Three trailblazing sports industry leaders will help educate Simmons graduate students in the business of women’s sports.
Simmons University’s School of Management (SOM) is preparing to launch its new graduate program: MS in management: business and leadership in women’s sports concentration, the first of its kind in the nation.
For this unique program, three accomplished sports industry leaders will join the Simmons community as adjuncts and guest lecturers. Celtics VP of Team Operations Allison Feaster and Business Case for Women’s Sports Podcast Host Caroline Fitzgerald will join Simmons as adjunct faculty. ESPNw VP Susie Piotrkowski will serve as a guest lecturer.
Feaster, a sports industry trailblazer, played professional basketball for the WNBA and for European teams in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. After retiring from athletics, she participated in the NBA’s Basketball Operations Management Development Program. In 2020, she joined the Boston Celtics organization. Feaster is an active public speaker, a champion of the advancement of women and girls, and a global advocate for sport.
Fitzgerald is a leading expert on the business of women’s sports and gender equity in sports. In 2020, she founded GOALS, a women’s sports media platform, and launched The Business Case for Women’s Sports podcast, which was named 2024’s Best Women’s Sports Podcast by Hashtag Sports. Also in 2024, Fitzgerald was named a Power Player in Women’s Sports by Sports Business Journal.
Preparing for the Future of Women’s Sports
According to Fitzgerald, “the future of women’s sports depends on preparing the next generation to lead it. By creating the nation’s first master’s of management degree focused on the business of women’s professional sports, Simmons is turning momentum into infrastructure, and I’m incredibly honored to be part of something so transformative.”
Commenting on the distinctiveness of Simmons’ program, Fitzgerald adds, “In order to grow women’s sports, we must create pathways to study and specialize in women's sports. What Simmons is doing to make women’s sports a formal field of academic study is truly revolutionary, and I’m honored to be part of building that future and educating the next generation of leaders.”
Expanding the Women’s Sports Industry
Piotrkowski, who will also serve on Simmons’ Women’s Sports Management Advisory Board, is responsible for leading the women’s sports strategy and driving the business and future vision of ESPNw. She aims to serve and expand women audiences while working closely with ESPN’s cross-departmental teams.
Throughout her career, Piotrkowski has prioritized creating industry-defining systemic change in women’s sports, focusing on equity, opportunity, and infrastructure growth. In 2022, Piotrkowski was named to Sports Business Journal’s Power Players in Women’s Sports list. In 2024, she was named as one of Sports Business Journal’s “Game Changers” for women making an impact in the sports industry.
“Women’s sports are at a real inflection point, and the next phase of growth will rely on leaders who know how to build sustainable, scalable businesses. Simmons has recognized the need and business opportunity that exists and is meeting the moment like no other institution,” Piotrkowski says.
“The launch of this program reflects where the industry is right now as well as where it is going, combining strong business fundamentals with leadership, intentionality, and a clear understanding of how the women’s sports industry is evolving,” she adds. “Growth is good, but scale is better! I’m excited to serve as an advisor and help students drive long‑term growth in the business of women’s sports.”