
Danette Leighton
235 posts

Danette Leighton
@WSFCEO
💼 Sports biz exec 🏀 Always a fan 🏆 Avid advocate for girls and women in sport 👩👧Girl mom 🎾 Honored to be CEO of the @WomensSportsFdn





Congratulations to WSF Founder @BillieJeanKing on being included in the 2025 #TIME100Philanthropy list! time.com/collections/ti…






"With a thoughtful and sustained investment approach, women’s sports can be seen as assets and sources of pride for their institutions instead of merely cost centers," writes Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation. bit.ly/42fn2Ib

We are at the cusp of monumental change in collegiate athletics, and for the sake of future generations, it is time to invest more in women’s sports, not less. #PlayToLead usatoday.com/story/opinion/…

We are thrilled to announce that @WSFCEO of the @WomensSportsFdn will be the Keynote Speaker at the 3C2A’s 28th Annual Convention! Danette brings 30 years of experience & is a passionate champion of women’s participation in sports. Register today ➡️ 3c2asports.org

The monumental movement that we’re seeing across women’s sports today is not a coincidence We are proud of our 50+ years of impact, and we’re not done yet! 💪💪💪 #PlayToLead sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/…

WSF is pleased to announce our seven newest Board of Trustees members: Val Ackerman, Stacey Allaster, David Friedman, Rachel Garcia, Alexander Popov, Bill Shelton and Gabby Thomas! Learn more: womenssportsfoundation.org/press_release/… #PlayToLead

The holiday season is upon us, and we at the Women’s Sports Foundation want to say thank you to everyone who has helped us celebrate our 50th anniversary! ⛄


Today, I am 81 years young. In Malaga, Spain, we watched the passion, talent, and athleticism of the participating teams playing for their countries, and it became more evident to me than ever the importance of teamwork and relationships. Relationships truly are everything. The ones I've been a part of throughout my life are irreplaceable, and none more valuable than my relationship with Ilana. I am so lucky to have our life together. I have been so fortunate to have set and realized many goals, many that have provided opportunity to others, and always with help along the way. No one achieves anything alone. And I'm not done yet!

This week, the @WashMystics President’s Circle initiative partnered with @WomensSportsFdn to host "Play to Lead: The Impact of Sports on Women’s Leadership," featuring key insights on the current landscape of women's sports as we champion the next generation of female leaders.

A @WomensSportsFdn study ties youth sports participation to future leadership roles like @WSFCEO Danette Leighton. Respondents learned these critical lessons playing as girls that reflect the WSF model and founder @BillieJeanKing usatoday.com/story/sports/2…



Excited to announce that I have been selected as the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Rose Parade to usher in the new year! It is such an honor to serve in this role for the 136th Rose Parade, and to participate in the pre-game ceremony at the Rose Bowl Game. I'm truly thrilled to be part of the Tournament of Roses family. Best Day Ever!


🚨NEW🚨 We’re excited to introduce our latest groundbreaking research: “Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sport on Women’s Leadership!” 🙌This first of its kind report shows how sport has shaped generations of strong women leaders. 💪👟 #PlayToLead womenssportsfoundation.org/press_release/…



"Starting Friday, in Paris, women athletes are expected to have the same number of participants as the men. The 50-50 split means that this will be the first-ever Olympics to reach gender parity," writes Danette Leighton, CEO of @WomensSportsFdn. usatoday.com/story/opinion/…