As Girls on the Run Georgia celebrates 25 years of inspiring confidence in girls across Georgia, we’re reflecting on the incredible partnerships that help move our mission forward. We were thrilled to welcome Hannah Spencer, Vice President of Marketing & Consumer Insights for the Atlanta Dream, as an honorary guest at our 25th Anniversary Celebration on October 23, 2025. The Dream continues to set the standard for leading, empowering, and elevating women in sports.
Our partnership with the Dream is rooted in shared values: confidence, teamwork, and the belief that every girl has the power to achieve great things. The Dream has become a driving force in shaping the future of women’s athletics, not only through their performance on the court but through their unwavering commitment to representation, equity, and community.
When asked what this moment in women’s sport means for the future of girls and women in athletics, Spencer shared a powerful perspective: “I think it’s more than a moment, it’s a movement and it represents nothing less than a fundamental, irreversible shift in how the world views women’s sports,” she said. “For women and girls, we’re finally moving past the days of ‘proving our worth’ in sports. The era of investing in our worth has begun.”
That shift, she explained, is driven by visibility and investment, two key factors that show girls what’s possible. “Young girls today can see strong professional female athletes achieving success on and off the field–achieving financial success, cultural influence and unprecedented media coverage,” Spencer said. “The future will be defined by women athletes building equity and commanding the value that their performance and talent has always generated.”
Spencer also reflected on how far women’s sports have come in overcoming old narratives. “One of the biggest barriers that women’s sports has overcome recently is the ‘if you build it, they will come’ myth,” she explained. “We’ve actively overcome the visibility barrier through strategic marketing, better media deals, and athletes, teams, and leagues leveraging social platforms to build athletes and teams into brands.”
The Atlanta Dream has been at the forefront of that change, not just as a team but as a cultural movement. “The Atlanta Dream has always been about more than basketball,” said Spencer. “If our only goal was to win a championship, we’re doing the wrong work. The fundamental purpose of our organization is to elevate women’s sports in Atlanta to unprecedented heights, inspiring a movement that empowers women and girls to strengthen the fabric of our city."
The Dream’s commitment to blending sport, culture, and community has made them an integral part of Atlanta’s identity. “We embrace being unapologetically ATL–blending fashion, music, and art with basketball–making our team and gameday experience feel like an extension of the city’s culture, not just a sports franchise in the city,” Spencer shared.
That kind of authentic leadership and advocacy mirrors the lessons Girls on the Run strives to teach every participant: courage, confidence, and connection. When asked what advice she’d give to our girls, Spencer offered two powerful takeaways: “Learn to fail forward,” she said. “Courage doesn’t mean you won’t be scared, but it’s the willingness to try even when you know you might fail. And trust your voice and use it,” she added. “Confidence comes not from being the loudest, but from knowing what you stand for and speaking your truth. Be unapologetically you, because that’s your superpower.”
As we celebrate 25 years of Girls on the Run Georgia, we’re reminded of how the power of sport extends far beyond the field or track. As Spencer put it, “sport is your ultimate practice for life. It’s where you learn that discipline creates freedom, that teamwork is essential, and that your own potential is limitless.”
Together with partners like the Atlanta Dream, we’re ensuring the next generation of girls knows that their potential truly has no limits.
