NSL House, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa

Ideas.Investment.Action.

The future of women’s sport is taking centre stage in Ottawa. Join athletes, sport leaders, investors, media and fans at NSL House for a day of bold ideas, new research and candid conversations, one day before the 2026 NSL Final.

Women’s Sport Now

We’re just getting started!

More speakers and special guests coming soon.

NSL House, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa

NSL House, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa

Conference lineup

More speakers and special guests to be announced

  • Shireen Ahmed

    Moderator

    Shireen Ahmed

    Senior Contributor, CBC Sports

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    Shireen Ahmed is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, TEDx speaker and internationally recognized sports activist whose work focuses on gender and racial equity in sport. A Senior Contributor with CBC Sports, she is a global expert on Muslim women in sport and a leading voice on the intersections of sport, justice, politics and culture.

  • Donnovan Bennett

    Speaker

    Donnovan Bennett

    Host and public speaker

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    Donnovan Bennett is a storyteller, host, producer and content creator whose work explores where sports meet race, politics, gender and pop culture. Across television, radio and digital he has become a distinctive voice in Canadian sports media, known for starting conversations that matter. His honours include the Lester B. Pearson Award, the Ted Rogers Award and back-to-back Amnesty International Canada Media Awards in 2023 and 2024. A three-time Canadian Screen Award nominee, he covers the Summer and Winter Olympic Games for CBC.

  • Anastasia Bucsis

    Moderator

    Anastasia Bucsis

    Two-time Olympian and broadcaster, CBC Sports

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    Anastasia Bucsis is a two-time Olympian and broadcaster who represented Canada during a 24-year speed skating career, competing at six World Championships and 46 World Cups. An outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, she now works with CBC Sports, where she co-hosts CBC Sports Presents. Most recently, she hosted CBC’s coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games and provided colour commentary for speed skating.

  • Patrick Lee

    Speaker

    Patrick Lee

    Chief Financial Officer, Toronto Tempo

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    Patrick Lee is Chief Financial Officer of the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA franchise and the league’s first international expansion team. Through Kilmer Sports Ventures he helped lead the bid, capital raise and launch that brought the WNBA to Canada. Before the Tempo he spent 17 years at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment supporting the Toronto Raptors and Raptors 905, earning MLSE’s 2019 Most Valuable Player Award. He now oversees finance, technology, legal, human resources and operations for the Tempo, and is a CPA and Western University graduate.

  • Christina Litz

    Speaker

    Christina Litz

    President, Northern Super League

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    Christina Litz is President of the Northern Super League. Under her leadership the NSL launched in spring 2025, drew top-five attendance for women’s soccer worldwide in its first season and secured agreements with leading brands and broadcasters. She was previously Chief Brand & Commercial Officer at True North Sports & Entertainment, home of the Winnipeg Jets, and held senior roles at Woodbine Entertainment Group and the Canadian Football League, where she led marketing, digital, events and broadcast strategy. A University of Manitoba law graduate, she began her career at Corus, Rogers and TELUS.

  • Leah MacNab

    Speaker

    Leah MacNab

    Head of International Strategy & Operations, NBA

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    Leah MacNab is Head of International Strategy & Operations at the NBA, where she leads long-term growth plans for the league’s international business, including the BAL and the Europe League project. She spent five years as Managing Director of NBA Canada, growing revenue and the fanbase and bringing the WNBA’s first game to the country. An Ontario Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, she sits on the boards of Canada Basketball and Canadian Women & Sport and received the 2023 Nathalie Cook Canadian Women & Sport Disruptor Award.

  • Kate McKenna

    Host

    Kate McKenna

    Broadcaster and producer, TSN and CBC

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    Kate McKenna is a Canadian Screen Award-winning broadcaster and producer with more than a decade of experience across sports, television and digital media. She currently hosts Northern Super League coverage on TSN and CBC and has covered the Canadian Women’s National Team, MLS and CPL for OneSoccer. A regular guest co-host on CTV’s The Social, Kate is also the creator, producer and host of Momlife Crisis, which earned a Webby People’s Voice Award nomination in 2024.

  • Carmelina Moscato

    Speaker

    Carmelina Moscato

    Head Coach, Ottawa Rapid FC

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    Carmelina Moscato is Head Coach of Ottawa Rapid FC, an Olympic bronze medallist and a Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. She earned 94 caps for Canada, played in three FIFA Women’s World Cups and was part of the 2012 Olympic bronze medal team. Her coaching career spans Canada’s youth national team pathway and head coaching roles in Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Mexico, where she became the first female head coach of Tigres UANL Femenil and won the 2022 Liga MX Femenil Apertura.

  • Desiree Scott

    Speaker

    Desiree Scott

    Four-time Olympian; Co-Founder & VP, Community & Player Experience

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    Desiree Scott is a four-time Olympian with bronze medals from London 2012 and Rio 2016 and gold from Tokyo 2020. Nicknamed “The Destroyer,” she earned 188 caps for Canada. Her 15-year professional career included years as captain of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current and a final season as captain of Ottawa Rapid FC in the NSL’s inaugural year. Born and raised in Winnipeg’s North End, she was appointed to the Order of Manitoba in 2022 and is now Co-Founder and VP of Community & Player Experience.

  • Sarah Spain

    Good Game, live

    Sarah Spain

    Host, Good Game with Sarah Spain

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    Sarah Spain is an Emmy, Gracie and Peabody Award-winning sports journalist and one of the most recognized voices in women’s sports. She hosts Good Game with Sarah Spain, the first daily women’s sports podcast, and leads content for iHeart Women’s Sports, the first audio platform dedicated to women’s sports. Spain spent more than 15 years at ESPN as a host, television personality, producer and writer. Her book, Runs In The Family, was released in 2025.

 

In Ottawa for the conference?

Make a weekend of it.

Ideas. Investment. Action.

Women’s Sport Now Conference

A day of bold ideas, new research and candid conversations with the people shaping women’s sport in Canada.

NSL House, Lansdowne Park

One match. One champion.

The 2026 NSL Final

The Northern Super League’s top two clubs battle for the Diana B. Matheson Cup at TD Place in a winner-take-all championship match.

TD Place, Lansdowne Park

 

About the conference

Who’s in the room

Taking place the day before the NSL Final, Women’s Sport Now is the Northern Super League’s first conference uniting the people driving the conversation and business of women’s sport. Join athletes, executives, sport and business leaders, media, creators, community leaders and emerging talent for a day of big ideas, candid conversations and meaningful connections.

  • Athletes
  • Executives
  • Sport leaders
  • Business leaders
  • Investors
  • Media
  • Creators
  • Community leaders
  • Emerging talent

What to expect

Fresh perspectives. Real connections.

Discover

Findings from the 2026 Canadian Women & Sport Rally Report.

Discuss

Candid keynotes and panels on what comes next for women’s sport in Canada.

Connect

Interactive sessions with leaders across sport, business and community.

Be in the room.

November 13, 2026

Northern Super League and Canadian Women & Sport