame American Professional Football General Manager, Originator of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement
Evan Richter
Founder & Partner, Smash Capital

DeMaurice Smith
Former Executive Director, NFL Players Association; Attorney and Athlete Labor Advocate
Jay Paterno
Founder, Blue Line 409, Co-Founder of Success With Honor, Former Penn State Football Coach and Penn State Trustee

Saurabh Sanghvi
Partner, McKinsey & Company

Tom Farrey
Executive Director, Sports & Society Program, The Aspen Institute

Kwame Owusu-Kesse
CEO, Harlem Children's Zone, Senior Advisor, Dynasty Equity

Ed Foster-Simeon
President and CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation; Former USA TODAY Deputy Managing Editor
Chad Gruen
CEO, 3Step Sports, Founder & CEO, SMP Holdings

Michael Moe
Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Tim Tebow
7x NYT Best-Selling Author, 2x National Champion, Heisman Trophy Winner, Founder & Chairman of the Tim Tebow Foundation, The Tebow Group and ESPN Analyst
Penny Schwinn
Former Education Commissioner, Tennessee

Jeff Selingo
Special Advisor to the President, Arizona State University; Contributor to The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal; Co-host Future U podcast
Len Elmore
Co-Chair, Knight Commission; Senior Lecturer, Columbia Sports Management; Former College Basketball Analyst, CBS Sports
Betsy Cantwell
President, Washington State University
Mark Reed
President, Loyola University Chicago; Member, NCAA Division I Board of Directors

Bubba Cunningham
Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Former Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Marie Lynn Miranda
Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago

Bill Polian
Hall of Fame American Professional Football General Manager, Originator of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement
Evan Richter
Founder & Partner, Smash Capital

DeMaurice Smith
Former Executive Director, NFL Players Association; Attorney and Athlete Labor Advocate
Jay Paterno
Founder, Blue Line 409, Co-Founder of Success With Honor, Former Penn State Football Coach and Penn State Trustee

Saurabh Sanghvi
Partner, McKinsey & Company

Tom Farrey
Executive Director, Sports & Society Program, The Aspen Institute

Kwame Owusu-Kesse
CEO, Harlem Children's Zone, Senior Advisor, Dynasty Equity

Ed Foster-Simeon
President and CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation; Former USA TODAY Deputy Managing Editor
Chad Gruen
CEO, 3Step Sports, Founder & CEO, SMP Holdings

Kelly Mehrtens
Former Executive Director of NFL Trust, Founder of SMART SPORTS, Former Deputy Athletics Director, University of Maryland

Jean-Claude Brizard
President and CEO, Digital Promise; Former Chicago Public Schools CEO
Ben Wallerstein
CEO & Co-Founder, Whiteboard Advisors

Bridget Burns
CEO, University Innovation Alliance
Adam Weinberg
Andrew Donovan

Dan Greenstein
Former Chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education

Steve Hank
Senior Director, Alvarez & Marsal, Former CRO / Sr. Associate AD, UT Austin

Sarah Hubbard
Regent & Former Board Chair, University of Michigan, Principal, Acuitas LLC

Karen Weaver
Academic Director, The New Athletics Enterprise Certificate Program, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Michael Horn
Award Winning Author, Co-Founder, Clayton Christensen Institute

Jason Belzer
Founder and CEO, AthleteBiz; Venture Partner, Sequence Equity

Alayna Williamson
Chief of Staff, University of Michigan Football, Former Director of Undergraduate Admissions & Scholarships, University of Utah

David Hollander
Assistant Dean & Clinical Professor, Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU
Michael Sorrell
President, Paul Quinn College

Nada Usina
CEO & Co-Founder, NU Advisory Partners
Lisa Young
COO, Deputy Athletics Director, Arizona State University (Sun Devil Athletics)

Amy Privette Perko
CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Arthur H. Bryant
Title IX Athletics Lawyer & founder of Arthur Bryant Law, P.C.

