Inspiration and Education at 2026 Speed Mentoring Roundtables
By Becca Weinberg
At each numbered table inside Providence Parks’ illuminated club level, attendees and mentors joined together in conversation during the WISE Portland Speed Mentoring Roundtables event on Tuesday. Hosted by the Portland Timbers, the event brought in top women executives from across the sports industry to engage in active dialogue with attendees and provide a unique mentorship role. Through timed rotations, each table met with different mentors to discuss personal success stories, workplace challenges, and questions about various career stages.
“It’s really insightful to hear from leaders within the sports industry here in Portland and getting their insight of what success looks like,” said Easton Henrikson, founder and owner of Changed by the Game. Henrikson was attending her first WISE Portland event, and was excited to learn more about “the importance of networking and the people that you meet and building relationships, and how that’s going to take you a lot further in future jobs and progressing in the industry.”
While common themes crossed each table, mentors were able to address individual questions and bring light to personal experiences in order to further prepare attendees for their next career step. Whether seeking their first role in sports or having multiple years under their belts already, each attendee walked away with new lessons learned.
“I thought the roundtables were awesome, and just being able to pick other women’s brains that are in mentorship roles is something that’s really inspiring,” said Saffron Gutierrez, fan experience manager with the Portland Timbers and Thorns. “And to see that they’re relatable and just like everybody else.”
For mentors coming from many different sports backgrounds, the event was an opportunity to both share past experiences and learn from those around them.
“As a committee member of WISE Portland and a mentor at the event, I walked away feeling deeply encouraged. The turnout was great and the conversations were thoughtful and open,” said Erica Messick, founder of Strange Light Creative. It’s refreshing and inspiring to be in a room full of talented women from many different sectors and at different stages of their careers, navigating life and leadership in a traditionally male-dominated industry. A really good reminder of why spaces like this matter so much.”
Stay tuned for upcoming WISE Portland events in the coming months as we look forward to National Girls and Women in Sports Day and beyond.