Athletes Unlimited Softball Commissioner Kim Ng learned everything she needed to become a trailblazing sports executive in two places:

The softball diamond and the tennis court.

A 4-year starting infielder for the University of Chicago, Kim graduated with a master's degree in dedication, grit, perseverance and the willingness to fail, DESPITE a fear of failure.

(Say that last part out loud, and sit with it for a moment.)

Perseverance? Critical, as Kim made history as Major League Baseball's first female general manager. Grit? Essential, when she left her dream job as the Miami Marlins' GM, because the fit was no longer right.

In this candid conversation, Kim discusses what it took to stand her ground as often the only woman in the room, how she battled an identity crisis during a critical chapter in her career (and won), and her resilience after a gut-wrenching decision that, ultimately, led her back to her softball roots, where Kim is now paving a powerful future for the AUSL.

If anyone's ever made you feel like you don't belong. If you've ever questioned whether your dream is worth the fight. This episode is for you.

_________________________________________________

***FOLLOW @THE_ATHLETE_EFFECT ON INSTAGRAM

TO ENTER OUR UPCOMING AUSL VIP SWEEPSTAKES

Grand prize:

► Two (2) tickets to an AUSL 2027 regular season game of your choice

► On-field access for batting practice

►AUSL swag bag with autographed Kim Ng softball

___________________________________________________

TOPICS COVERED:

Kim Ng, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, AUSL, professional softball, growth of softball, women's sports, investment in women's sports, MLB, first female GM, Miami Marlins, Yankees, Dodgers, White Sox, leadership, coachability, resilience, courage, grit, reflection, fear of failure, trusting your voice, breaking barriers, imposter syndrome, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Title IX, Women's Sports Foundation, University of Chicago.

AUSL LEAGUE SITE & HANDLES:

► AUSL Site: https://theausl.com/

► Instagram: @theauslofficial

► X (Twitter): @theAUSLofficial

BONNIE BERNSTEIN SOCIALS:

► Instagram: https://instagram.com/BonnieBernstein

► X: https://x.com/BonnieBernstein

► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein

THE ATHLETE EFFECT™ SOCIALS:

► Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_athlete_effect

► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@TheAthleteEffect

► Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect/?sub_confirmation=1

Kit Hoover doesn’t sugarcoat it: she was in way over her head at ESPN. First time doing live TV. First time reading a teleprompter. All while navigating postpartum depression with two young daughters. The UNC track and cross-country athlete reveals how the sports mindset she mastered on the course helped her find her stride and thrive in broadcasting.

In this candid conversation with Bonnie Bernstein, Kit opens up about the “coachability” that has been a throughline in her career, from MTV’s Road Rules and Fox News to ESPN’s Cold Pizza and 16 years hosting Access Hollywood. She also gets vulnerable about motherhood, career pivots, loss, grief and change—and the male champions who've empowered her along the way.

As Kit turns the page on her career and becomes an empty nester, running has taken on a greater purpose. For athletes dreaming of broadcasting, parents stuck on the work-life hamster wheel, or anyone contemplating a pivot, Kit’s story offers hard-earned wisdom on fearlessness and a road map for moving forward when life makes an unexpected turn.

Topics Covered:
Access Hollywood, MTV Road Rules, ESPN, reality TV, grief, failure, community, resilience, fearlessness, discipline, pivot, Live Like Braun Foundation, raising good humans, teamwork, and reinvention.

Show Notes and Kit Hoover Socials:

• https://www.instagram.com/kithoover/?hl=en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-hoover-0a5a90302/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@kithoover
• https://x.com/KitHoover?lang=en

To Learn More about the Live Like Braun Foundation:

• https://livelikebraunfoundation.org/

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein

She walked onto two teams at Hampton University and nearly got kicked off one of ’em for bad grades.

Could anyone have predicted then that Jacqie McWilliams Parker would one day become the first Black woman to lead an NCAA athletic conference, in any division? Probably not.

That’s how stories become fairy tales.

Since 2012, “The Commish” has led the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest conference for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In this candid conversation, Jacqie shares how the confidence she developed through basketball and volleyball helped her squash the self-doubt that crept in early in her tenure.

