Boston (May 3, 2021) – Leading executives representing all of Boston’s major professional sports teams will come together for a special conversation on racial and social justice in sports on May 6th as The New Balance Sports Leadership and Administration program at UMass Boston hosts its inaugural “Sports Leaders Over Lunch Webinar Panel.” The virtual event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Thursday, May 6th at 12 noon and registration for this special event is open now at http://alturl.com/2vj72.
Featuring an all-star lineup of panelists from the Boston and national sports industry including Boston Celtics Managing Partner, Governor and CEO Wyc Grousbeck, TD Garden president Amy Latimer, New England Patriots Foundation president Josh Kraft, Boston Red Sox Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager Raquel Ferreira, and former Major League standout/current Major League Baseball Players Alliance president Curtis Granderson, the panel will feature a timely and topical conversation on the state of social and racial justice in sports and society, and the sports industry’s transition into post-pandemic environment. New Balance Sports Leadership & Administration Program at UMass Boston Co-Founder Dr. J. Keith Motley will serve as moderator and provide opening remarks along with New Balance Chief Executive Officer Joe Preston.
Launched in 2019, The New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration Program at UMass Boston is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective, transformative, and equity-minded leaders of social change through sport. Students in the program participate in experiential learning opportunities to apply learnings in real world environments and actualize their leadership potential. The program will graduate its inaugural class of students at UMass Boston’s commencement ceremony on May 28, 2021.
“While the past year has been challenging as a society, there has been positive social progress that has been fueled by the sports community,” said Dr. Motley. “This program was designed to create new career pathways and bring additional diversity to the leadership and management ranks in the sports industry. The university is grateful to the industry leaders participating in the panel and for the role they’ve played to realize the vision of our sports leadership program. Events like these are an invaluable learning opportunity for both our students and the broader public to discuss Sports Leading the Way in 2021.”
The Sports Leaders Over Lunch Webinar Panel is sponsored by UMass Boston, New Balance, Fenway Sports Management and the Boston Business Journal.
“New Balance is proud to support the Sports Leadership and Administration program at UMass Boston and participate in this important discussion about increasing diversity in sports industry leadership,” said New Balance CEO Joe Preston. “Dr. Motley and the university have done a tremendous job building this program and cultivating the next generation of sports industry leaders.”
For more information about The Sports Leaders Over Lunch Webinar Panel and to register for free, please visit http://alturl.com/2vj72.
About UMass Boston
The University of Massachusetts Boston is deeply rooted in the city’s history, yet poised to address the challenges of the future. Recognized for innovative research, metropolitan Boston’s public university offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston’s colleges and graduate schools serve 16,000 students, one of the most diverse student bodies in New England, while engaging local and global constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service. To learn more, visit www.umb.edu.
About the New Balance Sports Leadership and Administration Program
UMass Boston’s New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration Program was established in 2019 to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective, transformative, and equity-minded leaders of social change through sport. Students engage in study of the phenomenon of sport from a variety of theoretical lenses based in the liberal arts and participate in experiential learning opportunities that help them apply classwork and actualize their leadership potential. To learn more, visit www.umb.edu.
