Jen Leary

Jen Leary has spent more than three decades at the intersection of service, sport, and community advocacy. A former athlete in the National Women's Football Association, she was a member of the Philadelphia Liberty Belles' 2001 championship team, an experience that sparked her lifelong commitment to advancing opportunities and visibility for women in sports.

Since 2007, Jen has served as a Philadelphia firefighter, dedicating her career to public service while becoming one of the city's leading voices for women's sports. In 2024, she founded Watch Party PHL, a grassroots movement that has brought thousands of fans together through more than 90 events celebrating women's athletics and demonstrating that Philadelphia is, unmistakably, a women's sports town. Under her leadership, Watch Party PHL has become a catalyst for community engagement, helping fuel support for professional women's sports, spotlighting local athletes and organizations, and creating new opportunities for fans to connect.

Known for bringing people together, Jen has forged partnerships with professional sports organizations, local businesses, nonprofit leaders, elected officials, and civic organizations to elevate women's sports across Philadelphia. From citywide fan activations and community events to collaborative campaigns with organizations like the Philadelphia Sisters, Sterling Pig Brewery, Unrivaled, USTA Middle States, and professional leagues, she has helped transform grassroots enthusiasm into a movement that continues to grow the city's reputation as a national destination for women's sports.

Building on that momentum, Jen co-founded The Stoop Pigeon, Philadelphia's first dedicated women's sports community hub, a café, coworking space, event venue, and watch destination designed to celebrate women's sports every day. Opening in fall 2026, the space reflects Jen's vision of creating an inclusive home for fans while intentionally partnering with local, women-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, and BIPOC-owned businesses.

A frequent speaker and advocate, Jen has become a recognized leader in the national conversation around the growth of women's sports and the power of community-driven fandom. Whether serving her city as a firefighter or building spaces where women's sports can thrive, Jen's work is driven by the belief that sport has the power to bring people together, strengthen communities, and create lasting change.