Anne Doepner is the Director of Inclusion & Employee Investment for the Minnesota Vikings. As the first person dedicated to diversity and inclusion for an NFL team, Anne strives to create a culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging. She has been involved in sports for most of her career, previously serving as the Director of Football Administration for the Vikings. Anne also founded the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and serves on the Board of Directors. She has been featured on NBC Sports and has received many accolades for her work.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- Anne Doepner discusses her journey to working for the NFL
- The turning point in Anne’s career that led her to her current role as Director of Inclusion & Employee Investment
- Anne shares her biggest role models in the sports industry
- How Anne works to ensure everyone feels included and respected in her field — especially after recent attacks in Minneapolis
- Anne’s experience starting the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE)
- How Anne plans to continue inspiring and leading other women in the sports industry
In this episode…
Why does diversity and inclusion matter in sports? What does it take to create a more welcoming sports industry for women and minorities? And, how can we continue to pave the way for equality in sports in 2021 and beyond?
As the Director of Inclusion & Employee Investment for the Minnesota Vikings, Anne Doepner is paving the way for marginalized groups in the sports industry. In addition to being the first full-time person dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the NFL, Anne has also launched the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE). Today, she’s here to share her story and explain the importance of diversity and inclusion in sports — especially now.
On this inspiring episode of the Sports Up Podcast, Meredith Syms sits down with the Director of Inclusion & Employee Investment for the Minnesota Vikings, Anne Doepner. Anne discusses how she came to work for the NFL, what diversity and inclusion means to her, and how she is championing other women and minorities in the sports industry. You don’t want to miss this episode!
Resources Mentioned in this episode
- Meredith Syms on LinkedIn
- Sports Up Podcast
- Anne Doepner
- Anne Doepner on LinkedIn
- Minnesota Vikings
- Women in Sports and Events (WISE)
- Sam Rapoport on LinkedIn
- Dawn Aponte on Sports Business Journal
- Lindsay Amstutz on LinkedIn
- espnW: Women + Sports Summit
- The Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Sponsor for this episode…
This episode is brought to you by me, Meredith Syms.
My biggest personal and professional passion is to be one of the top female leaders in sports broadcasting—a typically male-dominated industry.
Communications, interviewing, and broadcasting are some of my biggest skills and interests, and I want to develop this podcast as a way of sharing my passions with you, the listener.
I am currently working toward my goal of interning for a professional sports team. If you know someone I should connect with, please send me an email at meredith@sportsuppodcast.com. I am willing to work my butt off!
I am always looking for more great guests to feature on the Sports Up Podcast. If you or someone you know is an inspiring female leader, I would love to hear from you.
To learn more about me and what I do, visit sportsuppodcast.com today!