All eyes are on Portland — where women’s sports and the power of female leadership are shaping the future.
WISE Portland is here to be a catalyst for women at every level in the business of sports—through peer support, mentoring, and leadership development. We’re proud to help members sharpen their skills, expand their networks, and lead with purpose.
Portland Fire team president Clare Hamill and Karina LeBlanc, EVP of Strategic Growth at RAJ Sports, take us inside the movement that’s redefining the future of sports in our city.
The Legacy of the Portland Fire: Reviving the Portland Fire name honors the past while reigniting the future of women’s sports. As Clare Hamill explained, “The decision came after a lot of listening … the sort of heritage and strength of that Fire name —that fire, so to speak, that burns in Portlanders, that sort of fierce independence that we all have … you want to tap into that.”
The Role of Fans: Portland's fans have always been at the center of its sports culture. LeBlanc highlighted the energy in the city. “That's why that name, I truly believe, was fitting because it's a fire that you see ignited within our local Portlandians or people who are like, there's something special here … and it truly is personal.”
Innovative Facilities and Community Impact: Portland is doing what no other city has done – building the future of women’s sports through its state-of-the-art performance facility for both the Fire and NWSL’s Portland Thorns — designed with women in mind. “None of us had ever walked into a building made for us. And this will be the first building,” LeBlanc said.
Every detail—from locker rooms to recovery spaces—was built with women athletes in mind. “It’s so intentional in every single thing that we’ve done, where we get to cement ourselves as a global epicenter of women’s sports.” Hamill added, “There’s so much power in athletes coming together. For a Thorns player and a WNBA player to walk in and have lunch together, talk about the things that are going to make their game better, the things that are going to help them perform better … there is a power and an energy in that exchange that is going to be unique to Portland.”
Inspiring the Next Generation: “The games and what we’re doing here is not just to create the next future of professional athletes, it’s how it shapes the community,” said LeBlanc. She and Hamill both emphasized the importance of inspiring the next generation. By providing access to role models and creating a culture of equality, Portland is shaping future leaders who see their peers as equals. “Seeing it to believe it is what this is,” LeBlanc added. “You can go to the park and see a young boy wearing a female jersey. You don’t get that … [everywhere.]”
And for working moms, LeBlanc had this message: “Give yourself grace but just know you’re doing a great job. And by bringing your kids around these athletes, they’re going to do so much more for them than what we can tell them on a daily basis.”
“There’s a deep culture around sports in Portland, and women have been leading that culture …” Hamill said.
LeBlanc summed it up: “This is a legacy piece from the past that we’re redefining in a moment, in a moment that’s going forward, that no one else will do it like us.”
Portland is in the spotlight — driving the future of women’s sports and empowering the next generation of female leaders.