Jacqie reflects on the instability of growing up as a military kid and the sense of belonging she found on the court when she struggled to feel comfortable off it. She offers candid advice to high school athletes pursuing the next level and opens up about the deeper work of learning to love the person she sees in the mirror.

In one of the most emotional moments of the conversation, Jacqie shares her journey to “locking” her hair, the boundary she drew when others challenged that choice, and the strength she found on the other side.

This episode may change how you see leadership, confidence, legacy, and what it really means to earn your power.

Topics covered: Jacqie McWilliams Parker, CIAA Commissioner, HBCU, D1, D2, D3, leadership, relationships, conflict management, being a good teammate, spirituality, transitions, confidence, letting go, vunerability, compassion, the joy and innocence of sport.

Show Notes and Socials:

CIAA: https://theciaa.com/

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/ciaasports/?hl=en

Jacquie McWilliams-Parker:

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqie-mcwilliams-parker-7ab5551/

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/ciaacommish/?hl=en

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

Slumps happen. Keep shooting.

A lesson State Farm CMO Kristyn Cook learned from her high school basketball coach and one she’s carried with her from her days as a Syracuse hoops player throughout her 25+ year career in the insurance industry.

In this episode, Kristyn joins Bonnie to talk about a pivotal decision she faced when her family moved during her sophomore year of high school and how that moment shaped the way she approaches life, sports and career. A Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year, senior captain and member of Cuse’s 1995-96 Big East Co-Championship team, she also speaks candidly about balancing academics and athletics at a major university and the role her parents played in empowering her and her two sisters to pursue college sports.

Kristyn has been a State Farm “lifer,” but her career hasn’t been without its slumps. She shares how her athlete mindset helped her navigate challenges early in her career as an insurance agent, giving her the confidence and moxie to take on new roles and responsibilities along the way.

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, sports parent or young professional, Kristyn’s story is a powerful reminder that the mindset you build through sports can serve you long after the final buzzer.

Topics covered: Kristyn Cook CMO State Farm, Syracuse basketball, betting on yourself, women's team sports leadership, NIL, vulnerability in leadership, personal branding, authenticity, perseverance.

Show Notes and Socials:

• Drive by Daniel K Pink - Leadership Book https://www.danpink.com/books/drive/

Kristyn Cook:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyncookturner/

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

Inner City Arts CEO Shelby Williams-González believes her leadership philosophy was forged on the taekwondo mat.

A first-degree black belt at age 12. A silver medalist at the National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships her freshman year at UC Berkeley. A career that, until college, entailed training and competing primarily against boys and men.

Shelby's never been afraid of getting kicked in the face, literally or figuratively.

During this week's conversation with Bonnie, Shelby shares how martial arts and professional dance shaped the resilience, discipline, and confidence that now define her leadership as a nonprofit CEO. She reflects on a childhood where sports were a way of life, sparks a lively debate over whether dancers are athletes or artists (or both!), and explains what it feels like to be in the zone as a dancer, known as "catching the ghost."

Shelby also reflects on a mental health challenge during the pandemic that crystallized the importance of staying active long after competition ends, and offers thoughtful advice for athletes who are contemplating stepping away from sports. Whether you're an athlete entering your next chapter, a nonprofit leader building resilience, or someone balancing multiple passions, this episode is a reminder that the life skills developed through sports can become the foundation for lifelong leadership.

Topics covered:

• Shelby Williams-González, CEO of Inner City Arts
• Leadership lessons from taekwondo and martial arts
• Becoming a black belt at age 12
• National Collegiate Taekwondo Championships
• Athlete-to-artist career transition
• Defining dancers as athletes or artists
• "Catching the ghost" and being in the zone as a dancer
• Nonprofit leadership and arts education
• Mental health, resilience, and staying active

Show Notes and Socials:

Donate to Inner City Arts: https://inner-cityarts.org/donate/

Inner City Arts:

• https://inner-cityarts.org/staff/shelby-williams-gonzalez/
• info@inner-cityarts.org

Shelby Williams-González:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-williams-gonz%C3%A1lez-4490a352/
• @shelbywillgonz

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

Marketing executive Vanessa Wallace has run point for Nike’s Jordan Brand, Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty, and GLD, which counts Jay-Z as a major investor.

