CNBC, TOGETHXR, U.S. Ski Team Celebrate Women's Leadership At Historic Birds of Prey Event
CNBC, TOGETHXR and the U.S. Ski Team partnered to celebrate a historic moment in women's skiing: the inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey race, Dec. 13-15. The event marked the first time women competed on the iconic Birds of Prey downhill, traditionally a men’s World Cup circuit race for the past 27 years.
This groundbreaking occasion brought together the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s HERoic program, media company TOGETHXR and CNBC’s Senior Media & Technology Correspondent and author of “When Women Lead,” Julia Boorstin, who leads the CNBC Changemakers list. CNBC Changemakers recognizes female leaders who are impacting society, challenging established business practices and driving industry-wide change. TOGETHXR is the fastest growing and most comprehensive platform devoted to women’s sports. The HERoic program, spearheaded by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, is a movement aimed at empowering women in skiing and snowboarding by fostering leadership, inclusivity and opportunity within the sport.
The weekend’s events explored the intersection of women’s leadership in business and sport. CNBC’s Julia Boorstin moderated the event, joined by Olympic champion alpine skier Picabo Street and Olympic champion freestyle skier Hannah Kearney, alongside a distinguished group of top media, music, sports, tech and finance executives from the Lioness Network, a curated community of women executives brought together by LionTree. These leaders engaged in meaningful discussions about advancing opportunities for women and breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces. The discussions aligned with the mission of CNBC Changemakers, TOGETHXR and the HERoic initiative: to inspire the next generation of women leaders and athletes.
"The inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey is a historic moment for our sport, and we’re thrilled to have CNBC, TOGETHXR and LionTree as partners in celebrating this milestone,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Collectively, we’re breaking barriers and creating more opportunities for women in sports and in business, inspiring the next generation to chase their dreams."
“We’re excited to partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and LionTree for such a significant weekend for women ski racers,” said KC Sullivan, President of CNBC. “As part of our focus at CNBC, we look to share accomplishments of women who lead in business and in sports. This weekend and this partnership perfectly showcased these efforts.”
"The goal for all of women's sports on and off the field of play has to be to continue to expand the scope of awareness and investment, and the only way to do that is to proactively tell the stories and the opportunity to a larger audience who is looking to both invest and understand the global opportunities," said Betsy Morgan, operating partner and investor of TOGETHXR. "This weekend was the next logical step in expanding the funnel of opportunity through sharing information, and presenting a solid road ahead. Thanks to all who helped bring this together and we are looking forward to more positive growth and engagement going into 2025 and beyond."
“At Cloudflare, we believe that breaking barriers, whether in technology, business, or sport, drives progress,” said Stephanie Cohen, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudflare, who attended the event. “The inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey race is a groundbreaking moment that showcases the power of excellence. We are proud to stand alongside such incredible athletes and leaders, championing a future where women are empowered to lead and succeed in every arena.”
This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of CNBC, TOGETHXR, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and LionTree to advancing women’s leadership and visibility in both business and sports, setting the stage for continued innovation and progress in the years to come.
