NFL to Host Eighth Annual Women’s Forum at Combine
The NFL Women’s Forum presented by AWS will connect women from around the world to opportunities in football
at the NFL Women's forum on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023 in Indianapolis. (AJ Mast/AP Images for the NFL)
NEW YORK – February 22, 2024.- NFL to Host Eighth Annual Women’s Forum at Combine.- The National Football League (NFL) will host its eighth annual NFL Women’s Forum presented by AWS on February 27-28 in Indianapolis during the 2024 NFL Combine as part of its ongoing, league-wide commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The program will connect 40 women, 60% of whom are women of color, with leaders in professional football to provide insight and networking opportunities for their careers in the areas of scouting, data & analytics, coaching and football operations.
Since its inception in 2017, 260 participants have gone through the Forum with over 250 opportunities emerging for women at all levels of football. 29 clubs have hired past Women’s Forum participants and all 32 clubs engaged in the Forum in some capacity last year. This season, the NFL has 12 full-time women coaches – a league record and most for any male professional sports league in the world.
“We are proud of how impactful the Women’s Forum has been in making football inclusive and accessible to women at all levels of the league,» said NFL Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Jonathan Beane. “Ensuring opportunities for women throughout football remains a top priority, and the Women’s Forum is key in making that a reality.»
While the league expands its overall commitment to global expansion, this year’s Women’s Forum invited 40 international participants from more than 15 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico to engage in a virtual discussion with women in football worldwide.
As the presenting sponsor of the NFL Women’s Forum, AWS will host two learning sessions with NFL leaders providing participants an introduction to analytics as it pertains to various areas of football including scouting, player personnel, football administration, coaching, equipment, football operations and player health and safety. Since 2017, the NFL has leveraged AWS’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services to innovate together to shape the future of football. By collaborating on the Women’s Forum, the NFL and AWS aim to empower participants with the knowledge necessary to leverage analytics in their roles, to optimize their performance and impact on the game.
The Forum will feature an in-person format including two days of programming with panel discussions, breakout sessions and networking with owners, executives, coaches and representatives from all 32 NFL clubs. The league has partnered with Women Leaders in College Sports to create a development curriculum designed for this year’s participants. The NFL will also honor the life and legacy of Buddy Teevens, former Dartmouth College head football coach and advocate for the inclusion of women in football, with the Buddy Teevens Forward Progress Award Presentation.
Featured guests for this year’s forum include Indianapolis Colts Vice Chair and Co-Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Chairman of the Chicago Bears George McCaskey, 2024 NFL Coach of the Year and Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and other NFL club owners, head coaches and general managers. The Forum will include closing remarks from Chicago Bears CEO and President Kevin Warren.
Past participants of the Forum include: Brown University Quarterbacks Coach Heather Marini, the first female positional coach in football history; New York Giants Offensive Assistant Coach Angela Baker; Cleveland Browns Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Callie Brownson; Minnesota Vikings Pro Scout and the NFL’s first Black female scout Salli Clavelle; Tampa Bay Buccaneers Senior Manager of Player Relations and the League’s first Latina to serve in a chief of staff role, Natalia Dorantes; Jennifer King, the League’s first Black female coach; Philadelphia Eagles Associate Performance Coach Autumn Lockwood; Tennessee Titans Defensive Quality Control Coach Lori Locust, the first female positional coach in the NFL and first in Titans history; and Ashton Washington, the Chicago Bears’ first female scout.
The two opening panels on the first day of the Forum, Tuesday, February 27, outlined in the agenda below, will be open for media attendance. Additional interactive learning sessions for participants will be held Tuesday evening. The second day of the Forum, Wednesday, February 28, consists of 13 intimate breakout and development sessions between AWS representatives, club and league coaches, executives and football operations staff with this year’s Forum participants. These sessions will be closed to media and outside viewers.
