EPISODE 15 – Julie on Leadership, Women’s Sports, and Community Impact at Pacers Sports & Entertainment
Julie discusses how her lifelong passion for basketball led to an unplanned but enduring career in sports, including 25 years in college athletics, roles at the NCAA, and leadership as Horizon League commissioner before joining Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PSNE) in Indianapolis after being recruited by CEO Mel Raines.
She reflects on growing opportunities for women in sports leadership, Indianapolis’ 2050 vision to become the epicenter of sport and the capital of women’s sports, and the importance of legacy initiatives like the WNBA All-Star–inspired We Are NEXT leadership cohort and the Fever Confidence program for high school girls.
Julie recounts pivotal mentorship moments, Indianapolis’ collaborative hosting of the 2021 March Madness bubble, and PSNE community strategies, including Drive and Dish with Gleaners, court resurfacing, youth basketball camps, accessible ticketing, and the new Fever license plate supporting the Fever Fund.
