WGLSC | 3/6/2026 11:00:00 AM

With International Women's Day on the horizon, York University Athletics & Recreation is thrilled to officially launch the seventh annual Women & Girls Leadership & Sport Conference. The event will take place Friday, May 1, 2026 at the Schulich Executive Dining Hall, located within York's Schulich School of Business. 

The event this year, themed Her Game, Her Story: The Lived Experiences of Women Athletes, aims to spotlight the various paths female athletes pave in their careers. The conference will connect women across the industry and feature some of the top women professionals in sport to share their stories, bring bold ideas and practical strategies that elevate women and girls in sport and leadership. 

"I'm incredibly excited for the 7th Annual Women and Girls in Leadership and Sport Conference here at York University. This year, we're going back to our roots — centering the power of storytelling to connect, inspire, and uplift. There is something transformative about sharing lived experiences, lessons learned, and the journeys that shape us as leaders," said WGLSC Co-Chair and York women's volleyball head coach Jen Neilson. 

"At its heart, this conference is about building a strong community grounded in resilience, courage, and collective strength. It's a space where women and girls can see themselves reflected in powerful stories, gain tools to lead boldly, and leave knowing they are part of something bigger."

The event will feature several speakers throughout the day, including the keynote address from former professional basketball player Natalie Achonwa. From Toronto, Achonwa was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the first round, ninth overall in 2014 out of Duke University and spent six years with the Fever (2015-20) before finishing her career with the Minnesota Lynx (2021-23). She also made several stops in Europe during the WNBA offseason and currently serves as an assistant coach with the Michigan Wolverines women's basketball program. 

Other speakers include former U SPORTS volleyball player, former York women's volleyball assistant coach and current Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball lead assistant coach Alix Krahn as well as former Canadian national women's hockey team and two-time Olympic gold medallist Melody Davidson. Both speakers will preside over this year's two Fireside Chats, a new format introduced at the 2025 Conference. 

The lone panel of the day will feature Sydney Payne, Sam Eyles-Frane, Sarah Gates and Erin McAleenan as contributors. Payne is a two-time Olympic rowing medallist, capturing gold in 2020 and silver in 2024, having also medalled at several World Championships. Eyles-Frane, who holds a Masters degree in Human Health and Nutritional Science from the University of Guelph, a post-graduate certificate in Human Performance Training from Sheridan College and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, is currently the Manager of Sports Medicine and Athlete Performance for the Laurier Golden Hawks.  

Gates, who holds an Honours Human Behaviour degree and a double minor in mental health and addiction and psychology from McMaster University, was a former Marauders women's basketball star (2017-23) who won the 2023 Nan Copp Award as U SPORTS women's basketball player of the year in 2023 and is 12th on the all-time U SPORTS women's basketball scoring list. McAleenan, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Acadia University, a Bachelor of Education degree from Trent University and a Masters in Coaching from the University of Alberta, is the current head coach of the UNB REDS women's basketball team and was the women's basketball bench boss at York from 2015-21. 

"York University is thrilled to host its 7th annual Women & Girls in Leadership and Sport Conference this May," said York Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation Steven Chuang. "This year's theme shines an important light on the individual journeys of female athletes and leaders in sports and the stories that defined those paths, and this event will play a major role in providing increased visibility to the exceptionally hard work women in sports put in on a daily basis." 

For more information and to purchase your tickets to the 7th annual Women & Girls in Leadership and Sport Conference, click here.