UNMATCHED moderator
Nathalie Cook
Dawn Staley is coming to UNMATCHED
Tennis Canada is delighted to announce University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Head Coach and leading gender equity advocate Dawn Staley as the keynote speaker of the 2025 UNMATCHED: Gender Equity in Sports Conference presented by National Bank.
Further emphasizing that we are Stronger Together in advocating for gender equity in sport, Staley’s participation in this year's event marks the first time the keynote will be from outside of the tennis ecosystem, as she follows a list of prestigious past speakers including Billie Jean King (2022), Maria Sharapova (2023) and Venus Williams (2024).
Canadian Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury will serve as the host of the conference.
Driven by this year’s conference theme, Stronger Together, reflecting the belief that progress in gender equity is only possible when we work across roles, communities, and sectors, the event will be split into three sections: GAME, SET and EQUITY, named after Tennis Canada and National Bank’s groundbreaking women and girls’ commitment.
Senator Farah Mohamed will deliver the opening remarks.
1. GAME
Panel: Investing in Impact – The Corporate Role in Growing Women’s Sport
Moderated by Nathalie Cook, this panel brings together leaders from National Bank, Canadian Tire, and the Toronto Tempo to explore how and why brands and private equity are prioritizing the business of women’s sport and what it will take to sustain change. Nathalie will take the stage with industry leaders including Lisa Ferkul, Chief Revenue Officer of the Toronto Tempo, and Jennifer Plenert, Senior Vice President and National Manager at National Bank Financial.
2. SET
This segment will offer a dynamic exploration of how community minded leadership, progressive policies and diverse voices converge to drive measurable social impact and legacy in sport.
Through a series of engaging SET Talks—short, TED-style presentations —we plan to spotlight dedicated work advancing gender equity, progressive policies, and grassroots innovation. Marci Ien will speak about her latest work with the ReThinkSport project, spotlight Philpott Children's Tennis and the Hijabi Ballers – who are past and present recipients of the Game. Set. Equity. Community Tennis Grants - as well as approaches to building inclusive and accessible sport.
3. EQUITY
Keynote: Fireside conversation with Dawn Staley
Join Dawn Staley, a basketball legend and trailblazer across sport, for an inspiring fireside chat moderated by Tamika Nurse. Drawing from her storied career as a player and coach, as well as her dedication to empowering young women athletes, Dawn will share powerful insights on leadership, equity, and nurturing the next generation of changemakers transforming the world of sport.
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Bringing UNMATCHED to the NBO means that attendees will have the opportunity to attend a tournament session as part of their conference package. Here is what to expect this year at the Tennis Playground!
