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Leader Speaker Series: What It Takes to Host the World
Lessons from North Texas - FIFA Experience
The FIFA World Cup brought the world's attention to North Texas and delivering an event of that scale required years of planning, regional collaboration and operational excellence.
Join the Fort Worth Chamber's Leaders Speaker Series, presented by Fidelity Investments, for a behind-the-scenes conversation with the leaders who helped prepare our region for one of the largest sporting events in the world. From securing the bid and coordinating across host cities to managing transportation, aviation operations, public safety and the visitor experience, this discussion will explore what it took to successfully host millions of fans on the global stage.
Featured Speakers Include:
- Drew Hays, Executive Director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission
- Jerome Woodard, Chief Operating Officer of DFW International Airport
- Monica Paul, President of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission
Together, they'll share firsthand insights into the partnerships, planning, and infrastructure that made the tournament possible, Fort Worth's role in supporting the region's success, and the lessons learned that will strengthen North Texas' ability to attract and host future world-class events.
Whether you're interested in economic development, regional collaboration, infrastructure or the business of major events, you'll gain an insider's perspective on how North Texas came together to deliver on the world's biggest stage and what that means for our region's future.
Meet the Speakers:
 Drew Hays Executive Director on the Fort Worth Sports Commission |
Drew Hays became the Executive Director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission in September 2025. The Fort Worth Sports Commission team is coming off a record year of events, including a run last spring of hosting 7 major events over 8 straight weekends - including but limited to, the NCAA Women's Basketball Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Rounds, NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, FEI World Cup & the PBR World Finals. Before joining the Fort Worth Sports Commission Team, Drew was the Executive Director of the Austin Sports Commission and had been with their team since 2018. Prior to joining the Austin Sports Commission, Hays worked for Visit Wichita, the Wichita Wingnuts, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Corpus Christi Hooks. Hays is a graduate of Oklahoma State & Wichita State University, and enjoys spending his free time with his wife, two dogs, and daughter. |
 Jerome Woodard
Chief Operating Officer of DFW International Airport |
Jerome Woodard serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. As COO, he provides vision, strategy, and execution to advance DFW’s business objectives related to the airport’s physical operations, overseeing the Departments of Public Safety and Environmental Affairs, as well as the Integrated Operations Center and Operations. |
 Monica Paul
President of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee and Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission |
As the Executive Director for the Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul plays an essential role in implementing bid strategies and marketing programs that enhance Dallas’ acquisition of sports competitions and events, including solicitation of Olympic, professional, collegiate and amateur sports. Paul also works closely with professional leagues, the NCAA, Olympic National Governing Bodies and amateur sports federations, promoting Dallas as a premier destination for events, conventions and meetings. Paul's efforts proved instrumental in Dallas being named a Host City for FIFA World Cup 26 and securing nine matches during the tournament, more than any other market in 2026. Paul earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She currently serves on the SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors, Cotton Bowl Classic Board of Directors, the Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation Board of Directors, Women in Sports & Events (WISE) DFW Chapter Advisory Board, and the University of North Texas Sports Entertainment Management Industry Advisory Board. She was selected as the DCEO Non-profit and Corporate Citizenship Award Winner in Leadership Excellence in 2023, DCEO’s Dallas 500 in 2022-2024, Women in Business honoree by Dallas Business Journal in 2020, and in 2015 she was honored as one of Connect Sports’ Top IX Women in the Sport Tourism Industry. |
Event Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Keynote Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Date and Time
Tuesday Jul 28, 2026
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Fees/Admission
Upper Tier Member: $70
Standard Tier Member: $80
Non-Member: $90
If your employer is a member of the Fort Worth Chamber and you are not listed as a representative, please reach out to events@fortworthchamber.com to receive member pricing.
Refund Policy: Ticket sales are final, and refunds will not be issued within 10 days of the event. If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another individual. Please contact events@fortworthchamber.com for assistance with transfers.
By registering for this event, you acknowledge and agree that the Fort Worth Chamber may capture photographs and video during the event. You grant the Chamber permission to use your likeness, image, and voice in photographs, videos, or other recordings for promotional, marketing, and communication purposes in any media, now known or later developed, without compensation or further approval.
