A Conversation with Brandi Chastain & Candace Parker

Join us for a double-gold day featuring an exclusive conversation with two Olympics gold medalists: soccer legend Brandi Chastain and basketball phenom Candace Parker. They will share their wins and challenges – how they have cultivated success as industry leaders, authors and champions for women in all aspects of life. Following, we’ll talk with a panel of Bay Area leaders to continue the conversation about women thriving in a competitive world.

Brandi Chastain

Brandi 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. California-born Chastain has had a fantastic career, playing professionally for several major teams, including Shiroki FC in the Japan Women’s Football League, the San Jose CyberRays of the Women’s United Soccer Association, FC Gold Pride of Women’s Professional Soccer, and California Storm of Women’s Premier Soccer League. Between the 1988 and 2004, Chastain played for the U.S. Women’s National Team; it was during this time that the squad won two Olympic gold medals and two World Cups.

In sports broadcasting, Chastain has worked as a commentator for soccer matches both with NBC Sports during the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics and with ABC/ESPN covering Major League Soccer and the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. A champion of girls’ health, 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.”

Candace Parker

Candace Parker has already solidified herself as one of the most influential athletes of this generation. After being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, following a champion career at Tennessee, Parker went on to become the first player to earn WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season. Over the course of her illustrious career, Parker won three WNBA championship titles, and took home two Olympic gold medals, helping redefine versatility and excellence in women’s basketball.

In 2026, she was named a headlining inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Off the court, first and foremost, she is a wife, mother of three children and three dogs. Since retired, she serves as 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 which has helped her success on and off the court. 

Also Speaking:

Ryann Greenberg, vice president of guest experience and venue operations, Bay FC

Ryann Greenberg is vice president of guest experience and venue operations at Bay FC, responsible for delivering world-class experience for players, fans, and partners across the club’s operations. She leads match day operations and guest experience for the club and as a member of the club’s executive leadership team has helped Bay FC quickly establish itself as a commercial powerhouse by leading the NWSL in merchandise sales and finishing in the top five for average home attendance. Building on that business momentum, the club shattered records by drawing a sellout crowd of 40,091 fans to Oracle Park in their second season, establishing the highest single-game attendance record in U.S. women's professional sports league history.

Jess Smith, president, Golden State Valkyries 

Jess Smith began her first season as president of the Golden State Valkyries ahead of the team’s inaugural 2025 season. Smith, who has over 18 years of experience in professional sports, oversees all WNBA business operations. Under Smith’s leadership, the Valkyries have built a winning culture on and off the court. During their inaugural season, the Valkyries set all-time WNBA records for both average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408), selling out all 22 regular-season home games.

Additional speakers to be announced.

Moderator:

Pamela Wu ’95, director of news and media relations, UC Davis Health

Pamela Wu’s career spans the fields of broadcast journalism, public relations, and communications training.