to learn and connect
over breakfast
10th annual Chicago Sports Summit
Bigger and better than ever.
October 6, 2026
8:00 – 11:15 am
Hyatt Regency Chicago
10th annual Chicago Sports Summit
Bigger and better
than ever.
October 6, 2026
8:00 – 11:15 am
Hyatt Regency Chicago
For table and sponsorship inquiries, please contact
Ann Pitcher: (630) 234-4150 or email: ann@pitchercom.com
Individual tickets will go on sale September 8th.
2026 Summit Participants
*this is a preliminary list
Dr. Brian Cole
Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH and Head Team Physician, Chicago Bulls
2026 SUMMIT SPONSORS
Hosted By:
Previous Chicago Sports Summit Media
2023 Summit Photo Gallery
2023 Chicago Sports Summit videos
Recap of the 2023 Summit from CBS2 Chicago:
Dr. Brian Cole, Summit founder, on NBC5:
Sponsorship and Donations
Thank you for supporting the Chicago Sports Summit Foundation and the organizations it supports. To make a donation, please click the button below:
For table and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Ann Pitcher at (630) 234-4150 or ann@pitchercom.com
Past Participants
2025
Joe Pompliano, Entrepreneur, Sports Business Influencer
Dr. Christopher Ahmad, Head Team Physician, New York Yankees
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Head Team Physician, LA Dodgers + LA Rams
Dr. Les Bisson, Medical Director, Buffalo Bills + Buffalo Sabres
Diane Penny, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Marquee Sports Network
Brian Hagen, Director of Player Personnel, Chicago Bulls
Ryan Baker, Sports Anchor/Reporter, CBS2 Chicago
Friday Abernethy, General Manager, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Network
Andrew Gutman, Chicago Fire FC Defender
Caroline Dolehide, WTA professional
Mark Jackson, VP of Athletics, Northwestern University
Dr. Brian Cole, Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH and Head Team Physician, Chicago Bulls
2024
Joie Chitwood, Executive Director, PGA President’s Cup
Vaughn Moore, President, Medinah Country Club
Carey Pinkowski, Director, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
George Chiampas, DO, CAQSM, Medical Director,Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Jenny Spangler, Olympic runner and Bank of America Chicago Marathon Masters Champion
Laura Ricketts, Controlling Owner, Chicago Red Stars
Dr. Elizabeth M. Pieroth PsyD, ABPP, MPH, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Keegan Knoll, Sports Scientist, Chicago Cubs
Brittany Dowling, Director of Biomechanics, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
2023
Ram Padmanabhan, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Chicago Bulls
Julie Giese, President, Chicago Street Course/NASCAR
Danny Wirtz, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Blackhawks
Michael Alter, Principal Owner, Chicago Sky
Leila Rahimi, Sports Anchor, NBC 5 Chicago
Brad Bauer, General Manager, NIL Program, Northwestern University
Connor Garnett, Pro, Bay Area Breakers Pickle Ball
Austin Cindric, Pro Driver, NASCAR
Michael Downey, Director of Marketing and Promotions, Chicago White Sox
Ryan Baker, Anchor, CBS2 Chicago
Rachel Parrish, Director of Brand Marketing & Communication, Chicago Red Stars
Joe Saslow, 35 Capital and Chicago Slice
Dr. Brian Cole, Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH and Head Team Physician, Chicago Bulls
Megumi Oishi, Student Athlete, Northwestern University
Mark Bartelstein, CEO, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Adam Cook, Vice President, Campus Ink Sports
Scott H. Beckman, J.D., Senior Vice President, Claims, Risk Management & Captives ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company
Timothy Tomasik, Founding Partner of Tomasik Kotin Kasserman
Mike Berman, Sports Reporter, NBC5 Chicago
2022
Crane Kenney, President, Business Operations, Chicago Cubs
Matt Kalish, President/Co-Founder, DraftKings North America
Solomon Wilcots, NFL media analyst and former NFL player
Dr. Brian Cole, Managing Director, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and Head Team Physician, Chicago Bulls
Jesse Compher, 2022 Olympian and member, U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team
