Veteran Political Strategist and Author Donna Brazile to Receive 2014 WNBA Inspiration Award
Girls Who Code Founder to Receive Cisco Inspiring the Future Award
NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2014 Veteran political strategist Donna Brazile will be the recipient of the 2014 WNBA Inspiration Award, WNBA President Laurel J. Richie announced today.
On behalf of the WNBA, we are thrilled to be honoring Donna Brazile, said WNBA President Laurel J. Richie. Her life journey is a true inspiration a rich and vibrant example of the positive impact one womans passion and drive can have on our society.
The WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon, which will be held Friday, Sept. 5 in New York City, recognizes individuals who have blazed new paths on the court, in the boardroom and in the community. More than 300 people from the worlds of entertainment, sports, business and politics are expected to attend.
Being a woman means always inventing, always creating, always stretching boundaries and always finding new firsts to conquer, said Donna Brazile. As a former athlete myself, I know that as with the WNBA itself and Mone Davis, the first Little Leaguer featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated sports are often the harbinger of progress, the place where women begin to transform society.
In addition to bestowing the WNBA Inspiration Award, two special presentations will take place during the luncheon.
Womens Basketball Hall of Famer and Indiana Fever Head Coach Lin Dunn and six-time WNBA All-Star Becky Hammon will receive the Boost Mobile Pioneer Award, which recognizes females in the sports world who embody the spirit of both the WNBA and Boost Mobile, a leader in the no annual contract wireless industry. Regarded as one of the most successful womens basketball coaches in history, Dunn has led the Fever to five trips to the conference finals and a pair of WNBA Finals appearances, including winning the 2012 WNBA championship. She was inducted into the Womens Basketball Hall of Fame this past June and will be retiring after 44 years in college and pro basketball. A leader both on and off the court, Hammon was named one of the WNBAs 15 Greatest Players in 2011. She retired from the WNBA following the 2014 season and will become the first full-time and paid female assistant coach in NBA history when she joins the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff for the 2014-15 season.
The Cisco Inspiring the Future Award recognizes a female for her outstanding efforts and constant drive in the field of technology education. This individual personifies the spirit of both the WNBA and Cisco through her dedication to todays youth, using technology as a cornerstone for teaching and inspiring students. Cisco is proud to honor Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit organization whose vision is to close the gender gap in the computing sector by providing the tools for girls to succeed in technology and engineering.
The WNBAs Gold Partners for the luncheon include Anheuser-Busch, Baileys, Boost Mobile, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Essence, Morgan Stanley, PwC, SAP, and Sports Illustrated.
At the leagues inaugural luncheon in 2006, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright addressed a group of the WNBAs own inspiring women as the league honored and recognized the WNBA All-Decade Team. Other past honorees include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Good Morning Americas Robin Roberts, political commentator Cokie Roberts, United States National Security Advisor and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, award-winning journalist Katie Couric, the 2012 female Olympic medalists of Team USA, and actress and UNICEF Ambassador Ta Leoni.