How'd she prepare for those high-pressure roles? Playing hoops for the Texas Longhorns.

Vanessa dishes on how her four years as a starter on The Forty Acres equipped her with the team-building skills, preparation and discipline necessary to mobilize and lead elite teams in her career and bring out the best in each colleague.

She reflects on the courage it took to leave Nike after nearly two decades, the impact of Hall of Fame coach Jody Conradt, and how she learned to balance the toughness of an elite athlete with vulnerability, after losing her father and brother.

Whether you work in marketing, aspire to enter the field, are navigating a career transition, or want to apply athlete leadership principles to your professional life, this episode offers powerful lessons on executive leadership, brand building, and personal growth.

Topics covered: Vanessa Wallace CMO, Nike marketing career, Savage X Fenty, GLD, life skills from sports, preparation, intention, authenticity in leadership, grief, calculated risk-taking, career reinvention.

Show notes and Socials:

GLD:

• https://www.gld.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/shopgld/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@shopgld?lang=en

Vanessa Wallace:

• https://www.instagram.com/vdub14/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-wallace/

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

At 23, Erin Matson became the youngest Division I head coach to win an NCAA championship. Less than two months after graduating from the University of North Carolina, and after capturing four national titles as a Tar Heels player, Erin faced her next big test: taking the reins from Hall of Fame coach Karen Shelton.

In this episode, Erin shares how the preparation and attention to detail she mastered on the field helped her earn one of the most prestigious jobs in college field hockey, and how she's evolved her communication style with players and assistants to build trust and keep her team aligned. Erin reflects on the pivotal role her family played in her development as an athlete, opens up about her Olympic aspirations, and shares her unique perspective on how student-athletes can approach NIL opportunities while intentionally building their personal brands.

Whether you're a student-athlete, aspiring or current leader, parent, or coach, Erin's wisdom in this episode will resonate far beyond the game.

Topics covered: Erin Matson, UNC field hockey, NCAA national championship, leadership, confidence, personal branding, NIL, coaching, young leaders, earning trust.

Show notes and Socials:

UNC Field Hockey:

• https://www.instagram.com/uncfieldhockey/?hl=en
• https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinafieldhockey
• https://goheels.com/sports/field-hockey

Erin Matson:

• https://www.instagram.com/erin_matson/
• https://www.tiktok.com/@erin_matson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinsmatson/

The Athlete Effect™:

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.tiktok.com/discover/bonnie-bernstein
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

"You can't have 'amazing' without hard." It's the mantra Donna Lamar learned on the track and the leadership philosophy that's guided her entire career.

The former Texas Tech sprinter has built an award-winning creative and production career, leading teams at Spotify and Twitter while shaping campaigns for iconic brands like Nike and Gatorade. One of the biggest influences on her success? A winding journey as a student-athlete that took an unexpected turn.

In this week's conversation with Bonnie Bernstein, Donna explores how sports gave her the confidence to take risks, the resilience to reinvent herself, and the empathy to bring out the best in every colleague. Candidly reflecting on the end of her track career, she reveals why the moments that don't go according to plan often become the ones that shape us most.

Whether you're transitioning out of sports, navigating a career pivot, leading a team, or simply wondering if the hard work is worth it, this episode is your reminder that resilience isn't built when everything goes right, it's forged in the moments that challenge who you are.

Show Notes and Socials:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-lamar-0160875/
• https://www.instagram.com/donnamuses/
• https://x.com/StalkingMuses

Ad Campaigns Highlighted by Donna Lamar:

• First Wieden+Kennedy "Just Do It" - https://youtu.be/0yO7xLAGugQ?si=758xSS5qAVHIWngH
• W+K "If you let me play" - https://youtu.be/AQ_XSHpIbZE?si=i8KPV24Fe2m4pCjb
• The Secret Tournament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN8kTFPhQTo

The Athlete Effect™ :

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/
• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein