đŸ’Œ Sports biz exec 🏀 Always a fan 🏆 Avid advocate for girls and women in sport đŸ‘©â€đŸ‘§Girl mom đŸŽŸ Honored to be CEO of the @WomensSportsFdn

Joined February 2022
30 Photos and videos
I PLAY for my daughter, and all the girls we serve at Women's Sports Foundation, because of a simple truth: When Girls Play, They Lead - and We All Win! Who do you PLAY 4.....?
Girls have the talent, drive, and passion, they just need the opportunity. This WSF Giving Day, you can help unlock a $100,000 investment. And if you donate $20 , you’ll receive an “I Play 4 Her” bracelet! womenssportsfoundation.salsa

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Today, we celebrate the indomitable legend that is @BillieJeanKing! Founder of the @WomensSportsFdn, a champion for social change and equality, we owe so much to her and the legacy she continues to build for all girls and women. Here’s to another amazing year ahead! đŸ„łđŸŽ‰
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Congratulations to @WomensSportsFdn Founder @BillieJeanKing for being included in the 2025 #TIME100Philanthropy. WSF wouldn’t be where it is today without your vision and continued commitment to champion equality in sport and beyond!
Congratulations to WSF Founder @BillieJeanKing on being included in the 2025 #TIME100Philanthropy list! time.com/collections/time100

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Danette Leighton retweeted
That’s a wrap on the @NCAA Women’s Basketball x Women Leaders @WFinalFour VIP summit PowHER Panels! These 2ïžâƒŁ panels, open to the public at Tourney Town, brought together influential leaders on topics from hiring women to investing in women’s sports! #marchmadness #WFinalFour
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Danette Leighton retweeted
Ahead of tonight’s #WFinalFour, check out this opinion article by @wsfceo, explaining issues impacting the collegiate sports landscape we should all be paying attention to and why now is the time to invest MORE in women’s sports, not less!
"With a thoughtful and sustained investment approach, women’s sports can be seen as assets and sources of pride for their institutions instead of merely cost centers," writes Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation. bit.ly/42fn2Ib
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It’s a transformative time for college sports and in this op-ed published in @USATODAY, I share more about why great care needs to be taken by university leaders to protect the many gains women’s sports have made over the past five decades. Read it here: usatoday.com/story/opinion/2

We are at the cusp of monumental change in collegiate athletics, and for the sake of future generations, it is time to invest more in women’s sports, not less. #PlayToLead usatoday.com/story/opinion/2

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Excited for this opportunity! See you in March!
20 Feb 2025
We are thrilled to announce that @WSFCEO of the @WomensSportsFdn will be the Keynote Speaker at the 3C2A’s 28th Annual Convention! Danette brings 30 years of experience & is a passionate champion of women’s participation in sports. Register today âžĄïž 3c2asports.org
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The past 50 years changed the game, and together, the next 50 years will change the world! #PlayToLead
The monumental movement that we’re seeing across women’s sports today is not a coincidence We are proud of our 50 years of impact, and we’re not done yet! đŸ’ȘđŸ’ȘđŸ’Ș #PlayToLead sportsbusinessjournal.com/Ar

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I’m thrilled to welcome the 2025 class to the @WomensSportsFdn’s Board of Trustees! On the heels of WSF’s 50th anniversary, this powerful group of executives and elite athletes will greatly enhance our efforts of advocating for gender equity in sport and beyond. #PlayToLead
WSF is pleased to announce our seven newest Board of Trustees members: Val Ackerman, Stacey Allaster, David Friedman, Rachel Garcia, Alexander Popov, Bill Shelton and Gabby Thomas! Learn more: womenssportsfoundation.org/p
 #PlayToLead
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Thank you to everyone who helped us at the @WomensSportsFdn celebrate #WSF50! Together, let us continue to build a future where all girls and women can play because when they do, they lead and we all win. #PlayToLead Enjoy the holiday season!
The holiday season is upon us, and we at the Women’s Sports Foundation want to say thank you to everyone who has helped us celebrate our 50th anniversary! ⛄
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Happy birthday, @BillieJeanKing! The @WomensSportsFdn wouldn't be celebrating #WSF50 without your vision, grit and determination to build a more equitable world - in sports and beyond! Celebrate big!
Today, I am 81 years young. In Malaga, Spain, we watched the passion, talent, and athleticism of the participating teams playing for their countries, and it became more evident to me than ever the importance of teamwork and relationships. Relationships truly are everything. The ones I've been a part of throughout my life are irreplaceable, and none more valuable than my relationship with Ilana. I am so lucky to have our life together. I have been so fortunate to have set and realized many goals, many that have provided opportunity to others, and always with help along the way. No one achieves anything alone. And I'm not done yet!
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Thank you so much to the @WashMystics for working alongside us at the @WomensSportsFdn as we champion the next generation of women leaders by empowering them to #KeepPlaying! #PlayToLead
This week, the @WashMystics President’s Circle initiative partnered with @WomensSportsFdn to host "Play to Lead: The Impact of Sports on Women’s Leadership," featuring key insights on the current landscape of women's sports as we champion the next generation of female leaders.
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Thank you @StephenBorelli and @USATODAY for amplifying the @WomensSportsFdn’s latest #PlayToLead research, which proves what we have known at WSF for 50 years and counting - when girls play, they lead and we all win! #WSF50
A ⁊@WomensSportsFdn⁩ study ties youth sports participation to future leadership roles like ⁊@WSFCEO⁩ Danette Leighton. Respondents learned these critical lessons playing as girls that reflect the WSF model and founder ⁊@BillieJeanKing⁩ usatoday.com/story/sports/20

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I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who joined us at the @WomensSportsFdn’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports¼. Lets keep working together to build a future where all girls and women can play because when they do they lead and we all win. We are ready for the next 50!
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Congratulations @BillieJeanKing! Cannot wait to see you preside over the 136th Rose Parade as Grand Marshal next year!
Excited to announce that I have been selected as the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Rose Parade to usher in the new year! It is such an honor to serve in this role for the 136th Rose Parade, and to participate in the pre-game ceremony at the Rose Bowl Game. I'm truly thrilled to be part of the Tournament of Roses family.  Best Day Ever!
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Thank you @DrLindseyDarvin and @ForbesSports for the opportunity to amplify the @WomensSportsFdn’s #PlayToLead report, shining a light on the larger impact youth sports for girls has on society and the economy. Read more: forbes.com/sites/lindseyedar


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We at WSF are incredibly proud of our #PlayToLead report! Its findings illuminate why sports are a must-have for all girls and why we as a society should be investing in youth sports programs. Follow @WomensSportsFdn, to learn more about this breakthrough study.
🚹NEW🚹 We’re excited to introduce our latest groundbreaking research: “Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sport on Women’s Leadership!” 🙌This first of its kind report shows how sport has shaped generations of strong women leaders. đŸ’Ș👟 #PlayToLead womenssportsfoundation.org/p

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I was honored to moderate the “Leveraging Technology to Drive Women’s Sports & Fan Engagement” panel this week @AUProSports' #AUSummit2024. It isn't everyday you get to learn from remarkable women leaders about how technology is continuing to change the game for women's sports.
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