Presenters

In 2006, Janis Schmees Burke became the third chief executive officer of the Harris County–Houston Sports Authority and the first woman to hold the position since the inception of the organization in 1997. In addition to overseeing the $1 billion of bond debt service for Houston’s premier, professional sports stadiums, under her leadership and during her tenure, Houston has been awarded major sporting events including the NCAA Men’s Final Four, various U.S. Olympic Trials, numerous national and world championships, the AAU Junior Olympics, professional all-star games, the Transplant Games of America, and a variety of elite sporting events. She has been recognized locally by Conference USA and Rice University for her outstanding contributions and achievements as a woman in the Houston sports industry, identified as a Houston “Woman on the Move,” named one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women,” and recognized by numerous others for the impact on the community of the work done by her and the sports authority team.