Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · Obama Presidential Center

The day at
a glance

8
Working rooms
20
Sessions
12:00
Doors open
9:15
Close of night
Michael CohnYour Emcee for the DayMichael CohnCo-Founder, GSV Sports · Partner, GSV Ventures

Chatham House Rule all day — no press, no catch.

12:30 – 2:25 · The Auditorium

Opening conversations

Doors open at 12:00pm. The program begins at 12:30pm in The Auditorium.

On the program

Who you'll hear from.

Michael Moe

Michael Moe

Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Tim Tebow

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

PS

Penny Schwinn

Former Education Commissioner, Tennessee

Jeff Selingo

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

LE

Len Elmore

Co-Chair, Knight Commission; Senior Lecturer, Columbia Sports Management; Former College Basketball Analyst, CBS Sports

BC

Betsy Cantwell

President, Washington State University

MR

Mark Reed

President, Loyola University Chicago; Member, NCAA Division I Board of Directors

Bubba Cunningham

Bubba Cunningham

Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Former Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ML

Marie Lynn Miranda

Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago

Bill Polian

Bill Polian

Hall of Fame American Professional Football General Manager, Originator of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement

ER

Evan Richter

Founder & Partner, Smash Capital

DeMaurice Smith

DeMaurice Smith

Former Executive Director, NFL Players Association; Attorney and Athlete Labor Advocate

JP

Jay Paterno

Founder, Blue Line 409, Co-Founder of Success With Honor, Former Penn State Football Coach and Penn State Trustee

Saurabh Sanghvi

Saurabh Sanghvi

Partner, McKinsey & Company

Tom Farrey

Tom Farrey

Executive Director, Sports & Society Program, The Aspen Institute

Kwame Owusu-Kesse

Kwame Owusu-Kesse

CEO, Harlem Children's Zone, Senior Advisor, Dynasty Equity

Ed Foster-Simeon

Ed Foster-Simeon

President and CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation; Former USA TODAY Deputy Managing Editor

CG

Chad Gruen

CEO, 3Step Sports, Founder & CEO, SMP Holdings

Michael Moe

Michael Moe

Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Tim Tebow

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

PS

Penny Schwinn

Former Education Commissioner, Tennessee

Jeff Selingo

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

LE

Len Elmore

Co-Chair, Knight Commission; Senior Lecturer, Columbia Sports Management; Former College Basketball Analyst, CBS Sports

BC

Betsy Cantwell

President, Washington State University

MR

Mark Reed

President, Loyola University Chicago; Member, NCAA Division I Board of Directors

Bubba Cunningham

Bubba Cunningham

Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Former Director of Athletics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ML

Marie Lynn Miranda

Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago

Bill Polian

Bill Polian

Hall of Fame American Professional Football General Manager, Originator of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement

ER

Evan Richter

Founder & Partner, Smash Capital

DeMaurice Smith

DeMaurice Smith

Former Executive Director, NFL Players Association; Attorney and Athlete Labor Advocate

JP

Jay Paterno

Founder, Blue Line 409, Co-Founder of Success With Honor, Former Penn State Football Coach and Penn State Trustee

Saurabh Sanghvi

Saurabh Sanghvi

Partner, McKinsey & Company

Tom Farrey

Tom Farrey

Executive Director, Sports & Society Program, The Aspen Institute

Kwame Owusu-Kesse

Kwame Owusu-Kesse

CEO, Harlem Children's Zone, Senior Advisor, Dynasty Equity

Ed Foster-Simeon

Ed Foster-Simeon

President and CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation; Former USA TODAY Deputy Managing Editor

CG

Chad Gruen

CEO, 3Step Sports, Founder & CEO, SMP Holdings

Kelly Mehrtens

Kelly Mehrtens

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

Jean-Claude Brizard

Jean-Claude Brizard

President and CEO, Digital Promise; Former Chicago Public Schools CEO

BW

Ben Wallerstein

CEO & Co-Founder, Whiteboard Advisors

Bridget Burns

Bridget Burns

CEO, University Innovation Alliance

AW

Adam Weinberg

AD

Andrew Donovan

Dan Greenstein

Dan Greenstein

Former Chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education

Steve Hank

Steve Hank

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

Sarah Hubbard

Sarah Hubbard

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

Karen Weaver

Karen Weaver

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

Michael Horn

Michael Horn

Award Winning Author, Co-Founder, Clayton Christensen Institute

Jason Belzer

Jason Belzer

Founder and CEO, AthleteBiz; Venture Partner, Sequence Equity

Alayna Williamson

Alayna Williamson

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

David Hollander

David Hollander

Assistant Dean & Clinical Professor, Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU

MS

Michael Sorrell

President, Paul Quinn College

Nada Usina

Nada Usina

CEO & Co-Founder, NU Advisory Partners

LY

Lisa Young

COO, Deputy Athletics Director, Arizona State University (Sun Devil Athletics)

Amy Privette Perko

Amy Privette Perko

CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Arthur H. Bryant

Arthur H. Bryant

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

Leela Srinivasan

Leela Srinivasan

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

Mark Jackson

Mark Jackson

Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, Northwestern University

Mike Tirico

Mike Tirico

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

Seth Davis

Seth Davis

Editor-in-Chief, Hoops HQ, In-Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Former Sports Illustrated Senior Writer

BH

Brian Hainline

VP, World Tennis & Immediate Past President, USTA, Former Chief Medical Officer, NCAA

LW

Lennie Waite

Chief Science Officer, HITE EQ; 2x All-American, Rice University

Stephanie Bell-Rose

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

Gerald J. Harrison

Vice President and Director of Athletics, Marshall University

CS

Craig Sloan

CEO, Playfly Sports

IK

Isaiah Kacyvenski

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Will Ventures; Former NFL Linebacker and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab

CB

Chris Bevilacqua

Sports, entertainment, media and technology entrepreneur, investor, executive and advisor.

