ABOUT THE 2019 SUMMIT
The LA84 Foundation hosted its 8th Annual Youth Sports Summit, September 10, 2019, at the InterContinental Hotel, in downtown Los Angeles. Titled Play Equity: Elevating the Game for Our Kids, the Summit focused on the critical, positive role that sports and organized physical activity play in youth development, the need for greater public understanding and support, and inequities that prevent all children from enjoying the benefits of sports.
The Summit, emceed by Fox Sports host and former NFL All-Pro Marcellus Wiley, featured individual presentations, panels and small-group discussions. The speakers included star athletes like Olympians and social activists Mia Hamm, Donna de Varona and Sloane Stephens; Paralympian Rudy Garcia-Tolson; former Los Angeles Dodger and philanthropist Adrian Gonzalez, Special Olympian Lucy Meyer, several high school athletes, plus recently retired NCAA gymnastics championship coach Valorie Kondos Field of UCLA, scholars who study sport, representatives of professional teams and leagues, as well as people from outside the field of sports such as Dr. Robert K. Ross of the California Endowment and Scott Budnick, founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition and executive producer of the popular film “The Hangover.”
An audience of 500 people attended the Summit to learn from more than 40 speakers and experience a wide range of activations outside the conference hall sponsored by Angel City Games, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, and local professional teams including the Sparks, Rams, Chargers, Dodgers, LAFC and Ducks.
LA84 Foundation President and CEO Renata Simril closed the Summit, emphasizing that “the power of sport can create the conditions in which our kids can thrive through affiliation, advocacy and agency.” She went on to warn, however, “Today won’t mean anything if we don’t take action.” “So, I simply ask each and every one of you in this room,” Simril continued, “What are you going to do” to improve kids’ lives and make sport more equitable?
LA84 Foundation 2019 Summit Recap - Play Equity: Elevating the Game for Our Kids
Master of Ceremony Sub Heading

