Revitate Foundation 2024 Social Impact Summit
On September 25th, Revitate Foundation convened its 2024 Social Impact Summit at the Vea Hotel in Newport Beach, California. This annual gathering serves to bring together Revitate’s community, by honoring leaders who are effecting significant social change at the nexus of sports, real estate, and consumer brands.
The event commenced with a Fireside Chat featuring Revitate’s managing partners, Alex Bhathal and Lisa Merage Bhathal, moderated by Alain R'bibo, partner at Allen Matkins. During this engaging dialogue, Alex and Lisa highlighted the major firm milestones in the past year, including the the recent acquisition of the Portland Thorns, Portland WNBA expansion franchise, and ongoing work in opportunity zone development and workforce housing acquisitions.
Following this, Kunal Merchant, Revitate’s Chief Operating Officer, moderated a panel entitled “Social Impact in Consumer Brands,” which spotlighted two local business leaders active in the consumer brand landscape: Nate Raabe, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of RX3, and Audie Attar, Founder and CEO of Paradigm Sports. Nate and Audie spoke about consumer interest in supporting brands mindful of impact – provided such efforts are truly authentic in nature.
The Summit's keynote address was delivered by Karina LeBlanc, General Manager of the Portland Thorns. In her compelling keynote speech on "The Rise of Women’s Sports," Karina captivated the audience with her remarkable life story, illustrating how soccer not only propelled her to success as a world-class athlete, but also empowered her to uplift future generations of female athletes.
Karina's speech laid the groundwork for the announcement of the 2024 Social Impact Champions. Revitate proudly recognized Karina and three additional outstanding women athletes from the Portland Thorns who are leveraging their professional platforms to benefit their communities and advocate for equal opportunities for women in sports at all levels. This year’s honorees are:
Sam Coffey, Portland Thorns Team Captain and Olympic Gold Medalist
Becky Sauerbrunn, Portland Thorns Team Captain and Olympic Gold Medalist
Christine Sinclair, Portland Thorns Team Captain and Olympic Gold Medalist
Karina Le Blanc, Portland Thorns General Manager and Olympic Bronze Medalist
Lisa then moderated a panel discussion with the three Thorns players on the topic of “Achieving Impact in Women’s Soccer.” Sam, Becky, and Christine shared their personal journeys and inspirations, each showcasing unique pathways to effecting change. The audience was profoundly moved by their narratives, leaving with a renewed sense of admiration for the dedication these athletes exhibit both in their sport and their commitment to social impact causes.
Revitate looks forward to reconvening for its next annual Social Impact Summit in the fall of 2025.