The Power of the Pivot: Women, Media & the Business of Sports
January 28, 2026
The University of South Carolina College of Information and Communications (CIC) will host The Power of the Pivot: Women, Media & the Business of Sports, a leadership and career-readiness program featuring nationally recognized leaders in sports, journalism and media, on Wednesday, February 11 from 4:30- 6:30 p.m. The event will take place in the Joseph F. Rice Law School Auditorium in the Karen Williams Courtroom, room 103 on the USC campus, with a reception following in the Taylor House. The event is free and open to students and the public; advance registration is required. Attendees may register at https://form.jotform.com/
Presented by Next Level Partners, The Power of the Pivot brings together influential voices shaping the future of sports, media and cultural storytelling. Held in advance of National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Feb. 4, the program will explore career pivots, leadership decision-making and how visibility and narrative strategy influence opportunity across industries.
Featured speakers include:
- Jemele Hill, Emmy Award–winning journalist; contributing writer, The Atlantic; CNN contributor
- Judi Gatson, Emmy Award-winning news anchor, WIS-TV
- LaChina Robinson, Emmy Award–winning WNBA women’s basketball analyst and host, ESPN
- Charece Williams, founder, Inside the Huddle, a strategic marketing firm and partner, Next Level Partners
- Bianca Crawford Shelton, CEO of The Crawford Austin Agency and partner, Next Level Partners
“Careers in sports and media are rarely linear,” said Bianca Crawford Shelton, a 2003 graduate of the College of Information and Communications and partner at Next Level Partners. “This conversation gives students and early-career professionals a realistic look at how communication, storytelling and strategy translate across industries — and how embracing evolution can open doors they may not have initially imagined.”
