Many women dream of a job in sports. Helping to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans, creating marketing materials that grab fans and pull them into the venue, or even working with reporters to ensure their needs are met and that their team, venue or experience stays top-of-mind. And for the past several years those dreamers have had a very powerful female force to look up to. She's so dynamic in her job, in fact, that she's been named "The Most Powerful Woman in Sports" by Forbes.
Lesa France Kennedy is the Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for International Speedway Corporation, a motorsports entertainment property that owns the majority of NASCAR-sanctioned race tracks. In addition, she also serves as the Vice Chair of NASCAR, an organization that her grandfather, Bill France Sr., founded.
With International Speedway Corporation since 1983, Lesa has been a tremendous visionary force. Her leadership has received many accolades from the nod by Forbes to being named the Most Influential Woman in Sports Business, as well as Female Sports Executive of the Year by Street and Smith's SportsBusiness Journal. But as you'll see in her interview below, Lesa is quick to credit her success to the hard work and dedication of the team surrounding her.