Join the Women's Foreign Policy Group, the Embassy of Germany, and the Women's Bar Association for "Leading with Values: A Conversation on the Diplomatic Power of the World Cup," on Tuesday, May 26th, from 9:00 - 10:30 AM ET. 

This conversation will explore the role of global sporting events in facilitating diplomacy and cross-cultural understanding, highlighting the far-reaching social and institutional impacts of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Our renowned speakers include Steffi Jones,Germany's most successful and best-known female soccer player and former national team manager; and sports diplomacy expert Travis J. Murphy, CEO, Jetr Global Sports + Entertainment. The conversation will be moderated by award-winning national sports journalist Christine Brennan.

This event will take place at the Embassy of Germany, and light refreshments will be served.

 Space is limited, so register early to secure your spot!

REGISTER

ADD TO CALENDAR

 Stephanie Ann "Steffi" Jones, World Champion 2003 and three-time European Champion, is one of the most successful German football players of all time. She ended her active career in 2007, and on January 1, 2008, Steffi Jones was appointed President of the Organizing Committee for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Given the remarkable development of women's football and the enormous opportunities presented by hosting the 2011 World Cup in Germany, Steffi gladly accepted the challenge of becoming organizing committee president and all the associated responsibilities. Following the completion of this role, for which she received numerous awards, she was appointed "Director of Women's and Girls' Football" at the DFB (German Football Association). In 2006, Steffi Jones received the Hessian Order of Merit for her many years of volunteer work. The daughter of a German mother and an American soldier, she has consistently championed integration and tolerance in Germany.

Travis Murphy is the founder and CEO of Jetr Global Sports + Entertainment, a first-of-its-kind consultancy at the nexus of sports, policy, and diplomacy. Prior to founding Jetr Global, Travis served as Head of International Government Affairs at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he led global immigration strategy during a transformative period of international expansion. Travis also served as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, with diplomatic assignments in Ecuador, Suriname, and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as in the State Department’s Sports Diplomacy Division, where he advanced sports as a tool for foreign policy and global engagement. He previously served as Chief of Staff and Communications Director for now-U.S. Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas and began his professional journey as an award-winning radio journalist. Travis holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kansas State University and a master’s in public administration from Arizona State University. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife and four children.

 Christine Brennan is an award-winning national sports columnist for USA TODAY; a commentator for CNN, ABC and PBS NewsHour; and the author of the New York Times bestseller On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports. Brennan has been selected as one of the country’s top ten sports columnists multiple times by the Associated Press Sports Editors and has covered the last 22 Olympic Games, summer and winter. A trailblazer, she was the first woman sportswriter at The Miami Herald, the first woman to cover Washington’s NFL team for The Washington Post, and the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media. https://christinebrennan.com/