Programs

The Women of Inspiration (WOI) program speaks to WISE Seattle’s desire to leave a lasting impact on future generations of women in the sports and events industry. The focus of this yearly accolade is to honor and recognize a woman in our community that is doing something notable to support women while aligning with our chapter’s vision and core pillars. The winner of this award will receive a cash donation on behalf of WISE Seattle and their partners to the cause, non-profit or organization that coincides with why they were nominated.

WISE Seattle is the local chapter of a national organization that works to encourage, empower, and educate women professionals in the sports and events industries through professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

2024 VOTING is NOW OPEN!

Vote for your preferred nominee (more information about each finlaist below)

Important Upcoming Dates:

9/3/24 - Finalists announced/ voting begins

9/20/24 - Voting concludes

October 2024 - Winner Announced at 2024 Seattle Sports Commission Women in Leadership Breakfast

Congratulations To Our 2024 WISE Seattle Women Of Inspiration Finalists

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 WISE Seattle Women of Inspiration Award.

The Women of Inspiration Award honors a female in our community who exemplifies the pillars upon which WISE Seattle was founded. This individual is making a positive impact on the business of sports and events while serving as a positive role model and mentor for other women.

Congratulations to all of this year's finalists, be sure to vote for your favorite on our Tagboard poll:

Jen Barnes - Owner, Rough & Tumble Pub
Annette Diggs - Founder, Edge Outdoors
Suneeta Eisenberg - Founder/ Executive Director, Whatcom Waves
Sarah Lesko - CEO, Bras for Girls

FINALIST - Jen Barnes - Founder & Owner Rough & Tumble Pub

Jen Barnes is the CEO and Founder of Rough & Tumble Pub, Washington’s home for women’s sports and a place purpose-built for gender equality. Since it opened in December 2022, Rough & Tumble has become a bastion for gender equity and a leader in the skyrocketing women’s sports industry sector worldwide. R&T remains the only place in the world that focuses on equality across its screens, creating community for all sports fans. As part of Jen’s vision to create opportunity and access for women athletes and women’s sports, this year she joined with NWSL players, Seattle Storm ownership, and Seattle businesswomen to bring the first semi-pro women’s soccer team to the Seattle sports scene (USLW team (name to be announced in October) kicks off play in 2025). With active partnerships with sports leagues and the media Rough & Tumble is not just actively building the women’s sports fan base but is making viewing women’s sports accessible to all who walk through its doors. Jen is an avid women’s sports fan and a dynamic senior executive with 25+ years of experience building vibrant, award-winning companies across industry sectors. Jen was honored as Reign FC’s 2023 season opening Reign Legend for making a lasting impact in her discipline, and is bringing her passion for both sports and gender equality together by investing in women's sports and creating community.

If awarded the WISE Woman of Inspiration Award, the funds associated would be used to support non-profit organization(s) with whom Rough & Tumble partners with now, specifically those focusing on keeping girl and non-binary athletes playing sports. R&T currently works with numerous local, national, and international non-profit groups in this sector and would target supporting those where a significant donation would actively and positively impact access and playtime for this athlete demographic. R&T fields hundreds of requests for support and partnership that we are not now able to execute upon and this grant would allow us to judiciously support critical organizations that are making measurable impacts upon the expansion of women’s sports. We would be honored to be able to make those contributions and reflecting them as made possible by WISE.

FINALIST - Annette Diggs - Founder, Edge Outdoors

As a finalist for the 2024 WISE Seattle Woman of Inspiration Award, I’m truly honored to be recognized for my contributions to race and gender equity in the outdoors. Over the past decade, I’ve devoted myself to fostering and developing marginalized communities in outdoor spaces through EDGE Outdoors, an organization I founded to address the underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color in snow sports. I take pride in being a scientist, ski instructor, outdoor enthusiast, and humanitarian. My involvement extends to significant roles on the Ski California DEI Task Force, Snowsports Industries America’s Inclusion Committee, and the US Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association's Women’s Committee.

My passion for inclusivity is deeply personal and extends well beyond my professional achievements. I’ve had the privilege of climbing iconic volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, including Mount Rainier, and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. In 2019, I led a humanitarian effort that provided essential gear to 32 porters on Mt. Kilimanjaro, reflecting my commitment to empowering those who are often the least supported in the mountaineering world.

Through EDGE Outdoors, I’m dedicated to creating opportunities for underrepresented communities to not only participate in snow sports but also to lead and compete professionally. I’ve established significant partnerships with organizations like Vail Resorts and Stevens Pass Ski Resort, contributing to a nearly 20% increase in BIPOC hires at Stevens Pass.