Leela Srinivasan
CEO, Parity; Leader in Women's Sports Sponsorship and Athlete Income Equity

Mark Jackson
Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, Northwestern University

Mike Tirico
Emmy Winning American Sports Commentator for NBC Biggest Events: Sunday Night Football, Olympics & the NBA

Seth Davis
Editor-in-Chief, Hoops HQ, In-Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Former Sports Illustrated Senior Writer
Brian Hainline
VP, World Tennis & Immediate Past President, USTA, Former Chief Medical Officer, NCAA
Lennie Waite
Chief Science Officer, HITE EQ; 2x All-American, Rice University

Stephanie Bell-Rose
Co-Founder and President, The Steve Fund; Former Head of the TIAA Institute and Founding President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation

Gerald J. Harrison
Vice President and Director of Athletics, Marshall University
Craig Sloan
CEO, Playfly Sports
Isaiah Kacyvenski
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Will Ventures; Former NFL Linebacker and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab
Chris Bevilacqua
Sports, entertainment, media and technology entrepreneur, investor, executive and advisor.

Gordon Jones
President, College of Western Idaho; Founding Dean College of Innovation + Design Boise State University

Carlos Moreno
Co-CEO, Big Picture Learning
Beth Brooke
Director, The New York Times and US Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Co-Chair, WomenDriveToo; Member, Knight Commission

MaliVai Washington
Founder, MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation; Olympian, Wimbledon Finalist and USTA Florida Hall of Famer

Kevin Connors
Founder, Million Coaches Challenge; Managing Director, Susan Crown Exchange
Joe Kennedy
Director of Athletics & Sports Leadership, Obama Foundation; Co-Founder, The Team

Michael Lazar
Senior Vice President of Strategy, U.S. Soccer Federation

Phyllis Lockett
Founder & Senior Advisor, LEAP Innovations

Michael Alter
Owner, Chicago Sky
Nina King
Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke University

Muffet McGraw
Legendary Head Women's Basketball Coach, Notre Dame, Winner of 2 NCAA National Championships, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee

Don Garber
Commissioner, Major League Soccer

Chris Howard
EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Arizona State University, College Football Playoff Committee

Curtis Granderson
Former MLB All-Star, Philanthropist and Baseball Analyst

Steve Mesler
US Olympic Hall of Fame Bobsled Gold Medalist; Managing Director, Mesler Performance Group; Co-Founder & Chairman, Classroom Champions; Former Board Member, USOPC

Pat Eilers
Founder & Managing Partner, Transition Equity Partners, NFL Veteran & Notre Dame National Champion

Arne Duncan
Former Co-Chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Candice Lee
Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director, Vanderbilt University

Deborah Quazzo
Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Kelly Mehrtens
Former Executive Director of NFL Trust, Founder of SMART SPORTS, Former Deputy Athletics Director, University of Maryland

Jean-Claude Brizard
President and CEO, Digital Promise; Former Chicago Public Schools CEO
Ben Wallerstein
CEO & Co-Founder, Whiteboard Advisors

Bridget Burns
CEO, University Innovation Alliance
Adam Weinberg
Andrew Donovan

Dan Greenstein
Former Chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education

Steve Hank
Senior Director, Alvarez & Marsal, Former CRO / Sr. Associate AD, UT Austin

Sarah Hubbard
Regent & Former Board Chair, University of Michigan, Principal, Acuitas LLC

Karen Weaver
Academic Director, The New Athletics Enterprise Certificate Program, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Michael Horn
Award Winning Author, Co-Founder, Clayton Christensen Institute

Jason Belzer
Founder and CEO, AthleteBiz; Venture Partner, Sequence Equity

Alayna Williamson
Chief of Staff, University of Michigan Football, Former Director of Undergraduate Admissions & Scholarships, University of Utah

David Hollander
Assistant Dean & Clinical Professor, Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU
Michael Sorrell
President, Paul Quinn College

Nada Usina
CEO & Co-Founder, NU Advisory Partners
Lisa Young
COO, Deputy Athletics Director, Arizona State University (Sun Devil Athletics)

Amy Privette Perko
CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Arthur H. Bryant
Title IX Athletics Lawyer & founder of Arthur Bryant Law, P.C.

