The Athlete Effect™

21 Episodes

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How high achievers weather personal and professional storms with Ginger Zee

2026-10-3152:24

Ginger Zee, ABC News Chief Meteorologist, Good Morning America co-host, and New York Times bestselling author joins veteran sports journalist and host Bonnie Bernstein on The Athlete Effect™ to explore how her experience as a multisport athlete shaped her career in meteorology and broadcast journalism. She reflects on how sports built confidence, discipline, and mental toughness, and the parallel journey of earning credibility in both competitive cheerleading and science-based weather reporti...

She Replaced a UNC Legend at 22, Then Won the NCAA Championship: Erin Matson

2026-10-3144:49

At 23, Erin Matson became the youngest Division I head coach to win an NCAA championship. Less than two months after graduating from the University of North Carolina, and after capturing four national titles as a Tar Heels player, Erin faced her next big test: taking the reins from Hall of Fame coach Karen Shelton. In this episode, Erin shares how the preparation and attention to detail she mastered on the field helped her earn one of the most prestigious jobs in college field hockey, and how...

KC Chiefs CMO Lara Krug: Building a Bigger, Better (Marketing) Kingdom

2026-09-3048:14

Imagine the pressure of bringing a Founding Father's dream to life. You've just stepped into Lara Krug's shoes. In 2021, the Kansas City Chiefs hired Lara as the club's first Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). The assignment? Build the Chiefs into a global brand. Not just a national powerhouse. GLOBAL. The mission was hatched by Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, at a time when a sports team's idea of a marketing “win” was simply selling out the stadium. Lara's approach is rooted in a lesson she learned ...

Home Depot CMO Molly Battin: Multisport Athlete. Multiple C-Suite Roles

2026-09-2233:55

Who knows more about using tools to achieve your goals than Home Depot's Chief Marketing Officer? Yeah. That's a pretty short list. Molly Battin's competitive mindset enabled her to juggle four sports in high school and balance crew with Ivy League academics at Princeton. That same grit shows up every day in a career that's taken her to C-suite roles at Turner, WarnerMedia, Delta Air Lines and now The Home Depot. She's navigated a major media merger and a global pandemic, all whil...

Kim Ng: MLB's First Female GM Is Building Pro Softball's Future

2026-09-0848:37

Athletes Unlimited Softball Commissioner Kim Ng learned everything she needed to become a trailblazing sports executive in two places: The softball diamond and the tennis court. A 4-year starting infielder for the University of Chicago, Kim graduated with a master's degree in dedication, grit, perseverance and the willingness to fail, DESPITE a fear of failure. (Say that last part out loud, and sit with it for a moment.) Perseverance? Critical, as Kim made history as Major League Baseball's f...

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