Featured Stories – 6th Annual Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon
Five Local Leaders Recognized at 6th Annual Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon
By George Diaz
There was a palatable energy in the air when the Greater Orlando Sports Commission hosted its 6th Annual Celebrating Women in Sports luncheon, honoring five of Orlando's outstanding female sports leaders in front of 725 guests.
The voice and power of women in sports resonates loudly, whether it's on the fields of play or in boardrooms.
"We are not just part of the game, we are changing it," said Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, one of the leadership award recipients.
Indeed. All you have to do is look around.
Women’s sports could bring in over $1 billion in 2024—record-breaking viewership, with stars like Caitlin Clark, the WNBA phenom, driving that growth. But that spike in popularity extends to other major events, including the Olympics and FIFA Women's World Cup.
"I think about what's happening in sports," said ABC broadcaster Doris Burke, the keynote speaker at the luncheon. "Catlin Clark on a Sunday afternoon, head-to-head against the NFL, helped drive a 1.2 million rating. That was incredible.
"So any event that is here to support and lift up women across sports, I am thrilled."
Those sentiments set the stage for the presentation of awards at UCF’s Addition Financial Arena.
The luncheon recognized the five honorees in three categories: Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak (UCF Athletics & USWNT), Angela Suggs (Florida Sports Foundation), and Joanne Wallen (USTA) received the Women in Sports Leadership Award.
Grace Burr (USTA) received the Rising Star Award and Pennie Parker (Rollins College) took home the WISE Greater Orlando Women of Inspiration Award.
Honorees were voted on by panels including GO Sports and WISE Greater Orlando Board Members, respectively. The list of their accomplishments is impressive. To wit:
Sahaydak has an accomplished career in soccer, both as an amateur and professional. She was part of the USA team Olympic gold medal team in 1996, a women’s World Cup champion in 1999, a two-time NCAA champion, and a professional league champion for the Carolina Courage in the WUSA.
She is now the head women’s soccer coach at the University of Central Florida and was unable to attend the event because the team had to fly out of town early that day as Florida was bracing for Hurricane Helene. Her daughters accepted the award on her behalf.
“I want to thank the Greater Orlando Sports Commission for this incredible honor it truly leaves so much to me to be recognized alongside such inspiring and talented women in sports,” she said in a taped statement.
Suggs, President and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation, has decades of experience in the industry. Suggs leads the way for the foundation's impact that generates over $70 billion in economic impact annually while assisting communities with securing, hosting, and retaining sporting events and sports-related business through the Foundation’s grant programs.
Suggs, the first woman and the first person of color to be appointed to that position, thanked one of her mentors, who was in the audience: Shannon Clark, a veteran in the industry who is Chief Customer Officer at Florida Citrus Sports.
"I was able to go in understanding what experience meant; what it meant to lead with the experience of your team as it relates to the experience of the people who we are serving and the people that we are inviting in... I watched [Clark] and I learned from her and I never told her, but thank you."
Wallen's Women in Sports Leadership Award comes after decades of service and leadership in the world of tennis. A native of England, Wallen played on the International Tennis Federation and Women’s Tennis Association tours for 14 years, winning 15 events.
Now on the management side, Wallen assumed the pivotal role of General Manager at the USTA National Campus in 2023. She orchestrates racquet sports programming that includes tennis, pickleball, and Padel, along with managing over 300 events.
Choking up, she thanked her parents profusely for their sacrifices in allowing her to pursue her sporting dreams.
"My family, my mom and my dad, literally moved across the entire world for me to literally follow my dreams,” she said. “So when someone says they gave up everything, they literally did.”
Burr, the Senior Manager of Growth and Development at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, leads marketing efforts, oversees food and beverage vendor management, and contributes to strategic planning for the growth of the campus. Her role has led to significant impacts in the business, including the introduction of new products and support for major events such as the NCAA Championships and the Billie Jean King Cup.
Reflecting the impact of strong female role models, she thanked Wallen for the impact she had on her career.
"At 15, I had a passion for the game of tennis, but I didn't have the means to pay for it because of the family I grew up in," Burr said. "But she taught me how to coach, so I started working at the club and she paved a way for me to be on scholarship at that club. Ultimately, I went on to play tennis at the University of Kentucky...
"So I would like to thank Jo Wallen because she has taught me something very important. She taught me that opportunity is infinite, not finite, when we utilize our skills and abilities to support those around us. She made an impact on my story."
Parker has led the Rollins College Tars to an era of unprecedented success since she was named Director of Athletics in 2006. Parker was also appointed to the Division II Athletic Director’s Association (ADA) Board of Directors in 2011, and she served as the president of the association in 2016-17.
Under her leadership, Rollins has won three NCAA Division II National Championships, 22 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) titles, 13 SSC tournaments and five SSC Mayor’s Cup All-Sport trophies.
"These awards are a testament to our resilience, determination and the power of unity," Parker said. "I also want to extend my heart-felt thanks to the WISE Greater Orlando organization. Your tireless efforts to support women in sports have been instrumental in creating opportunities and breaking down barriers.
"Your work is vital in ensuring that future generations of women can thrive and excel in this field. Mentoring and collaboration are values that I hold dear. And I believe that by lifting each other up, we can achieve greatness together."
Note the common thread: Support. Success. Encouragement. Unity. Empowering role models.
They are five of many, as women's sports continue to evolve and grow both nationally and globally.
“We are crushing glass ceilings," said Despina McLaughlin, who moderated the fireside chat with Doris Burke.
Indeed. Hear the noise and celebrate the moment. All you have to do is look around.
