Sports Luminaries Brandi Chastain, Candace Parker to Speak at UC Davis Symposium

Two of the most celebrated and influential athletes in women’s sports, Olympic gold medalists Brandi Chastain and Candace Parker, will headline an Oct. 4 symposium at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts on leadership, resilience and the future of women’s professional sports. Tickets are on sale now. 

The Wisdom of Women event features an exclusive conversation with soccer legend Chastain and basketball star Parker about their journeys from elite athletes to industry leaders, authors and champions for women in all aspects of life. The program’s second half will bring together Bay Area sports leaders to discuss the business of women’s professional sports, from the athletes’ experiences to media, community and growth. 

The event, Unstoppable: Power, Investment & the Future of Women’s Professional Sports, is sponsored by Women & Philanthropy at UC Davis, an initiative that unites the entire community to celebrate women’s voices, leadership and philanthropy across the UC Davis community and beyond. During the event, the 2026 Women & Philanthropy Impact Award winner will be announced. 

The donor-funded award honors a UC Davis faculty or staff member for contributions to the advancement of women, exemplary leadership, and significant impact on local and global university communities. It comes with a $25,000 prize to be directed to a university fund of the winner’s choice. 

This is the fourth Wisdom of Women symposium, following the previous event in 2025 with award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien.

A double-gold day with Chastain and Parker 

Chastain is an iconic American athlete, a retired soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist, broadcaster and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. In sports broadcasting, she has worked as a commentator for NBC Sports and with ABC/ESPN. Chastain co-founded the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative in 2005 with a mission to create programs and partnerships through which women athletes bring health, hope and wholeness to the community. She is the author of the 2005 book, “It’s Not About the Bra: Play Hard, Play Fair, and Put the Fun Back Into Competitive Sports.”

Parker is one of the most influential athletes of her generation. Over the course of her illustrious career, she has won three WNBA championship titles and two Olympic gold medals. She is an author, public speaker, activist, entrepreneur and studio broadcaster for men’s and women’s basketball. Her recent book, “The Can-Do Mindset: How to Cultivate Resilience, Follow Your Heart, and Fight for Your Passion,” breaks down her recipe for success on and off the court. 

About the panelists

The panelists are Jess Smith, president of the Golden State Valkyries; Heather Vaughan, president of Major League Volleyball NorCal; and Ryann Greenberg, vice president of Guest Experience and Venue Operations for Bay FC:

• Ryann Greenberg, vice president of Guest Experience and Venue Operations for Bay FC, has helped Bay FC establish itself as a commercial powerhouse by leading the National Women’s Soccer League in merchandise sales and finishing in the top five for average home attendance. Building on that business momentum, the club shattered records in their second season with the single-game attendance record in U.S. women's professional sports league history.

• Jess Smith, president of the Golden State Valkyries, has over 18 years of experience in professional sports and oversees all WNBA business operations. Under Smith’s leadership, the Valkyries have built a winning culture on and off the court, setting all-time WNBA attendance records during their inaugural season and selling out all 22 regular-season home games.

• Heather Vaughan, president of Major League Volleyball NorCal, is leading the launch of one of the newest professional women's sports teams in the country. With more than 25 years in professional sports, entertainment and live events, she is dedicated to uniting communities through sports and advancing women’s professional athletics

Event moderator Pamela Wu ’95 is the director of News and Media Relations for UC Davis Health. Wu has earned three Emmy awards in the category of health/medical long-form content, most recently in August 2026. Her career spans the fields of broadcast journalism, public relations and communications training.