Ishwara Glassman Chrein, Chicago Fire FC President of Business Operations
Danny Ecker, Reporter, Crain’s Chicago Business
Jeff Kearney, Global Head of Gatorade Sports Marketing
2021
Dr. Allen Sills, Medical Director, NFL
Erika Nardini, CEO, Barstool Sports
Denise White CEO, EAG Sports Management and subject of an upcoming film
Dr. Brian Cole, Managing Partner, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
David Kaplan, Cubs Pregame and Postgame Host, NBC Sports Chicago
DeWayne Peevy, Athletic Director, DePaul University
Adam White, Founder and CEO, FOS, parent company of Front Office Sports
Cortney Hall, Host, Chicago Today, NBC5 Chicago
2019
James Andrews, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Andrews Sports Medicine Institute
Mark Bartelstein, Founder, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Emmett Cleary, Former NFL Player
Jonathan Coyne, VP of Sales Operations, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
Ian Epstein, Founder, PropSwap
Joe Flanagan, Sports Agent, BTI Sports
Napoleon Harris, Illinois State Senator
Frank Ignatius, Founder, BetChicago
Jeff Kearney, Global Head of Sports Marketing, Gatorade
Nick Mangold, Former NFL Player
Ryan Mertz, DPT, Athletico Physical Therapy
Alan Nero, Managing Director-Baseball Division, Octagon
Jean Lenti Ponsetto, Director of Athletics, DePaul University
Darren Rovell, Sports Business Reporter, The Action Network
Allen Sanderson, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Chicago
Nik Verma, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
2018
Mike Adamle, Former NFL Player & Sports Anchor, NBC5 Chicago
Kristen Balboni, Studio Host, Stadium
Will Carroll, Director of Media Relations, Motus Global
Kendall Coyne, U.S. Olympic Hockey Player
Brian Cole, M.D., M.B.A., Managing Partner, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Matt Forte, Former NFL Player
Rick Hahn, Vice President & General Manager, Chicago White Sox
Shawn Hunter, Founder & Managing Partner, Chicago Dogs
Jack O’Callahan, U.S. Olympic Hockey Player
Julie O’Connell, PT, DPT, ATC, OCS, Athletico Physical Therapy
Michael Reinsdorf, President & COO, Chicago Bulls
Nelson Rodriguez, President & General Manager, Chicago Fire Soccer Club
Diane Simpson, U.S Olympic Gymnast
David Strickland, Chief Commercial Officer, Optimum Nutrition
Lindsay Tarpley, U.S. Olympic Soccer Player
Dara Torres, U.S. Olympic Swimmer
2017
Tim Anderson, MLB Shortstop, Chicago White Sox
Pamela Nisevich Bede, M.S., RD, CSSD, LD, Sports Dietician, Abbott Nutrition
James Carter, Ph.D., Director, Gatorade Sports Science Institute
Jonathan Coyne, MBA, Senior Director, Customer Marketing, Glanbia Performance Nutrition
Father Scott Donahue, President & CEO, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
Kimberly M. Foxx, J.D., Cook County State’s Attorney
Horace Grant, Special Advisor to COO & President, Chicago Bulls
Wally Hayward, CEO, W Partners
Rami Jabaji, Senior Brand Director, Nike
Grant Koster, PT, ATC, FACHE, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations, Athletico Physical Therapy
Jamal Mayers, Community Liaison, Chicago Blackhawks
Jarrett Payton, TV & Radio Broadcaster, Former NFL Running Back
David Schwab, Executive Vice President, Octagon Sports & Entertainment Agency
2016
Mark Bartelstein, Founder & CEO, Priority Sports & Entertainment
Brooks Boyer, Vice President of Marketing, Chicago White Sox
Jim Delany, Commissioner, Big 10 Conference
Mike Ernst, Senior Vice President Ticket Sales, Service, Marketing & Club Operations, Chicago Fire
Beth Grabowski, Director of Marketing & Analytics, Chicago White Sox
Pete Hassen, Senior Executive Director of Marketing, Chicago Blackhawks
Mark Kaufman, President, Athletico Physical Therapy
Crane Kenney, President of Business Operations, Chicago Cubs
Atul Khosla, General Manager, Chicago Fire
Alison Miller, Vice President of Marketing, Chicago Cubs
Gordon Nuber, M.D., NorthShore Orthopaedic Institute; Team Physician, Chicago Bears
Ted Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Bears
Joel Quenneville, Head Coach, Chicago Blackhawks
Michael Reinsdorf, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Bulls
Scott Sonnenberg, Director of Corporate Sales, Chicago Bulls