2024 Women of Inspiration

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2024 WISE Twin Cities Women of Inspiration 

Thursday, November 7, 11:00am - 1:00pm, The Mosaic 

It was a memorable gathering of the WISE Twin Cities community as we celebrated HERstory of the women who have made an impact in the Twin Cities. We honored three incredible leaders in our industry who have made an impact and inspired others. Madeline Mims of Target Center/ASM Global, Jillian Hiscock of A Bar of Their Own, and Sandy Sweetser of Minnesota Sports and Events. Our emcee Kyndra de St. Aubin celebrated the numerous stories of women who created space and made an impact in the sports and events industry. We are so appreciative of the opportunity to gather and celebrate what a momentous year 2024 was in the Twin cities.

Thank you for connecting and sharing your morning with us! 

About Women of Inspiration

Women of Inspiration recognizes leaders who impact their community and champion to advance women in the sports and events industry. Our WISE Women of Inspiration Awards Luncheon is dedicated to celebrating their accomplishments over a lunch of innovation and ambition. 

A Woman of Inspiration is a woman who leads by example and inspires others to be extraordinary.  She is a role model who inspires others to go further, making an impact across her company, community, and industry.  Women of Inspiration recognizes leaders who impact their community and champion to advance women in the sports and events industry. 

Emcee:

Kyndra de St. Aubin

Color Analyst, MLS

Kyndra de St. Aubin serves as a color analyst for MLS Season Pass after spending six seasons (2017-22) as a television analyst for Minnesota United FC. She has been in the broadcast industry since completing her collegiate soccer career at Minnesota in 2003. She joined FOX Sports in 2011, covering three FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2015, 2019 and 2023, and the 2022 Copa America Feminine tournament. The Minnesota native has been in the booth for FOX’s coverage of Women’s Professional Soccer and the NWSL. She has also worked for the Big Ten Network since 2007 and the Pac-12 Networks since its launch in 2012. De St. Aubin started her career with ESPN Radio in Milwaukee (ESPN Radio affiliate) covering all sports in Wisconsin as the beat reporter for the Bucks (NBA), Brewers (MLB), Packers (NFL) and all UW Badger and Marquette University sports.

Congratulations to the 2024 Award Honorees! 

2024 Executive of the Year:

Sandy Sweetser

Executive Director, Local Organizing Committee for Gymnastics City USA, Minnesota Sports & Events

Honoree Highlight Video

From the time she was in the fifth grade Sandy Sweetser was driven by her passion for sports. She knew then what she wanted her career path to be - she would attend The Ohio State University, work toward a Bachelor’s degree in business, pursue her Master’s degree in Sport Management, then secure an exciting position with a professional sports franchise! Thanks to guidance from legendary mentor, Dr. Bill Sutton, lots of hard work, and a little bit of luck, that dream became a reality. 

Following college graduation, Sweetser packed all of her belongings into her car and headed north to Minnesota. And as they say, the rest is history. She has been a fixture in the Twin Cities’ sports and entertainment industry for more than three decades spending the majority of her career with high profile organizations including the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, Mall of America/Knott’s Camp Snoopy, and Target Center arena.

In 2019, Sweetser founded her own consulting company, Cardinal Resources LLC, with the mission of helping organizations develop, market and execute successful events. Cardinal Resources’ very first client was North Country Region-USA Volleyball, followed shortly thereafter by Minnesota Sports and Events (MNSE). As MNSE has grown, so has Sweetser’s role within the organization. She serves as Event Marketing and Management Consultant focusing on world-class events that positively impact the state and region’s economy, image, and quality of life. 

Most recently, Sweetser served as the Executive Director of the 2024 Gymnastics City USA Local Organizing Committee overseeing the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, USA Gymnastics Championships, and numerous ancillary events. For 10 days in June 2024, Minneapolis became “Gymnastics City USA” and Minnesota became “the state of Gymnastics” with the Trials setting all-time attendance and ticket sales records. Sweetser’s next assignment with MNSE is to serve as Co-Executive Director of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, the world’s premiere junior hockey event, which will take place in Saint Paul and Minneapolis in late December 2025/early January 2026.

2024 Changemaker of the Year: 

Jillian Hiscock

Owner, A Bar of Their Own

Honoree Highlight Video

Jillian Hiscock (she/her) is the owner of A Bar of Their Own, the Midwest's first sports bar to exclusively show women's sports. Jillian graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 20024 with a degree in Vocal Music Performance and earned her M.Ed in Higher Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2009. After years working in higher education and nonprofits for 16 years, Jillian opened A Bar of Their Own in March of 2023 because she was tired of feeling like her fandom didn't matter to traditional sports bars. Earlier this year, she was named a Women in Business Honoree by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Jillian is a lifelong learner, community builder, and eternal optimist excited to elevate and amplify women's sports to the level they deserve.

2024 Emerging Professional of the Year:

Madeline Mims

Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager, ASM Global/Target Center

Honoree Highlight Video

Madeline Mims is currently the Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager at Target Center in Minneapolis. Her role encompasses creating engaging photo and video content, managing brand identity, executing backstage and fan activations, and providing creative and administrative support across various departments.

Madeline’s professional career began in 2022 working as a Marketing & PR Intern at NRG Park in Houston Texas. At NRG Park, she starred alongside farm animals on TikTok during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, braved a confetti shower to capture the final moments of the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four Tournament, and made history by renaming the stadium to NRG Stadium (Taylor’s Version) for Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’. At Target Center, she’s gotten to market events such as blink-182, Megan Thee Stallion, U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Gymnastics, Doja Cat, Men and Women’s Big 10 Basketball Tournaments and more. In the summer of 2024, Target Center was recognized by ASM Global with the 'Like, Comment & Share Award’ for the highest engagement, interaction, & follower growth on a venue’s social media account within the company.

When she isn't filming and editing videos in the pit, she enjoys discovering new recipes, facetiming friends and family in Houston, playing bingo, and taking long walks along the Mississippi. 

Thank you to our Partners!