MARCELLUS WILEY
Featured Speakers Sub Heading

SLOANE STEPHENS

Adrian Gonzalez

MIA HAMM
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carrlyn bathe
Reporter & Content Creator for Fox Sports WestROB FUKUZAKI
ABC7 Sports AnchorDONNA DE VARONA
2x Olympic gold medalist, Former ABC Broadcast, Executive Board of Special Olympics InternationalRUDY GARCIA-TOLSON
Four-time Paralympic medalistTOM FARREY
Executive Director of the Sports & Society Program, Aspen InstituteBOB GRAZIANO
Vice Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, Board Chair Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment CommissionVALORIE KONDOS FIELD
Seven-time NCAA National Champion, Former Head Coach UCLA Women’s Gymnasticslolita Lopez
NBC4 Investigative ReporterKYLE MARTINO
NBC Sports Analyst, Chair of Street Soccer USA, Over Under Initiative FounderLUCY MEYER
Unified Athlete, UN Ambassador for Special OlympicsDr. NATALIA MEHLMAN PETRZELA
Host, Author, ProfessorDR. ROBERT K. ROSS
CEO of The California EndowmentKATHY SCHLOESSMAN
President & CEO, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment CommissionBill Shumard
President & CEO of Special Olympics Southern CaliforniaRenata Simril
President & CEO of the LA84 FoundationShelley Smith
Sports Correspondent, ESPNjim thompson
Founder & CEO, Positive Coaching AllianceDr. ricardo valerdi
University of Arizona, Founder, Chief Scientist, Science of Sports -
DR. ROBIN AVELAR LA SALLE
CEO & Co-Founder, Orenda EducationJIM BAUGH
Founder & CEO, PHIT AmericaMARSHA BONNER
Director of Programs, Community Grant Making and Special Initiatives, Annenberg FoundationSCOTT BUDNICK
Film Producer, Founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), CEO of One Communitybrooke charlton
LA84 SAMbassador, Ice Hockey Playerjason cooper
Manager of Fan Development Marketing, Anaheim DucksMATTHEW FLESOCK
Executive Director, UCLA Sound Body Sound MindJEANEY GARCIA
Positive Coaching Alliance – Los AngelesDR. CHARLES HILLMAN
Professor, Center for Cognitive & Brain Health at Northeastern UniversityRonit larone
Vice President of Content & Marketing Integration, NFLJESSE LOVEJOY
Director of STEM Education, San Francisco 49ersJULIO MARCIAL
Director of Youth Justice, Liberty Hill FoundationRENATO PAIVA
Executive Director, Access Youth AcademyAngelica Taylor
LA84 SAMbassador, Soccer PlayerDR. PHILIP VELIZ
Professor, Associate Director of Health, & Activity Research and Policy CenterCARRIE WAGNER
Founder & Executive Director of GALS Los AngelesHenry Waterman
USA Junior Paralympic TeamSARAH WELLS
ICEF RugbyNICHOL WHITEMAN
CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers FoundationMichael Yamaki
Corporate Officer, Riviera Country Club -
Agenda Sub Heading
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 8:00 am -
9:00 amRegistration & Continental Breakfast 9:00 am Welcome:
Emcee Marcellus Wiley (Fox Sports, Former NFL All-Pro defensive end)Kickoff:
Opening remarks by Renata Simril (LA84 Foundation President & CEO)9:15 am Pep Talk: The Positive Power of Coaching
Valorie Kondos Field (Head coach of the18-time Pac-12 Champion UCLA Women's Gymnastics team. Four-time "National Coach of the Year" was recently named "West Region Coach" of the Year, Pac-12 Coach of the Year, and "Coach of the Century")
9:30 am Panel Discussion: Why Sports Matter
Dr. Tiffany Berry (Claremont Evaluation Center/Beyond the Bell), Dr. Robin Avelar La Salle (Orenda Education), Dr. Philip Veliz (University of Michigan), Jim Thompson (Positive Coaching Alliance), moderated by Lolita Lopez. (KNBC/Investigative Reporter)10:15 am Pep Talk: Sitting is the New Smoking
Jim Baugh (Founder & CEO, PHIT America, former CEO of Wilson Sporting Goods and Sports Industry Hall of Fame Inductee)10:30 am Recess Break 10:35 am Panel Discussion: Break a Sweat, Change Your Life
Carrie Wagner (Executive Director, GALS Los Angeles), Dr. Charles Hillman (Professor Center for Cognitive & Brain Health, Northeastern University), Renato Paiva (Access Youth Academy) Matthew Flesock (Executive Director, UCLA Sound Body Sound Mind), moderated by Dr. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela (New School)11:20 am Pep Talk: Keeping Kids in the Game
Tom Farrey (Executive Director of the Sports & Society Project with the Aspen Institute, journalist, founder of Project Play, and author of "Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children.")11:30 am Interview: Rallying to Serve Our Communities
Sloane Stephens, (Six WTA Titles, Philanthropist) interviewed by Shelley Smith, ESPN Reporter11:50 am Lunch 12:15 pm Conversation: Using Storytelling to Drive Social Change
Dr. Robert K. Ross (CEO of The California Endowment), Scott Budnick (Producer and Founder of ARC), moderated by Julio Marcial (Liberty Hill Foundation)1:00 pm Pep Talk: Negativity is the Biggest Disability
Rudy Garcia-Tolson (4x Paralympic medalist, swimmer, runner & triathlete)1:15 pm Conversation: Special Olympics: Leveling the Playing Field Through Unified Teams
Bill Shumard (President & CEO, Special Olympics Southern California), Lucy Meyer (Unified Athlete, Hamilton High School + UN Ambassador for Special Olympics), moderated by Donna de Varona (4x Olympic gold medalist/former ABC broadcaster/executive board, Special Olympics international)1:45 pm Interview: Leveraging the Beautiful Game for Social Impact
Mia Hamm (Legendary USWNT player, 2x Olympic gold medalist, 2x World Cup champion, chair of Street Soccer USA, founder of Mia Hamm Foundation), Kyle Martino (NBC Sports Analyst, Chair of Street Soccer USA, Over Under Initiative Founder)2:10 pm Panel Discussion: Becoming My Best Self Through Sport
Sarah Wells (ICEF Rugby), Angelica Taylor (SAMbassador, Soccer Player), Brooke Charlton (SAMbassador, Ice Hockey Player), Henry Waterman (Para Athlete), moderated by Carrlyn Bathe (FSW TV)2:40 pm Pep Talk: The Science of Sports
Ricardo Valerdi (University of Arizona / Co-Founder Science of Sports)2:55 pm Panel Discussion: Bringing Math + Science to Life Through Sports
Dr. Jill McNitt-Gray (USC), Jason Cooper (Anaheim Ducks), Jesse Lovejoy (Director of STEM education for the SF 49er), Nichol Whiteman (CEO Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation), moderated by Marsha Bonner (Annenberg Foundation)3:40 pm Recess Break 3:55 pm Interview: Sport at the Service of Humanity
Adrian Gonzalez (retired MLB Player, 3x All-Star, 2x Golden Glove Award Winner), interviewed by Rob Fukuzaki, ABC7 Sports Anchor
4:20 pm Panel Discussion: The Social Impact of Major Sports Events
Kathy Schloessman (President LA Sports & Entertainment Commission), Michael Yamaki (Corporate Officer Riviera Country Club), Ronit Larone (Vice President, Content & Marketing Integration, NFL), moderated by Robert V. Graziano (Vice Chairman JP Morgan Chase, Board Chair Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, LA84 Foundation Board Member)5:00 pm Closing Remarks Marcellus Wiley and Renata Simril
5:20 pm Cocktail Reception *Agenda and speakers subject to change
2019 SUMMIT SPONSORS Sub Heading
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