SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA (April 3, 2026) -- The 2026 Sports ETA Women’s Summit was hosted here during the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament. Hosted by Experience Scottsdale, the annual Women’s Summit invited female sports events and tourism leaders representing CVBs, sports commissions, rights holders, and industry partners from April 1-3 to share trends and learn best practices on various topics including business and event management. This year’s event was attended by nearly 150 women making it the largest in the event’s history.

Attendees enjoyed the NCAA Women’s Final Four fan fest and tickets to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four featuring University of Texas, University of South Carolina, UCLA and UConn. 

“Our Women’s Summit is where our female members gather to discuss important trends and topics with the NCAA Women’s Final Four as a backdrop to meet and network with national thought leaders,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “A special thanks and congratulations to the team at the Experience Scottsdale for their outstanding hospitality during the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four.”

Expert Panelists Present at the Sports ETA Women’s Summit
The lineup of keynote speakers included the following: 
•    Latasha Causey, President of Phoenix Raceway
•    Becky Harsch, Visit KC
•    Katy Tigchelaar, West Michigan Sports Commission
•    Maria Mwangi, Executive Director/President, WISE AZ
•    Yolanda Mendez, WISE AZ
•    Gina Thoebes, WISE AZ
•    Lisa Thuer-Winkelfoos, Women's Sports Foundation 
•    Kendra Williams, Women's Sports Foundation
•    Emily Jaenson, Motivational Speaker
•    Elle Marks, Unrivaled Sports / Ripken Baseball
•    Linda Logan, Greater Columbus Sports Commission
•    Danette Leighton, Women's Sports Foundation
•    Jay Parry, Arizona Sports & Events Alliance
•    Millie Osguthorpe, Discover Klamath Visitor and Convention Bureau
•    Caryn Bradshaw, Sports Salt Lake
•    Bridget Binsbacher, Cactus League Baseball Association

Rachel Rogers named 2026 Sports ETA Woman of the Year
Rachel Rogers, Vice President of Sports Sales & Engagement for Cobb Travel & Tourism and the Cobb Sports Alliance, was named the 2026 Sports ETA Woman of the Year.

The Sports ETA Woman of the Year Award recognizes a female leader who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable impact in advancing the sports events and tourism industry. 

In her role, Rogers leads strategic initiatives for sports event recruitment, marketing, and partnership development, while overseeing the Cobb Sports Alliance. Since joining Cobb Travel & Tourism in 2013, she has played a central role in driving visitation and economic impact through sports, elevating the destination’s visibility and competitiveness on a national stage.

“Rachel Rogers exemplifies excellence in sports tourism,” said David. “Her ability to connect strategy with execution, while building strong partnerships that deliver real economic impact, makes her one of the most respected leaders in our industry. She is shaping the future of sports tourism and inspiring the next generation of women leaders.”

A special thank you to the 2026 Sports ETA Women’s Summit sponsors for making the event a success: 
•    Experience Scottsdale
•    Florida Sports Coast
•    Discover Puerto Rico
•    Sports Salt Lake
•    EventPipe
•    Team Travel Source
•    West Michigan Sports Commission
•    Indiana Sports Corp
•    Fort Worth Sports Commission
•    Richmond
•    Columbus
•    Florida Sports Foundation
•    PC Nametag
•    GoCal
•    Team IP
•    Fastbreak.ai
•    Tempe Tourism

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About Sports ETA:
As the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, Sports ETA is the most trusted resource for sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and sports event owners. Sports ETA is committed to the success of more than 700 member organizations and 2,400 sports event professionals. We promise to deliver quality education, ample networking opportunities, and exceptional event management and marketing know-how to our members to protect the integrity of the sports events and tourism industry.  For more information, visit SportsETA.org.

Contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day
(513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com