Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ IF/THEN^® Initiative Reveals 26 Women Featured in #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit: Game Changers

DALLAS, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the world turns its attention to Dallas for the World Cup this summer, visitors to the FIFA Fan Festival^™ Dallas at Fair Park will be welcomed by 26 statues serving as reminders that the future of sports is powered not only by athletes on the field, but by leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) who are transforming the game behind the scenes. Lyda Hill Philanthropies‘ IF/THEN^® Initiative and the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee today revealed the names of 26 women selected for #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit: Game Changers, a public installation of lime green, life-sized 3D-printed statues representing women from 11 U.S. states in a wide range of careers fueling the global sports industry. By revealing the science behind the sports we love, the exhibit highlights opportunities at the intersection of sports and STEM, and invites the next generation to see themselves in these roles.

The Game Changers include:

• Alba Colón Rodríguez, Performance and Motorsports Mechanical Engineer (Huntersville, NC)
• Aline Bass Callahan, MBA, Wearable Technology Product Manager (Dallas, TX)
• Alison Sheets-Singer, PhD, Biomechanics Researcher (Portland, OR)
• Amanda Alvarez Dieppa, PhD, Neuroscientist, Boxer, and Entrepreneur (Dallas, TX)
• Ambika Chandra, PhD, Turfgrass Breeder and Professor (Dallas, TX)
• Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA, Orthopedic Surgeon (Dallas, TX)
• Branay Hicks, Athletic Trainer (Frisco, TX)
• Caiti Donovan, Data Strategist and Behavioral Scientist (Brooklyn, NY)
• Christy Schuld, Sports Dietician (Dallas, TX)
• Colleen M. Hacker, PhD, Mental Performance Coach (Tacoma, WA)
• Cynt Marshall, Sports Executive (Dallas, TX)
• Jessica Isaacs, PhD, Biomechanical Engineer (Philadelphia, PA)
• Jill Monaghan, MArch, Architect (Lee’s Summit, MO)
• Julie Foudy, Soccer Legend, Broadcaster, Podcaster and Advocate (San Clemente, CA)
• Katie Mae McConnell, MS, Surfer and Marine Ecologist (Haiku, HI)
• Lindsay Golich, MS, Environmental Physiologist (Colorado Springs, CO)
• Lucy Li, Professional Golfer and Data Scientist (Redwood Shores, CA)
• Marcia Faustin, MD, Family and Sports Medicine Physician (Sacramento, CA)
• Martha Walters, Broadcast Audio Engineer (Hendersonville, TN)
• Monique S. Burton, MD, Pediatrician and Sports Medicine Physician (Seattle, WA)
• Nadia Banks, Spatial AI Executive (Menlo Park, CA)
• Naomi Girma, MS, Professional Soccer Player (San Jose, CA)
• Natalie White, Athletic Footwear Entrepreneur (New York, NY)
• Rachel Ferdinando, Food Innovation and Consumer Brands Executive (Plano, TX)
• Sarah Mallepalle, Data Analyst (Dallas, TX)
• Sophia Ulman, PhD, Sports Biomechanist (Frisco, TX)

Free and open to the public, the exhibit will be on display Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, July 19, and is designed to inspire the next generations to see themselves in STEM careers by amplifying the stories of real women driving innovation in one of the world’s most influential industries. Several of the featured women are expected to visit the FIFA Fan Festival^™ Dallas throughout the tournament to meet fans and engage directly with young people interested in STEM careers.

“We are excited to celebrate this remarkable group of women featured in #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit: Game Changers and introduce their stories to a global audience,” said Nicole Small, CEO of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, LH Capital, Inc. and Co-Founder of IF/THEN^®. “Sports captivate young people everywhere. By showcasing women thriving in STEM careers connected to the sports industry during one of the world’s biggest sporting events, we hope young visitors will see the many paths available for their own futures and recognize that they belong in these fields.”

#IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit: Game Changers marks the second IF/THEN^® statue exhibit, following the historic debut of #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit, which featured 120 statues of contemporary women in STEM. That first exhibit made history as the largest assembly of statues of real women ever displayed at one time, inspired by a study that found the ten largest U.S. cities displayed fewer than a half-dozen statues of real women in publicly accessible places. Since 2021, the exhibit has appeared in ten locations across the country, including the Central Park Zoo, Cambridge, Massachusetts’ Kendall Square, Dallas Love Field Airport, Dallas’ NorthPark Center, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, reaching more than five million visitors.

The IF/THEN^® Initiative was launched in 2019 to empower current STEM innovators and inspire the next generation of pioneers by elevating women in STEM as role models. While rooted in the same mission of visibility and inspiration, #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit: Game Changers expands the initiative’s cross-industry into sports, one of the world’s most influential cultural platforms, during the largest sporting event on the planet.

Each statue connects to a digital story featuring photos and videos that bring the woman’s journey and career to life. Accessible through QR codes affixed to each statue, these stories can be found on the Exhibit web pages as well as in the IF/THEN^® Collection digital asset library, the largest free resource of its kind.

“We are honored to showcase these statues during FIFA Fan Festival Dallas,” said Monica Paul, President of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee. “These works celebrate the powerful influence each of these women has made throughout their lives, and we are excited for fans from around the world to experience their impact first-hand here at FIFA Fan Festival Dallas throughout the tournament this summer.”

“When girls can see women succeeding in STEM careers tied to something as exciting and universal as sports, it can change how they imagine their own futures,” said Lyda Hill, Founder of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. “We hope every young person who experiences this exhibit leaves believing there is a place for them in science, technology, engineering, and math. If they can see it, then they can be it.”

Located along the pedestrian walkway inside the Southwest Entry Gate within FIFA Fan Festival^™ Dallas, the statues will greet the expected tens of thousands of fans as they enter the attraction each day. For more information about attending Fan Festival, visit www.DallasFWC26.com/FIFAFanFestival-Dallas.

About IF/THEN^®
Founded in 2019, IF/THEN^®, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, empowers STEM innovators and drives cultural change so the next generation is inspired to solve our biggest global challenges. IF/THEN^® provides critical funding and connects cross-sector partners to amplify STEM role model storytelling so girls can imagine —and achieve—their own STEM dreams. Putting words to action, the initiative is in its seventh season of the Webby Award-winning, Emmy-nominated television series, Mission Unstoppable, created the IF/THEN^® Collection, the world’s largest free resource library of photos and videos celebrating women in STEM, launched #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit, featuring more than 140 life-sized 3D-printed statues of real women STEM professionals; and expanded the exhibit experience through #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit Game Changers, celebrating the women and STEM innovations powering the world of sports. IF/THEN^® content has garnered hundreds of millions of views, advancing the approach that if you support women and girls in STEM, then you can change the world. Instagram: @IfThenSheCan

About North Texas FWC Organizing Committee
The North Texas FWC Organizing Committee is the official entity responsible for planning and delivering the FIFA World Cup 2026^™ experience in North Texas. As one of the tournament’s key host cities, Dallas will welcome teams and fans from around the world, hosting nine matches at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, the International Broadcast Center at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, and a multi-week FIFA Fan Festival^™ Dallas at Fair Park. The Official World Cup 2026^™ Dallas Host City Supporters are UT Southwestern Medical Center, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Choctaw Casinos, Dallas Cowboys, Daniel L. Hunt and North Texas Sports Foundation – who will play key roles in supporting community and Legacy initiatives aligned with the North Texas FWC Organizing Committee.

Media Contact:
Sydney Street
sydney@culverpr.com
214.352.5980

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/statue-exhibit-features-women-using-stem-to-power-sports-at-fifa-fan-festival-dallas-302787504.html

SOURCE Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ IF/THEN® Initiative