Member Circles

  • The Business & Administrative Operations Circle builds a community of collaboration and connectivity amongst professionals in administrative operations. This group focuses on leading from where you are and bringing forth best practices and ideas to elevate your respected area and departments.

  • The Compliance, Policy & Legal Circle is a collaborative space for members to share knowledge, resources, and best practices. Open to executives of all experience levels, as well as colleagues from other areas interested in these functions, the group offers valuable insights into the role of compliance and legal operations within athletic departments and sports organizations.

  • The Conference Administrators Circle allows participants to engage with collegiate conference staff and member institutions at all divisional levels. Members will have an opportunity to discuss issues from the conference office perspective, such as membership engagement, programs to support the membership, revenue generation, championships, and best practices to execute at a high level.

  • The Executive Level Circle is an exclusive, by-invitation-only network for women in executive leadership. It offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow industry leaders, share insights, and accelerate personal and professional growth. Through Circle Calls and other touchpoints, members explore key leadership and career strategies, engage with top experts, and build meaningful connections to drive success within their organizations.

  • The Facilities & Event Management Circle is designed for professionals working in facilities, operations, and event management across all sectors of sports. Members will have the opportunity to learn from industry experts and special guests, gaining insights into the challenges and opportunities of managing sports facilities and events. Whether you're focused on day-to-day operations or large-scale event planning, this circle offers valuable resources and a supportive community to help you excel in your role.

  • The Human Resources, People & Culture Circle allows participants to learn and share best practices for developing a strong staff culture. Through this group, participants will have an opportunity to discuss how to engage, develop, and support staff within their organization.

  • Leaders Making the Pivot Circle is designed for professionals navigating career transitions. This community provides an empowered space to share insights, exchange resources, and connect with peers who are redefining their paths while continuing to lead with purpose and impact.

  • The LGBTQIA+ Circle serves as a safe space for those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and allies to engage in courageous conversations and shared experiences. The group is also an educational resource for all women leaders seeking to grow in their knowledge and support of this community.

  • The Marketing & Communications Circle gives members the opportunity to discuss relevant topics in the industry, engage with other marketing professionals, and learn from experts. Some of these include: Branding, graphic design, social media, player promotions, external promotions, SIDs, Press releases, PR, Video, Content Creation.

  • The Mental Health in Sports Circle will discuss the importance of mental health within the realm of athletes and sports. Everyone needs a healthy mind, body, and spirit. This group focuses on questions, concerns, training, education and best practices being used within sports to help destigmatize mental health and improve the care of those entrusted to our teams and programs.

  • The Moms in Sport Circle is a supportive space designed for anyone connected to the world of sports who is navigating the unique challenges of balancing work and family life. Whether you are a parent, aspiring parent, aunt, grandma, or simply someone looking to better understand how to support colleagues who are parents, this group is for you. The group will explore valuable insights on how to manage the demands of parenting while pursuing a career in sports.

Women Leaders in Sports offers member circles as a member benefit. These circles consist of 22 affinity groups over a wide variety of topics within the sport industry. Our circle leads  consist of members whose responsibility is to support the organization’s mission, values, and purpose while hosting monthly circle calls on topics of interest throughout our membership. You can learn more about our circles and register for upcoming calls on ENGAGE! 

Interested in becoming a circle lead? Reach out to the Women Leaders team.

  • The Player Engagement/Student-Athlete Development Circle is a space for sharing best practices and developing programs that support the holistic growth of athletes. Members will discuss key areas of development, including personal growth, professional pathways, and community engagement, to help athletes thrive both on and off the field.

  • The Pro Sports Circle is a dynamic space for women working across all areas of professional sports, as well as those interested in pivoting into the industry. This group allows members to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on navigating the unique challenges and opportunities within the pro sports landscape.

  • The Revenue Generation & Fundraising Circle is dedicated to exploring key areas of revenue growth, including licensing, ticket sales, and fundraising strategies. Members will have the opportunity to exchange innovative ideas, collaborate on impactful content, and learn from experts in the field to enhance their skills and drive revenue growth in sports organizations.

  • The Rising Stars Circle is a community for young professionals less than five years into their career. Whether you're a student, intern, graduate assistant, or early in your career, this group provides an opportunity to learn from industry leaders, share best practices, and gain the insights you need to advance. Looking to hire a Rising Star? This Circle offers direct access to a pool of top emerging talent, ready to take the next step in their careers.

  • The Small College Athletics Circle brings together women leaders working in small college athletics across all associations and divisions. By discussing the unique challenges and opportunities of working in smaller departments, this group fosters community, encourages the exchange of insights, and provides a platform to learn from one another.

  • The Sport Performance Circle brings together professionals in strength & conditioning, athletic training, nutrition, and sport psychology to share philosophies, discuss program design, recovery methods, technology use, and more. This group fosters collaboration to enhance sport performance across disciplines.

  • The Student-Athlete Academics Circle allows participants to discuss best practices for collegiate student-athlete academic success. Through this group, participants will have an opportunity to discuss academic philosophies, best practices, degree completion, and learn from experts in the field.

  • The Title IX Circle provides education and increases awareness regarding Title IX as it relates to gender equity and inclusion in athletics and student-athlete welfare. The Circle discusses current topics in inclusion, current and past Title IX investigations, ideas for increasing awareness on campus and additional agendas brought forward by Circle members.

  • The Women in Football Circle is for women in leadership roles across business and football operations. This group fosters connections, shares best practices, and offers support for personal and professional growth. It’s a platform to strengthen leadership skills, access resources, and drive greater representation and success for women in all facets of football leadership.

  • The Women of Color Circle, presented by adidas, enhances engagement among Women of Color and allies through regular connection, education, and a supportive community space. The collaborate group thrives on member engagement—it is an open and inclusive space where individuals can support one another, share resources, and be empowered to make positive changes in their organization and more broadly.

  • The Youth Sports Circle is a community for those working across youth leagues, clubs, schools, and organizations. This space connects women building and leading youth sport programs to share insights, exchange best practices, and support one another while advancing leadership and impact in the youth sports landscape.