Gordon Jones

Gordon Jones

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

Carlos Moreno

Carlos Moreno

Co-CEO, Big Picture Learning

BB

Beth Brooke

Director, The New York Times and US Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Co-Chair, WomenDriveToo; Member, Knight Commission

MaliVai Washington

MaliVai Washington

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

Kevin Connors

Kevin Connors

Founder, Million Coaches Challenge; Managing Director, Susan Crown Exchange

JK

Joe Kennedy

Director of Athletics & Sports Leadership, Obama Foundation; Co-Founder, The Team

Michael Lazar

Michael Lazar

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

Phyllis Lockett

Phyllis Lockett

Founder & Senior Advisor, LEAP Innovations

Michael Alter

Michael Alter

Owner, Chicago Sky

NK

Nina King

Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke University

Muffet McGraw

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

Don Garber

Commissioner, Major League Soccer

Chris Howard

Chris Howard

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

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Former MLB All-Star, Philanthropist and Baseball Analyst

Steve Mesler

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

Pat Eilers

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

Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan

Former Co-Chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, Former U.S. Secretary of Education

CL

Candice Lee

Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director, Vanderbilt University

Deborah Quazzo

Deborah Quazzo

Co-Founder, GSV Sports

Kelly Mehrtens

Kelly Mehrtens

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

Jean-Claude Brizard

Jean-Claude Brizard

President and CEO, Digital Promise; Former Chicago Public Schools CEO

BW

Ben Wallerstein

CEO & Co-Founder, Whiteboard Advisors

Bridget Burns

Bridget Burns

CEO, University Innovation Alliance

AW

Adam Weinberg

AD

Andrew Donovan

Dan Greenstein

Dan Greenstein

Former Chancellor of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education

Steve Hank

Steve Hank

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

Sarah Hubbard

Sarah Hubbard

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

Karen Weaver

Karen Weaver

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

Michael Horn

Michael Horn

Award Winning Author, Co-Founder, Clayton Christensen Institute

Jason Belzer

Jason Belzer

Founder and CEO, AthleteBiz; Venture Partner, Sequence Equity

Alayna Williamson

Alayna Williamson

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

David Hollander

David Hollander

Assistant Dean & Clinical Professor, Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU

MS

Michael Sorrell

President, Paul Quinn College

Nada Usina

Nada Usina

CEO & Co-Founder, NU Advisory Partners

LY

Lisa Young

COO, Deputy Athletics Director, Arizona State University (Sun Devil Athletics)

Amy Privette Perko

Amy Privette Perko

CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Arthur H. Bryant

Arthur H. Bryant

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

Leela Srinivasan

Leela Srinivasan

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

Mark Jackson

Mark Jackson

Vice President for Athletics and Recreation, Northwestern University

Mike Tirico

Mike Tirico

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

Seth Davis

Seth Davis

Editor-in-Chief, Hoops HQ, In-Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Former Sports Illustrated Senior Writer

BH

Brian Hainline

VP, World Tennis & Immediate Past President, USTA, Former Chief Medical Officer, NCAA

LW

Lennie Waite

Chief Science Officer, HITE EQ; 2x All-American, Rice University

Stephanie Bell-Rose

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

Gerald J. Harrison

Vice President and Director of Athletics, Marshall University

CS

Craig Sloan

CEO, Playfly Sports

IK

Isaiah Kacyvenski

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Will Ventures; Former NFL Linebacker and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab

CB

Chris Bevilacqua

Sports, entertainment, media and technology entrepreneur, investor, executive and advisor.

Gordon Jones

Gordon Jones

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

Carlos Moreno

Carlos Moreno

Co-CEO, Big Picture Learning

BB

Beth Brooke

Director, The New York Times and US Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Co-Chair, WomenDriveToo; Member, Knight Commission

MaliVai Washington

MaliVai Washington

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

Kevin Connors

Kevin Connors

Founder, Million Coaches Challenge; Managing Director, Susan Crown Exchange

JK

Joe Kennedy

Director of Athletics & Sports Leadership, Obama Foundation; Co-Founder, The Team

Michael Lazar

Michael Lazar

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

Phyllis Lockett

Phyllis Lockett

Founder & Senior Advisor, LEAP Innovations

Michael Alter

Michael Alter

Owner, Chicago Sky

NK

Nina King

Vice President and Director of Athletics, Duke University

Muffet McGraw

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

Don Garber

Commissioner, Major League Soccer

Chris Howard

Chris Howard

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

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Former MLB All-Star, Philanthropist and Baseball Analyst

Steve Mesler

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

Pat Eilers

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

Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan

Former Co-Chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, Former U.S. Secretary of Education

CL

Candice Lee

Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director, Vanderbilt University

Deborah Quazzo

Deborah Quazzo

Co-Founder, GSV Sports

2:30 – 4:20 · System Reboots · Be in the Room Where it Happens

8 Rooms, 1 Future.

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.

2:30 – 3:20

1st Half · choose one room

4:30 – 6:05 · The Auditorium

Back to the Auditorium

Every room reports back, followed by the late afternoon keynote conversations.

The Nelson Mandela Sky Room at the Obama Presidential Center, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Chicago

Dinner in the Mandela Sky Room

6:15 – 9:00 · The Museum & the Mandela Sky Room

The evening

Full program

Want every session in one list?

The full program lays out all of October 28, block by block, with every speaker.

See the full agenda