Pragmatic idealist
Optimistic journalist
Solutions agent
Improving the world through sports
For two decades, I was an investigative journalist with ESPN, helping to build the reputation of several shows and platforms. Today, I help the world of sports identify challenges — and develop strategies to solve them.
Catalyst
I am founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program. Since 2011, we have convened leaders, facilitated dialogue, and inspired solutions to help sport serve the public interest. We work with many of the largest organizations in sports. Our signature initiative is the award-winning Project Play, which has helped many leading brands develop strategies to build healthy children and communities.
Journalist
My reporting has won many of the news industry’s top awards, including Emmys, a Murrow, and a DuPont — ESPN’s first. Today, I take on select projects and have written for the New York Times, BBC and other outlets. I also share insights in interviews with news outlets.
Analyst
Since publication of my book Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children in 2008, I have spoken at dozens of conferences and to many entities, from the National Academies of Sciences to Nike, the CDC to the White House. I often talk about the value of play. I also enjoy helping audiences understand how they can build a movement around their game-changing idea, in whatever realm.
I’m available for speaking engagements.