“Diversity of thought in the room is good business.” That was one of the closing statements from WNBA legend and Hall of Famer Swin Cash at this year’s Sports Power Brunch, an event that celebrates the most powerful women in sports.
The 6th annual brunch held during Super Bowl week wasn’t short on inspiration, conversation, laughter and collaboration, and with 300-plus attendees, it’s bigger than a networking event. Women in sports are celebrated, not sidelined. They engage in discussions about strategy, legacy and the transformative power of inclusivity. And they are recognized for the power they hold in shaping the industry. As event host Taylor Rooks put it: “We have not been invited into this room, we have created it.”
But there is one woman who is especially responsible for getting everyone into that room, and that’s longtime publicist LaTonya Story, the woman who built this space.
“I wanted to create an event that really highlighted, honored and amplified women that I personally admired,” she says. Since launching in 2019 during Super Bowl week in Atlanta, the Sports Power Brunch has become one of the most influential events for women in the industry. Past honorees have included powerhouses from all corners of the sports world, including Amy Trask, Lisa Salters and A’ja Wilson.
Each year, Story grows the event to impressive heights. And each year, another woman walks into the brunch and walks out knowing she’s meant to take up space in this industry. The impact is real, and Story has the receipts to prove it.
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The power of the room
For Story, one of the most impactful moments to come out of the Sports Power Brunch wasn’t planned, but it is proof of why the event matters. At last year’s brunch in Las Vegas, USTA executive Stacey Allaster gave a speech about the importance of knowing your worth in the workplace. She referenced a book that encourages women to negotiate their salaries with confidence.
“A young lady came up to her at the event and just said, ‘I’ve been going through some things at work. I’m looking to pivot,’” Story says. “She reached out to Stacey afterward to say, ‘Because of what you said, I felt empowered to really look after myself and go further in my career.’”
A few months later, that same woman landed an executive role with the Detroit Tigers. “That’s the power of this event.”
Representation isn't important, it’s essential
We talk often about the importance of seeing someone who looks like you in roles you admire — because without representation, ambition can feel like an impossible dream. Story knows that firsthand.
“When I started in sports PR, the only Black publicist I knew was Marvet Britto — I saw her name in Essence Magazine and Ebony,” she says. “That was it. That was my reference point.”
She held onto that one example and built a career from it, eventually founding LPS Consulting PR, a minority- and women-owned agency that has represented elite athletes across the NFL, NBA and WNBA. Now, she’s making sure other women in the industry don’t have to look so hard to find their reference points.
“The tide is changing,” Story says. “You see more women in VP and C-suite roles — chief marketing officers, senior VPs, CEOs. But we still have to carve out our place.”
Women can’t wait for a seat at the table, she stresses. They must take ownership of their space. “Sometimes we have to be assertive, even aggressive in a positive way, to gain the respect we deserve.”
Building an atmosphere of empowerment
“The best part for me is seeing women who maybe don’t get to see each other often run up and hug each other,” Story says, of the atmosphere she's created at the Sports Power Brunch. “And then there are the moments when people meet for the first time, and you can see a connection forming right in front of you.”
There’s no exclusivity, no hierarchy. The Sports Power Brunch is designed to make every woman in the room feel like she belongs. That includes supporting women beyond just words — which is why, every year, Story surprises select honorees with donations to their organizations.
Last year, LaChina Robinson’s Rising Media Stars Foundation, which helps Black women break into sports broadcasting, received a $10,000 check on stage. “She had no idea,” Story says. “I came from behind the stage with a large check, and her reaction was priceless.”
The same thing happened with Natalie White, the Los Angeles Sparks’ senior VP, who had been working to renovate a rec center in her hometown. “She was one of our honorees, and after she got her award, our host said, ‘Don’t leave yet. We have something for you,’” Story recalls. “We surprised her with a check to help with her project. Being able to invest in women and their communities — that’s what makes this fulfilling.”
Bridging the gaps and lifting up the next gen
Cash’s speech at the 2025 event was powerful, focusing on building bridges not only for women within the room, but across generations — a way of ensuring that any progress achieved today would benefit the women of tomorrow. “Bridges that connect generations,” said Cash. “Bridges that ensure the doors we’ve pushed open stay open for those coming behind us. Legacy is not about what we achieve, it’s about how we help others achieve.”
Story hopes this progress continues. But she also knows progress doesn’t happen without intentional action.
That’s why the Sports Power Brunch exists.