Risa F. Isard

Dr. Risa F. Isard is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at the University of Connecticut. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Isenberg School of Management and a B.A. in Social Change at the Intersection of Culture, Gender, and Sport from Duke University. Her research focuses on stigma in workplace environments, equity in sport organizations, and intersectional diversity, particularly within women's sport.

Her work combines quantitative and qualitative methods to address systemic inequities, with particular attention to LGBTQ+ inclusion, racial disparities, and gendered organizational structures. Isard has published in journals like JOSM, Sport Marketing Quarterly, and Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, while also contributing to public discourse through outlets like Sports Business Journal, ESPNW, and Quartz. Her research has influenced industry practices through partnerships with ESPN, the Sports Innovation Lab, and the MirNaHill Foundation.

Isard's industry experience includes roles as Project Director at the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program, where she co-founded the Project Play Summit, and as founder of RISport, a consultancy focused on equity in sport. She has advised organizations like KABOOM! and the Phoenix Mercury, blending academic rigor with real-world impact. Her academic contributions include 2x Faculty MVP awards at UConn and the prestigious Middlesworth Award from Duke University.

Her current courses include Management of Sport Organizations and Sport Marketing at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Beyond academia, Isard is a sought-after speaker on topics like Title IX evolution, transgender inclusion in sport, and racial equity in women's athletics.