NBA Commissioner Adam Silver continues to push ahead the league’s community affairs efforts, naming Kathy Behrens last week as the NBA’s first president of social responsibility and player programs.
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BEHRENS
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Behrens will oversee all league and player social responsibility programs in her new position. Previously, she was executive vice president of social responsibility and player programs, a position held since 2009. She joined the NBA in 2000 as vice president of community relations.
For the NBA, the move further enhances its social responsibility agenda. While other major sports leagues have social responsibility programs in place as well, none among the NFL, MLB or NHL has a president’s title for its executives who run their respective charity-related programs.
Behrens’ promotion also puts her among the highest-ranking female executives in sports, according to Richard Lapchick, chairman of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program and director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.
“The league has forever been the leader in social responsibility, and this is a statement that the NBA is raising the profile even higher by making her president of social responsibility,” Lapchick said. “It is also a statement that the NBA is making on gender. Kathy has the focus and the vision of what she wants to do with the office.”
Her promotion was announced internally to NBA staff on Wednesday.
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Mitch Richmond talks with New York City pupils as part of the NBA Cares program.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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As with her previous title, Behrens continues to report to Joel Litvin, president of league operations, and manages a staff of 38 employees in three divisions: social responsibility, player development and player marketing.
The league will not fill her former position.
“It’s a reflection on both David [Stern’s] and Adam [Silver’s] commitment [to the league] being leaders in this space and to it being something we believe in wholeheartedly,” said Behrens, noting the NBA’s former and current commissioner. “We focus on the partnerships we have and the ability to shine the light on important issues and give our players meaningful ways to make a difference.”
Behrens, 51, said her new title adds to her responsibilities.
“There is going to be more on my plate,” said Behrens, who in 2011 was recognized as a member of SportsBusiness Journal’s inaugural Game Changers: Women in Sports Business. “I will be working closely with USA Basketball and youth basketball initiatives. I will be doing more special projects with Adam, and I think it’s a reflection that we are continuing to make a huge difference in terms of social responsibility.”
Since the NBA launched its NBA Cares initiatives in 2005, the league, its teams and players have raised and donated more than $242 million to charity; completed more than 3 million hours of community service; and created nearly 1,000 places where children and families can live, learn or play.
The league counts KaBoom!, Special Olympics, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Share Our Strength and GLAAD among its social responsibility partners.
Behrens’ promotion adds to the executive moves made over the past year by Silver, who this month completes his first full year as NBA commissioner. Other notable moves include promoting Mark Tatum to deputy commissioner from executive vice president of global partnerships; naming former executive president and general counsel Bill Koenig president of global media distribution; and promoting Sal LaRocca from executive vice president of global merchandising to president of global operations and merchandising.
