INTERVIEW: Val Ackerman Aka The GOAT WNBA History Club podcast

#Sports #Basketball #Terra Lopez

26:18

How do you know when it’s time to make your next big career move? With International Women’s Day around the corner, we are excited to feature Avni Patel Thompson, Founder and CEO of Milo. Avni is building technology that directly supports the often overlooked emotional and logistical labor that falls on parents—especially women. Milo is an AI assistant designed to help families manage that invisible load more efficiently. In this episode, Avni shares her journey from studying chemistry to holding leadership roles at global brands like Adidas and Starbucks, to launching her own ventures. She discusses how she approaches career transitions, the importance of unpleasant experiences, and why she’s focused on making everyday life easier for parents. [01:26] Avni's University Days and Early Career [04:36] Non-Linear Career Paths [05:16] Pursuing Steep Learning Curves [11:51] Entrepreneurship and Safety Nets [15:22] Lived Experiences and Milo [19:55] Avni’s In Her Ellement Moment [20:03] Reflections Links: Avni Patel Thompson on LinkedIn Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn Ipsos report on the future of parenting About In Her Ellement: In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element? About The Hosts: Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030. Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders. Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.…

WNBA History Club »
INTERVIEW: Val Ackerman aka the GOAT

4 years ago 27:29

MP3•Episode home

Our first interview is with the one & only, Val Ackerman! The 1st President of the WNBA, Commissioner of the Big East Conference and overall badass. We talk about the early years, the many obstacles she faced when starting the league, the highs & lows of it all, the social impact the WNBA has had and more.

4 episodes

INTERVIEW: Val Ackerman aka the GOAT

WNBA History Club

published 4 years ago

MP3•Episode home

4 episodes

#Sports #Basketball #Terra Lopez

All episodes

1
INTERVIEW: Val Ackerman aka the GOAT 27:29

4 years ago27:29

27:29

1
Can we say DYNASTY?!!! 41:30

5 years ago41:30

41:30

Episode 3 dives deep into the dynasty of the Houston Comets, the first ever Collective Bargaining Agreement in women's pro sports history and the stars of the '98-'00 seasons!

1
We Got Next 28:48

5 years ago28:48

28:48

The year is 1997. We dive deep into the inaugural season of the WNBA and examine the marketing campaigns that helped launch the league.

1
(Some) History of Women's Basketball 1892- 1996 19:58

5 years ago19:58