Senior Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resorts to speak on “Charting a Creative Path: Leadership, partnerships and teamwork in challenging times”
ORLANDO (Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021) – Running USA, the non-profit trade organization for the sport of running, today announced its keynote speaker for the 2022 Industry Conference presented by Race Roster. Rosalyn (Roz) Durant, Senior Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resort, will open the event on Feb. 21, 2022 with thought-provoking remarks for an industry that has endured two difficult pandemic years.
Industry leaders planning to attend are encouraged to register today for the conference – a price increase is coming up next week.
Durant oversees the Disney Springs shopping, dining and entertainment destination; both Walt Disney World Water Parks, the resort’s sports operations, including ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the Workforce Management, Supply Chain Transformation, Operations Training and Business Transformation teams. She is also a member of The Walt Disney Company’s CEO Diversity and Inclusion Council.
“We are thrilled to welcome Roz Durant as the keynote speaker for our 2022 event,” said Christine Bowen, Vice President of Programming, Partnerships and Operations for Running USA. “Her general session address will focus on creative and inclusive approaches the industry can take to emerge in a stronger position for its next chapter.”
Following her address, Durant will moderate a main stage panel discussing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA) for the Running Industry. Panelists will include:
- Alison Désir, Co-Founder of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC) and Director of Sports Advocacy for women’s running brand Oiselle.
- Erica Edwards-O’Neal, Senior Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the New York Road Runners.
- Emily Glasser, President and CEO of Achilles International, which works to improve access to sport
“I look forward to speaking and engaging with leaders in the running community,” said Durant. “Sports is a powerful space for inclusivity and empowerment, and we have much to learn from each other about how to emerge from these challenging times stronger than ever.”
Durant played a key part in working with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to successfully restart the 2019-20 season and host the NBA Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and with Major League Soccer on the MLS is Back Tournament also hosted at the Complex. She was previously Senior Vice President of College Networks at ESPN, where she set the strategic direction for ESPNU, SEC Network, Longhorn Network and the ACC Network, which she helped launch.
Her numerous recent honors include inclusion in Sports Business Journal’s “2019 Power Player” list, Savoy Magazine’s “2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America,” and recognition as one of four 2020 “Women of the Year” by WISE (Women in Sports and Events: The leading voice and resource for professional women in the business of sports). Roz is on the Board of Directors of the T. Howard Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the multimedia and entertainment industry, and is an alumnae of the Foundation’s internship program.
The 2022 Running USA Industry Conference presented by Race Roster will be held in person at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World. A price increase for attendees is coming up next week on Sept. 30. Register today to get the best rate.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the 2022 conference can be found here.
About the Industry Conference
Since its origins as a small gathering of Running USA’s founders in Southern California in 2004, the Running USA Industry Conference presented by Race Roster has grown to becoming the best-attended, most esteemed gathering of running industry professionals from around the USA and the world. Now moving locations each year, the conference has been held in Los Angeles, San Diego, Savannah, Houston, San Antonio, Orlando, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas and returns to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World for 2022.
