Cleary Gottlieb hosted its Pride Month celebration, “Breaking Barriers on the Field and Beyond,” a conversation with Katie Sowers, former NFL coach and LGBTQ+ activist.
Over 118 participants attended the virtual event. Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang delivered welcome remarks, and partner Robin Bergen moderated the discussion.
Katie discussed her life and career as a football coach and LGBTQ+ activist. As the second woman to hold a full-time NFL coaching position, and the first openly gay coach in the NFL, she spent six seasons in the NFL and four as an offensive assistant with the 49ers, working primarily with the wide receivers. Her NFL career began with the Atlanta Falcons after spending five years as the athletic director of the City of Kansas City.
Katie has competed at the highest level of women’s tackle football, playing in the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) for eight years and being selected as a member of the United States Women’s National Football Team in 2013.
Katie is listed as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Sport by Sport360 and won the 2019 Rising Star Award from The Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports. She was Outsports’ 2017 Female Hero of the Year and named the to the Bleacher Report Power 50. In addition, Katie has been featured in several publications and magazines, such as ESPN, USA Today, NFL.com, Forbes, and Outsports.
Cleary is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The firm regularly hosts important cultural events and guest speakers whose presentations afford opportunities to broaden awareness, heighten the level of discussion, and establish a culture of inclusion at the firm. To learn more about Cleary’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, click here.