Award-winning Journalist and Social Change Advocate Maria Shriver Confirmed as Closing Speaker for The espnW: Women + Sports Summit

Maria Shriver, mother of four, Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist, founder of "The Shriver Report" and activist for social change will speak at the fifth annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit presented by Toyota on Friday, Oct. 10 . Her closing address will focus on her Architects of Change life philosophy and her family's Special Olympics legacy.

Throughout her work, Shriver's mission is to inform, inspire and ignite change in hearts and minds. She is driven by her belief that as individuals, we all have the ability to be "Architects of Change" - people who see a problem in their own life, or the community around them, and step out of their comfort zone to do what it takes to create the solution. This powerful idea will be at the heart of her talk at the espnW Summit.

"I'm extremely excited to be partnering with espnW to discuss my belief that we can all be Architects of Change in our own lives and the lives of others," says Shriver. "My mother, Eunice Shriver, did that by founding the Special Olympics in 1968, which went on to transform the world of sports. I'm proud of ESPN for their work with Special Olympics Unified Sports and the Special Olympics World Games, taking place in LA in July 2015, where thousands of Architects of Change with intellectual disabilities will gather and transform not only the city, but also the sports community yet again."

This year's Summit, which will take place October 8-10, in Dana Point, Calif., is themed "Making an Impact" and will focus on the influence athletes and business leaders have on the women's sports landscape. These influences will be examined through open conversations, compelling presentations, keynote speeches and expert panels. Throughout the multi-day event, ideas are turned into action items, aimed at driving greater opportunity for women in sports.

"Maria is a trailblazer who has worked diligently throughout her life to shed light on issues that are unique to women," said Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW. "Her optimism and belief in the power of women to make real, enduring change will be explored with our guests. Maria is a wonderful addition to the Summit program and the many inspirational, accomplished speakers at this year's event."

Shriver is a Peabody and Emmy-winning journalist and producer, a six-time New York Times best-selling author, and an NBC News Special Anchor reporting on the shifting roles, emerging power and evolving needs of women in modern life. She is the founder of "The Shriver Report," a nonpartisan initiative that raises awareness, ignites conversations and inspires impact around the de?ning issues and fundamental changes facing modern women and their families and is a project of A Woman's Nation.

Among the other speakers at the Summit are former U.S. Ambassador Melanne Verveer, International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, Equinox President Sarah Robb O'Hagan, Women's Tennis Association CEO Stacey Allaster, LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan, Olympians Hilary Knight and Gretchen Bleiler, Paralympian Amy Purdy and WNBA stars Brittney Griner and Elena Delle Donne.

For more information about The espnW: Women + Sports Summit and to see the complete agenda visit www.espnWsummit.com or follow on Twitter with @espnW and #espnWsummit.

About espnW

espnW serves women who love sports. espnW.com provides an engaging environment that offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and shares a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women. Founded in July, 2010, espnW lives across television, films, events, digital and social platforms. The annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit is the leading event of its kind in the sports industry. The Women's Sports Foundation is a charity of choice for espnW.