Risa Isard, Ph.D., has spent 15+ years honing her craft: a blend of research chops, industry know-how, thought leadership expertise, and more-than-a-dash of passion for women’s sport. That makes her the perfect person to power Parity’s high-impact reports, delivering value to brands, advancing public dialogue about women’s sports, and shaping internal strategy.

Risa’s research has resulted in industry-leading and peer-reviewed publications, as well as coverage in global media outlets (New York Times, SBJ, The Atlantic, CNN, etc.) and on stage at both SXSW and the ESPYs. Her career has spanned women’s college and professional sport organizations, the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, and a minor league baseball team. Most recently, she was a sport management professor at the University of Connecticut.

Risa holds a Ph.D. from the Isenberg School of Management/McCormack Department of Sport Management at UMass (and yes, her dissertation was about women’s professional sport). She earned her B.A. from Duke University, where she served as a manager for the women’s basketball team and charted her own path to create a major in “Social Change at the Intersection of Culture, Gender, and Sport.” 

An enthusiastic amateur athlete, Risa grew up running in the Phoenix mountains and over the years has also found community and herself through soccer, cycling, pickleball, ultimate, and surfing. She and her wife endeavor to have women’s basketball and surfing playing in the house as much as possible.