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ESPN’s Prim Siripipat is inspired at invitation-only Huffington Post conference

ESPN's Prim Siripipat (R) with Arianna Huffington.
ESPN’s Prim Siripipat (R) with Arianna Huffington.

You know things are going pretty well when a reception at Jon Bon Jovi’s lower Manhattan penthouse doesn’t top your list of the day’s experiences.

Last week, ESPN anchor Prim Siripipat didn’t need to live on any prayers, reality — just a few floors beneath Bon Jovi’s lair — was plenty good enough.

The day was highlighted by a conference hosted by Arianna Huffington — chair, president, and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post — dubbed “The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money & Power.” Its purpose: “Bringing together women — and a few good men — to focus on redefining success to include well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder and our ability to make a difference in the world,” according to huffingtonpost.com.

“It was one of the most powerful, inspiring, and significant days I have ever experienced in my entire life, professionally and personally,” said Siripipat, who joined ESPN in March 2011 and is responsible for writing and hosting a variety of shows for ESPN.com and television, including the well-received espnW web show, “The Word.”

Among the 150 VIP guests and panelists joining Siripipat in Huffington’s condo were ABC talk show host, Katie Couric; Good Morning America anchor, George Stephanopoulos; Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie B. Jarrett; U.S. Senator for Missouri, Claire McCaskill; Co-CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey; VP of Google, Megan Smith; and actor, Ed Norton.

Siripipat was invited to the event by Huffington Post Chief-Of-Staff Dan Koh, a big sports fan whom Siripipat met when she was emcee for an espnW event last June that Huffington spoke at. They have stayed in contact since.

“After he invited me and provided details, I immediately responded with an exclamatory ‘Yes!’ without even looking at my schedule,” she said. “My second thought was how honored I felt just to get an invite.”

There was also a surprise visitor at the event.

“When [The View co-host] Barbara Walters entered the room in the afternoon, you could hear whispers across the room,” Siripipat said. “She, literally, sat two feet away from me. I hardly ever get starstruck, but when Barbara sat next to me, I couldn’t stop staring and smiling.

“Being surrounded by some of the most powerful, successful and intelligent women in our country was so empowering,” said the former Duke University tennis player. “This opportunity came at a wonderful time, too, because they addressed many of the issues that I have, and continue to deal with. To know that other women struggle with some of these issues was comforting, but also uplifting because they have found a way through it all.”

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