Adrienne Smith is a Team USA football star leading the charge for the new AFL women's division. She is among the best performing wide receivers in women's tackle football history. Adrienne is a Boston Renegades wide receiver, football advocate and spokesperson, Orange is the New Black actress, and entrepreneur. She is also the creator of Blitz Champz, a fun and competitive game that teaches and tests football knowledge, strategy, and critical math skills.
Adrienne’s professional career began in Japan where she worked as a translator and coordinator of international relations for the Japanese Board of Education. During her two years in this position, she produced and co-hosted a local television show geared towards educating Japanese people about American culture.
Adrienne started her football career in 2006 as a member of the New York Sharks and went on to compete internationally, bringing home silver medals in Sweden and Canada as a member of the US Women's National Flag Football team. In 2010 and 2013, Adrienne helped the US National Women's Football team bring home the gold medal in the International Federation of American Football's Women's World Championship. Since 2011, she has played for the Boston Renegades, a tackle football team in the Women's Football Alliance and winner of national championships in 2011, 2014, and 2019.
In this episode…Working in male-dominated fields is often a challenge many women face, even when they are highly skilled and qualified. They frequently face backlash and pressure from society — which can kill their dreams.
When Adrienne Smith decided to go into football, she knew she would face such challenges. However, she did not quit, and her determination helped her excel in not only football but also in her career as an actress, entrepreneur, and leader.
Adrienne Smith, an entrepreneur and football star, is Andrea Heuston's guest in this episode of the Lead Like A Woman Show. Adrienne talks about her professional career in football and her journey to become an entrepreneur. She also talks about her football card game for kids, her work as an actress, organizing hip hop tours, and how she leads like a woman. Stay tuned.