Skip to main content

Search TrendsNew Ads Appearances Podcasts API

We value your privacy

We use cookies to understand how you use our platform and to improve your experience. Click “Accept All” to consent, or “Decline non-essential” to opt out of non-essential cookies. Read our Privacy Policy.

She What?

Philadelphia Sisters: Ashley and Alex

Jul 15, 2026 · 34 min · 12 segments

Four friends. One bold idea. This She What? episode pulls back the curtain on a movement that changed the future of women's sports in Philadelphia. Ashley Lunkenheimer and Alex Niedbalski-Sykes share…

Four friends. One bold idea. This She What? episode pulls back the curtain on a movement that changed the future of women's sports in Philadelphia. Ashley Lunkenheimer and Alex Niedbalski-Sykes share how friendship, persistence, and believing in a dream helped bring the WNBA and professional women's tennis (back) to Philly. The Philadelphia Sisters prove that when women support other women, entire communities benefit. You can follow the Philly Sisters journey on their website or on their Instagram. And don't miss out on the chance to attend the upcoming tennis tournament, Ennoble Care Philly Open, from August 23 - 29. Tickets and event details are here. For more, visit She *What?* on Instagram. Brought to you by Capital Health Credits: Producer and Host: Jess Downey Producer and Host: Maureen Petrosky Producer and Editor: Leigh Iacobucci Artwork: Peter Yates Design Know someone with a great She What? story? Tell us about her!

Four friends. One bold idea. This She What? episode pulls back the curtain on a movement that changed the future of women's sports in Philadelphia. Ashley Lunkenheimer and Alex Niedbalski-Sykes share…

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈84k followers

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Speakers: Ashley LunkenheimerGuestAlex Niedbalski SykesGuestMaureen PetroskyHostJess DowneyHost

Top entities: Philadelphia×37 Ashley Lunkenheimer×19 WNBA×15 New York×4 Wanda Sykes×2

Housekeeping & Guest Tease1:14 – 2:28

Jess DowneyHost

1:14

Hi, Maureen.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:16

I wanna remind our listeners to follow She What!? Podcast on Instagram and of course tell a friend to follow too wherever they stream their shows.

Jess DowneyHost

1:24

Of course, don't leave out your friends, especially for today's guest.

Jess DowneyHost

1:28

They totally prove the power of friendship.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:30

Today's pod is such a good one.

Jess DowneyHost

1:32

We are so excited for you to meet Alex Niedbalski Sykes and Ashley Lunkenheimer.

Jess DowneyHost

1:38

Alex was born in Paris, but chose to live in Philly.

Jess DowneyHost

1:41

Can I get an amen?

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:43

Or a She What!?

Jess DowneyHost

1:44

[laughs] She's also an international business executive and a sports strategist.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:49

And Ashley is our local girl, a healthcare lawyer, and a former federal prosecutor.

Jess DowneyHost

1:55

These two women were total powerhouses on their own.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:57

Mm-hmm.

Jess DowneyHost

1:58

But when they got together and decided to make it their mission to bring women's sports to Philly, nothing was gonna stop them.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:04

They started the Philadelphia Sisters, which is a grassroots movement bringing professional women's sports to Philly.

Jess DowneyHost

2:10

Yeah.

Jess DowneyHost

2:10

Thanks to them, we're getting a freaking WNBA team in 2030.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:14

[laughs] But what they're doing is about so much more than sports.

Jess DowneyHost

2:18

It's about a commitment to community, to the power of girls playing sports, and really most importantly, to each other.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:24

Yeah.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:25

We can all learn a lot from them, plus they're hilarious, so stick around.

