WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark will be the featured speaker at the Long Island Association’s annual fall luncheon on Oct. 29 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.
The 23-year-old Indiana Fever guard “is a transformational figure,” said Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the LIA, the region’s largest business organization, who will interview Clark one-on-one at the event. “She has, in many ways, transcended the sport of women’s basketball and changed the economics of the league.”
Cohen said their conversation will be dynamic and inspiring for Long Island’s business leaders, touching on Clark’s impact on the game, how she handles pressure at such a young age, and her leadership both on and off the court.
“Caitlin is also a businesswoman and philanthropist,” Cohen noted. “She has partnerships with companies like Nike and Gatorade, and she’s helped break attendance records, increase ticket revenues, and generate more interest in the league than ever before — from both men and women.”
In 2024, Forbes named Clark to its list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women for her role in elevating professional women’s sports through record-setting attendance and viewership.
“Bringing Caitlin Clark to Long Island is something fresh,” Cohen said. “We’ve had athletes before, but never someone so young who has truly transformed both the game and the business behind it.”
The LIA has also never featured a female professional athlete as its luncheon speaker. Cohen said the organization continues to broaden its reach, including launching a new program to support East End businesses and awarding small business grants.
Cohen plans to ask Clark about the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and her Caitlin Clark Foundation, which aims to uplift youth through education, nutrition, and sport.
The day will begin with a networking reception followed by the luncheon and program.