From the Pitch to the Podium: The Rise of Women in Sports

Join the DukeNY Women’s Forum for our signature Fall Forum: an inside-the-game conversation with Duke alumnae shaping the future of women in sports.

Women’s sports, and women in sports, are having a moment – and building momentum. From growing participation and packed stands to expanding media coverage and new opportunities across the industry, the landscape is changing quickly. To explore that transformation from different vantage points, we’re excited to welcome a powerhouse panel of Duke women, whose careers span athletics, media, and sports partnerships:

Rachael Bacchus, Director of Business Development, Duke Women’s Basketball
Allison Creekmore A.B.'96, Vice President, MiLB Media, Content & Tech, Major League Baseball and former sports editor of The Duke Chronicle
Lorraine Quinn A.B.'08, Assistant Athletic Director at Yeshiva University, youth national team talent identification scout, and former Duke women’s soccer captain
Christine Wixted A.B.'14, Head of Sports Partnerships at Reddit and former Duke swimmer

The conversation will be moderated by Laura Gentile A.B.'94, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Storied Sports and creator of espnW.

Don’t miss the chance to hear these Duke women as they share the lessons they’ve learned, the changes they’re seeing, and their perspectives on what’s next for creators and consumers of sports.

In addition to the panel discussion and audience Q&A, the evening will offer opportunities to connect with fellow Tri-State area Blue Devils during reception time before and after the program.

While these events are designed to bring Duke women together, all Duke alumni and parents are welcome!

Special thanks to Amanda Persaud A.B.’94, P’30 and Paul Hastings for generously providing the event space and helping to underwrite this event.

Rachael Bacchus is the Director of Business Development for Duke Women’s Basketball, leading revenue generation, NIL strategy, donor engagement, corporate partnerships, and brand development. She also advises the head coach and sport administrator on business strategy and long-term program growth.

Before joining Duke in July 2025, Rachael served as General Manager for NIL at Arizona State, generating more than $1.5 million in new revenue. Her background includes legal practice and advancement at the University of Central Florida.

She currently teaches Business & Basketball in Duke’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship program and has taught in Northeastern University’s Master of Sports Leadership program since 2017. Rachael is a licensed attorney in Florida and the District of Columbia.

Allison Creekmore is an accomplished content, digital, and media executive with extensive experience at major sports brands, including almost 20 years working for Major League Baseball. Allison excels at personnel management, and she has an exceptional record of leading teams of up to 50 people and problem solving under deadline conditions.

Allison’s career in the sports industry began at The Chronicle, Duke’s student newspaper. She covered a variety of sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s tennis. Allison ultimately served as Sports Editor of the Chronicle in 1995-96 — the second female ever to hold that position. She has continued her support of The Chronicle by serving on the Board of the Duke Student Publishing Company since 2025.

Lorraine Quinn is an accomplished collegiate athletics professional with extensive experience in NCAA compliance, recruiting, coaching, and talent identification. She has coached at the NCAA Division I level at the University of Arizona, Texas State University and served as Associate Head Coach at Army West Point. She currently serves as Assistant Athletic Director at Yeshiva University, while also working as a Recruiting Coordinator and U.S. Youth National Team talent identification scout, evaluating and identifying emerging talent and helping develop future national team player pools. As a student-athlete at Duke University, Quinn earned All-America honors and captained the women’s soccer team to two NCAA Elite Eight appearances, while also representing the United States at the U-23, U-20, and U-19 levels.

Laura Gentile’s career in sports began on the field. She was an All-American field hockey player and graduated from Duke as the program's all-time leading scorer. She then spent 20 years at ESPN, rising to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. In 2009 she created espnW, ESPN's first business dedicated to women who love sports, which launched in 2010. Forbes has named her one of the Most Powerful Women in U.S. Sports. Today she is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Storied Sports, a studio built around storytelling in sports.

Registration includes appetizers and beverages including beer and wine. Space is limited; advance registration is required by Sunday, November 15.

Recent Duke alumni (5 years out or less) - $20 per person
Duke alumni, parents and staff - $35 per person

Registrants will immediately receive a confirmation email. If you do not find it in your inbox,

check your spam folder, as sometimes our event emails unfortunately end up here
add regional@daa.duke.edu to your contacts.

Refund policy for this event: Refunds will be provided for cancellations made up to 5 business days before the date of the event. Please expect this amount to post on your credit card statement in about 10 business days. More information on the Event Refund Policy.

Registrants will be given an opportunity to submit questions for the speakers during registration.