Actress Ashley Judd will headline Tuesday’s ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference in Rancho Mirage.
The annual forum highlighting issues affecting women precedes by two days the ANA Inspiration golf tournament, which will feature some of the world’s top female golfers competing for one of the LPGA’s top prizes.
Judd will deliver the keynote address “focused on her humanitarian efforts, inclusion and equality in the workplace, and using your voice to create change,” according to conference organizers.
Joining her will be two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Carli Lloyd; CEO and co-founder Sallie Krawcheck of the women-focused investment organization Ellevest; Olympic gold medalists Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando of the U.S. women’s hockey team; and Olympic bronze medalist fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad.
“Developing the interactive ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference has been important to the overall success and continued upgrades of the ANA Inspiration,” said Hideki Kunugi, senior vice president of the Americas, ANA. “It will not only inspire young female golfers but offer them an opportunity and platform to learn from leaders in industry, the community and sports. Our aim at ANA is to constantly engage with millennials to support their dreams far beyond golf, and help them discover the world and learn. And, we are proud to be part of their journey.”
Judd’s keynote address is expected to focus on equality in the workplace. Her stature as an advocate for women’s empowerment has burgeoned as a result of the #MeToo movement, in which she became one of several actresses accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment. She was named a Time Person of the Year and was involved in the Time’s Up segment at the Oscars telecast in Hollywood earlier this month.
The conference will also include the presentation of the 2018 ANA Inspiration Award to the San Diego Splash, a women’s basketball team composed of women at least 80 years old, with four over the age of 90.
Olympic gold medalist and author Julie Foudy of ESPN will host the conference for the third consecutive year.
“The ANA Inspiring Women in Sports Conference provides a meaningful platform for female leaders from a variety of industries to share their incredible stories,” said Kevin Hopkins, ANA Inspiration executive director. “We are proud to welcome both the LPGA’s best golfers as they vie for the tour’s most coveted title and some of the sports and entertainment world’s most important figures to our tournament.”
Tickets for the 1 p.m. conference are available at www.anainspiration.com . The conference, which will be held at the ANA Hospitality Pavilion adjacent to the 18th green and legendary Poppie’s Pond, will also be livestreamed on the LPGA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LPGA .
The ANA Inspiration tournament begins Thursday on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at the Mission Hills Country Club.