License to Thrive

Lisa Brummel, one of the new owners of the WNBA's Seattle Storm

I grew up playing sports from the time I was very young.  Unlike today, there were
no organized sports for girls other than whatever we got to do in gym class.  I spent
most of my time before and after school playing just about every sport possible with
three boys in my neighborhood.  They were great friends and happy to let me play along.  However, this meant most of my early days were playing all sports two on two; hardly the real experience.  We never had uniforms, we never had referees, and we never had anyone cheer us on.  The games would end when the 5:00pm fire horn rang or when someone got mad and went home.  I envied their ability to join Pop Warner football or to try out for Little League.  I would attend all the try outs with them and watch the drills and give them tips on what I thought they might do differently.  While they were probably embarrassed to get advice from a girl, they were really good nature about and even followed my direction at times.

The first time I really played organized sports with uniforms and referees was in 10th grade.  I attend a three year high school in Westport, CT where I was able to finally realize my dream of organized competition for girls; while there I played four sports; field hockey, basketball, track, and softball.   The experience was live-changing for me.  I was able to understand how to play on a real team with real competition.  I was able to experience what my guy friends had been experiencing for many years.   These early experiences were the foundation for my love of sports today and my motivation to give young people (particularly girls) the opportunity to participate in sports as early age and extend that participation throughout their lives.

While I spend most of my working time at Microsoft heading up the Human Resources organization, my time outside of work is spent on charitable and community activities.  For me, this is the place where I can give back some of what I have experienced.  My first “give back” was my participation in the endowment of a position at the University of Washington specifically focused on athletic
injuries and lifelong fitness education for women.  I believe this is one of the first-ever positions of this type and I am proud to have participated in getting this started.  The opportunity for research and teaching around the health of active girls and women is an important field of study and I hope that future generations will have extended “playing time” because of our investment.  The second “give back” was at my alma mater, Yale University.  Some friends and I created a fund called WISER to support and expand programs for women athletes at Yale.  This program includes investments in sports programs there, special lectures and seminars, future leadership opportunities and ongoing connections with alumni post graduation.

Finally, the third “give back” is less of a charitable venture and more, hopefully, of a community service.  With three other great women, I have joined the investment group of Force 10 Hoops, LLC to purchase the WNBA franchise Seattle Storm women’s basketball team.  With this purchase I can happily say that women’s basketball fans in the Seattle area will be able to watch a great team for many years to come.  I am especially proud of the role this will play for young girls in the area.  The dream of profession play is now a reality for all those girls who wish to give it a shot.