My work is far-reaching, and I remain committed to challenging the status quo to create a more inclusive outdoor environment. If awarded this recognition and donation, I will continue to support the ongoing mission of EDGE Outdoors.

FINALIST - Suneeta Eisenberg, Founder/ Executive Director Whatcom Waves

Suneeta Eisenberg M.Ed is Founder, Player & Executive Director of Whatcom Waves, a women’s empowerment organization that seeks climate, racial & social justice through sports.

Whatcom Waves' vision created the first HEMP community land trust in Washington state using a "just transition" framework. Suneeta is an honorable mention winner with her partner and builders at the U.S Department of Energy's 2018 "Innovation" award for an affordable passive solar house.

Her past educational work history this past decade intersects with K-12 classroom instruction, non-profit direct service work, coaching former foster youth at higher institutions with the Washington Passport Network and athletic coaching for basketball, track, tennis and soccer. Prior to her career in education and human service, she was in the hospitality, tourism and travel industry working for corporate restaurants, AAA of Washington and Chase bank.

Currently, Suneeta activly participates as the newest Planning Commissioner to Whatcom County and sits on the Climate Impact Advisory Council to Whatcom County and commenced as vice-chair of the City of Bellngham's Community Development Advisory Board. Her graduate degree focused on early childhood education and outdoor learning experiences through garden immersion. She cultivates and stewards land conservation on a .92 acre regenerative and permaculture farm near Lummi traditional-unceded lands.

She enjoys cooking, baking, dancing, traveling and being around animals. Her favorite places to visit are the Canary Islands, Iceland, Tazmania, South Africa, and New Zealand. Some of her favorite memories growing up were watching Michelle Akers, Sheryl Swoops and Stephi Graf on the soccer pitch, basketball and tennis courts.

FINALIST - Sarah Lesko - Executive Director - Bras for Girls

Sarah Lesko is the Executive Director of Bras for Girls. She is committed to making sports and body movement accessible and welcoming for all; Sarah believes in the power of sports to improve health, happiness, and equity.

After a collegiate running career, Sarah became a family doctor, practicing in the Community Health Center setting, and then returned to get her Masters in Public Health to be able to focus on community-based needs. In 2017, Sarah helped start the Bras for Girls program and shepherded its growth and transition to a free-standing non-profit in 2021. Sarah also coached middle school track and cross-country and witnessed first-hand how a sports bra can change a girl’s trajectory. Small supportive interventions have a big impact.

Bras for Girls normalizes body changes through breast development education and sports bra donation (>90,000 bras to date), ultimately supporting girls and their relationship with body movement for life. The WISE cash prize would help with Bras for Girls outreach to Title 1 Middle Schools in WA state: a targeted outreach to a very high-need population.

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Read More About Our 2023 Winner:

Congratulations To Our 2023 WISE Seattle Women Of Inspiration Winner

We were thrilled to announce Mel Harrow, Associate Athletic Director at the Bush School and Head Coach of UW Women's Hockey, as the recipient of the 2023 WISE Seattle Women of Inspiration Award!

This prestigious honor was recently awarded to Mel at the 2023 Seattle Sports Commission Women's Leadership Breakfast.

Congratulations to all the incredible finalists who made this award so fiercely competitive:

Jen Barnes - Owner, Rough & Tumble
Tiffany Castro - Owner, West Coast Queen Of Diamonds
Marcie Morgan - Founder, Seven Seals Racing Team
Kat Sweet - Founder, Sweetlines

These incredible women collectively saw an opportunity to fill a space where there was a gap.

We encourage you to follow their journey.

We can't wait to see what they do next!⁠
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Let them be your reminder to take action and "Do It." ⁠

WINNER - Mel Harrow - Associate Athletic Director at the Bush School & Head Coach UW Women's Hockey

Mel grew up playing ice hockey in the greater Seattle area before going on to play college hockey at Buffalo State University. Growing up around ice hockey drove Mel toward a career in sport where she focuses on creating a positive environment for the next generation of athletes. Mel is currently the Associate Athletic Director for the Bush School and the Head Coach for the UW Women's Club hockey team.

Mel’s core value is supporting and empowering the whole person through sports. She creates and implements athletic leadership programming to develop student-athletes to be leaders. Her passions lie in achieving gender equity in sport, sport for all, and ensuring all who identify as girls and women build confidence on and off the field. Mel has been driven to achieve this through her work with EmpowHER Hour workshops, sports sampling clinics, panel presentations, and increasing the number of women identifying athletes to access strength and conditioning training. Recently, Mel co-hosted a coaching education clinic to certify 85 WIAA coaches.

The cash prize donation would go to progressing hockey to a more inclusive community by providing access (gear/scholarship funds) to the sport for underrepresented groups.

A little more about Mel Harrow