Leela Srinivasan
CEO, Parity; Leader in Women's Sports Sponsorship and Athlete Income Equity

Mark Jackson
Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, Northwestern University

Mike Tirico
Emmy Winning American Sports Commentator for NBC Biggest Events: Sunday Night Football, Olympics & the NBA

Seth Davis
Editor-in-Chief, Hoops HQ, In-Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Former Sports Illustrated Senior Writer
Brian Hainline
VP, World Tennis & Immediate Past President, USTA, Former Chief Medical Officer, NCAA
Lennie Waite
Chief Science Officer, HITE EQ; 2x All-American, Rice University

Stephanie Bell-Rose
Co-Founder and President, The Steve Fund; Former Head of the TIAA Institute and Founding President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation

Gerald J. Harrison
Vice President and Director of Athletics, Marshall University
Craig Sloan
CEO, Playfly Sports
Isaiah Kacyvenski
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Will Ventures; Former NFL Linebacker and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab
Chris Bevilacqua
Sports, entertainment, media and technology entrepreneur, investor, executive and advisor.

Gordon Jones
President, College of Western Idaho; Founding Dean College of Innovation + Design Boise State University

Carlos Moreno
Co-CEO, Big Picture Learning
Beth Brooke
Director, The New York Times and US Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Co-Chair, WomenDriveToo; Member, Knight Commission

MaliVai Washington
Founder, MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation; Olympian, Wimbledon Finalist and USTA Florida Hall of Famer

Kevin Connors
Founder, Million Coaches Challenge; Managing Director, Susan Crown Exchange
Joe Kennedy
Director of Athletics & Sports Leadership, Obama Foundation; Co-Founder, The Team

Michael Lazar
Senior Vice President of Strategy, U.S. Soccer Federation

Phyllis Lockett
Founder & Senior Advisor, LEAP Innovations

Michael Alter
Owner, Chicago Sky
Nina King
Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke University

Muffet McGraw
Legendary Head Women's Basketball Coach, Notre Dame, Winner of 2 NCAA National Championships, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee

Don Garber
Commissioner, Major League Soccer

Chris Howard
EVP and Chief Operating Officer, Arizona State University, College Football Playoff Committee

Curtis Granderson
Former MLB All-Star, Philanthropist and Baseball Analyst

Steve Mesler
US Olympic Hall of Fame Bobsled Gold Medalist; Managing Director, Mesler Performance Group; Co-Founder & Chairman, Classroom Champions; Former Board Member, USOPC

Pat Eilers
Founder & Managing Partner, Transition Equity Partners, NFL Veteran & Notre Dame National Champion

Arne Duncan
Former Co-Chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, Former U.S. Secretary of Education
Candice Lee
Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director, Vanderbilt University

Deborah Quazzo
Co-Founder, GSV Sports
2:30 – 4:20 · System Reboots · Be in the Room Where it Happens
The heart of the convening is eight working sessions, run in two halves. Every attendee joins a room and helps design what comes next. Four rooms in each half — you pick one room per half. Be in the room where it happens.
1st Half · choose one room
2nd Half · choose one room
4:30 – 6:05 · The Auditorium
Every room reports back, followed by the late afternoon keynote conversations.

Dinner in the Mandela Sky Room
6:15 – 9:00 · The Museum & the Mandela Sky Room
The night is the best part. The museum opens after hours, then dinner upstairs in the Mandela Sky Room with two conversations you will not want to leave early.
Full program
The full program lays out all of October 28, block by block, with every speaker.
See the full agenda