Hannah Storm

Hannah Storm Speaker Biography

Pioneering Sports Broadcaster, Award-Winning Journalist, Best-Selling Author, Producer & Leadership Speaker

For more than four decades, keynote speaker Hannah Storm has been one of the most respected and recognizable voices in sports broadcasting. A true pioneer for women in sports media, Storm has broken barriers throughout her remarkable career while covering the world’s biggest sporting events, interviewing legendary athletes and world leaders, producing acclaimed documentaries, and inspiring audiences with her powerful story of resilience, leadership, and perseverance. Whether addressing Fortune 500 executives, healthcare professionals, educators, or leadership teams, Hannah Storm delivers inspiring keynote presentations on authentic leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, women’s leadership, media, peak performance, and thriving under pressure. Drawing on decades covering championship teams, elite athletes, and transformational leaders, she shares practical lessons that resonate with organizations facing change and high expectations.

Keynote Speaker Hannah Storm at a Glance

• Trailblazing sports broadcaster and award-winning journalist whose groundbreaking career has helped redefine opportunities for women in sports media.
• Veteran ESPN anchor, interviewer, and producer with more than 40 years covering the NFL, Olympics, NCAA Football, tennis, golf, basketball, and many of the world’s premier sporting events.
• Best-selling author, documentary producer, and survivor of a life-threatening burn accident who inspires audiences with lessons on resilience, courage, and overcoming adversity.
• Leadership speaker trusted by Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations, universities, and conferences to share insights on teamwork, authentic leadership, peak performance, and performing under pressure.

A Trailblazing Career in Sports Broadcasting

Few broadcasters have enjoyed the longevity, versatility, and respect earned by Hannah Storm. Throughout her career she has continually broken new ground, becoming one of the first women to host and anchor major sports programming while helping pave the way for future generations of female broadcasters. Since joining ESPN in 2008, Storm has become one of the network’s signature personalities. She anchors SportsCenter, hosts special event programming, interviews many of sports’ biggest names, and continues to play a leading role during ESPN’s coverage of the NFL season, college football, major championships, and breaking sports news. Her interviewing style combines journalistic credibility with genuine curiosity, allowing audiences to see a more personal side of elite athletes, coaches, executives, and cultural icons.

Covering the World’s Biggest Sporting Events

Throughout her distinguished career, Hannah Storm has covered many of the world’s most prestigious sporting events, including multiple Super Bowls, the NFL Draft, NCAA Football Playoff National Championship, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the New York City Marathon, the ESPY Awards, and numerous Olympic Games. Her career has also included memorable interviews with many of the most recognizable figures in sports and entertainment, including Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter, Michael Phelps, David Beckham, Roger Goodell, Robert Kraft, Tony Romo, Tim Tebow, Beyoncé, and countless other championship athletes and influential leaders. Her ability to connect with people under the brightest spotlight has made her one of the most trusted interviewers in sports television.

A Distinguished Career Before ESPN

Before joining ESPN, Hannah Storm served as co-anchor of CBS’s The Early Show, where she covered some of the defining national and international news stories of the decade, including Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War, presidential elections, the London terrorist bombings, and multiple Super Bowls. During her tenure at CBS, she interviewed Presidents, Cabinet officials, business leaders, entertainers, and cultural icons including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, John McCain, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Tiger Woods, Jamie Foxx, Justin Timberlake, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Aniston. Earlier in her career, Storm also became one of the most recognizable faces on NBC Sports, CNN Sports Tonight, Major League Baseball broadcasts, and NBA coverage, establishing herself as one of the most accomplished sports journalists of her generation.

Award-Winning Producer & Storyteller

Beyond the anchor desk, Hannah Storm is an accomplished producer, director, and entrepreneur. She founded Brainstormin’ Productions, producing award-winning documentaries and branded content that celebrate compelling stories from the world of sports and beyond. Among her acclaimed productions are Unmatched for ESPN’s Peabody Award-winning 30 for 30 series, Shaq & Dale, Love & Payne, Swoopes, and numerous documentaries highlighting perseverance, leadership, and women’s sports. Her work has earned multiple Gracie Awards recognizing excellence in producing, directing, and digital storytelling.

Leadership Through Adversity

One of the defining moments of Hannah Storm’s life occurred in 2012 when she survived a devastating household gas grill explosion that left her with second-degree burns over much of her body and permanent damage to her hands and eyesight. Rather than allowing tragedy to define her, Storm returned to national television only months later, becoming an inspiring example of resilience, determination, and courage. Today she openly shares that experience with audiences, demonstrating how adversity can become a catalyst for growth, stronger leadership, and renewed purpose. Her story resonates with organizations navigating uncertainty, change, and personal or professional setbacks.

Champion for Children and Women’s Leadership

Hannah Storm is equally passionate about philanthropy and advocacy. In 2008 she founded the Hannah Storm Foundation, which supports children living with debilitating vascular birthmarks by helping fund life-changing medical treatments around the world. Inspired by her own experience growing up with a port-wine stain birthmark, Storm has helped countless children receive surgeries while also funding journalism scholarships and internships that encourage the next generation of storytellers and broadcasters. She is also a longtime advocate for women in leadership, mentoring young professionals and promoting greater opportunities for women throughout sports media and business.

Author

Hannah Storm is the author of Notre Dame Inspirations and Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Daughters through Sports. Her writing reflects her lifelong passion for leadership, athletics, parenting, and personal growth. She has also contributed to numerous national publications, including Cosmopolitan, The Hollywood Reporter, Family Circle, Child, Nick Jr., and Notre Dame Magazine.

Awards & Recognition

Throughout her extraordinary career, Hannah Storm has received numerous honors recognizing both her professional excellence and her pioneering contributions to broadcasting. Her accolades include multiple Gracie Awards, the University of Notre Dame Distinguished Alumni Award, the March of Dimes Sports Legend Award, the YWCA Brava Award, and induction into The Paley Center for Media’s “She Made It” Hall of Fame honoring women who transformed television and radio. She has also been recognized as one of Family Circle magazine’s “Most Influential Moms” and continues to be celebrated as one of the most influential women in sports broadcasting.

Education

Hannah Storm graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in Communications and Political Science. She and her husband, veteran NBC Sports broadcaster Dan Hicks, have three daughters. Today, Hannah Storm continues to inspire audiences both on television and on stage, sharing powerful lessons drawn from decades covering elite performers, overcoming extraordinary adversity, and leading with authenticity, resilience, and purpose.