PhiladelphiaCityCity in Pennsylvania
99%37 mentions
Ashley LunkenheimerPersonPolitician
96%19 mentions
WNBASports OrganizationLeague
93%15 mentions
New YorkCityCity in New York State
90%4 mentions
Wanda SykesPersonAmerican comedian and actress
88%2 mentions
FrenchLanguageSpoken language
85%4 mentions
Martina NavratilovaPersonCzech-American former tennis player
82%2 mentions
ParisCityCapital of France
79%6 mentions
LinktreeWebsiteSite
76%1 mention
Women's Tennis AssociationCompanyCorporation
74%6 mentions
TodayTV SeriesAmerican television show
71%1 mention
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
68%5 mentions
Billie Jean KingPersonAmerican tennis player
65%2 mentions
Theodore RooseveltPerson26th U.S. President
63%2 mentions
National Women's Soccer LeagueSports OrganizationSoccer league
60%1 mention
CBS MorningsTV SeriesTelevision program
57%1 mention
MiamiCityCity in Florida
54%4 mentions
EnglishEntitySpoken language
51%2 mentions
MichelangeloPersonItalian sculptor and painter
49%1 mention
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
46%3 mentions
Girl Scouts of the USACompany
43%1 mention
DeloitteCompanyCompany
40%1 mention
Schuylkill RiverRiverRiver in Pennsylvania
38%1 mention
HungaryCountryCountry in Europe
35%1 mention
Magic JohnsonPersonAmerican businessman and former basketball player
32%1 mention
Larry BirdPersonAmerican former basketball player and coach
29%1 mention
ComcastCompanyTelecommunications company
26%1 mention
EnglandCountryUK constituent country
24%1 mention
EuropeContinentContinent
21%1 mention
Martin Luther King Jr.PersonAmerican civil rights activist
18%1 mention
Ludwig van BeethovenPersonGerman composer and conductor
15%1 mention
EarthPlacePlanet
13%1 mention
Epidemic SoundCompanyMusic company
10%1 mention
Rocky StepsTourist AttractionMuseum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7%1 mention
William ShakespearePersonEnglish playwright and poet
4%1 mention
U.S. Women’s Open presented by AllySports OrganizationSports club
1%1 mention

Society
MediaEntertainment
Community DevelopmentPolitics > Local Government
Public PolicyPolitics > Local Government > Community Development
Community EngagementSociety > Women Empowerment
PodcastsEntertainment > Media
Sports ManagementBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Startups
Women EmpowermentSociety
Local GovernmentPolitics
Sports PersonalitiesEntertainment > Media > Podcasts > Interviews
InterviewsEntertainment > Media > Podcasts
Sports
Politics
Entertainment
Business
EntrepreneurshipBusiness
Women's SportsSports
BasketballSports > Women's Sports > Team Sports
WNBASports > Women's Sports > Team Sports > Basketball
Sports AdvocacySociety > Women Empowerment > Community Engagement
Youth ProgramsSociety > Women Empowerment > Community Engagement > Sports Advocacy
FundingBusiness > Entrepreneurship > Startups > Sports Management
Women's RepresentationPolitics > Local Government > Community Development > Public Policy
StartupsBusiness > Entrepreneurship
Team SportsSports > Women's Sports

Housekeeping & Guest Tease1:14 – 2:28

Jess DowneyHost

1:14

Hi, Maureen.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:16

I wanna remind our listeners to follow She What!? Podcast on Instagram and of course tell a friend to follow too wherever they stream their shows.

Jess DowneyHost

1:24

Of course, don't leave out your friends, especially for today's guest.

Jess DowneyHost

1:28

They totally prove the power of friendship.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:30

Today's pod is such a good one.

Jess DowneyHost

1:32

We are so excited for you to meet Alex Niedbalski Sykes and Ashley Lunkenheimer.

Jess DowneyHost

1:38

Alex was born in Paris, but chose to live in Philly.

Jess DowneyHost

1:41

Can I get an amen?

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:43

Or a She What!?

Jess DowneyHost

1:44

[laughs] She's also an international business executive and a sports strategist.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:49

And Ashley is our local girl, a healthcare lawyer, and a former federal prosecutor.

Jess DowneyHost

1:55

These two women were total powerhouses on their own.

Maureen PetroskyHost

1:57

Mm-hmm.

Jess DowneyHost

1:58

But when they got together and decided to make it their mission to bring women's sports to Philly, nothing was gonna stop them.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:04

They started the Philadelphia Sisters, which is a grassroots movement bringing professional women's sports to Philly.

Jess DowneyHost

2:10

Yeah.

Jess DowneyHost

2:10

Thanks to them, we're getting a freaking WNBA team in 2030.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:14

[laughs] But what they're doing is about so much more than sports.

Jess DowneyHost

2:18

It's about a commitment to community, to the power of girls playing sports, and really most importantly, to each other.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:24

Yeah.

Maureen PetroskyHost

2:25

We can all learn a lot from them, plus they're hilarious, so stick around.

Sign up to see more

The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode

Create an account Already have an account? Log in

No account is needed to search Radar.