Nikki Fargas and Keia Clarke are making history in the WNBA!
According to Diverse Representation, the duo are currently the only Black women holding CEO or president roles in the league.
Both women have proven to be enhancers to their respective teams. Since 2021, Fargas, a former University of Tennessee student athlete, has held the position of president of the Las Vegas Aces, bringing valuable experience from her tenure as head coach at Louisiana State University, where she led the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances, notes Just Women’s Sports.
Speaking of her appointment in a news release, Fargas said, “We are going to do everything in our power to make our front office the best in the business and provide our players with all the tools they need to bring a championship to Las Vegas.”
Fargas fulfilled that promise in 2022 when the Las Vegas Aces earned their first WNBA championship. What’s more, they doubled that feat by winning again in 2023.
As for Clarke, she has held the torch as the CEO of the New York Liberty since 2020. Per her LinkedIn, she is a Canisius College and New York University graduate with degrees in marketing and sports business. She rose through the ranks with the Liberty beginning first as a marketing manager in 2011 and secured posts that include marketing director (2014-2017); vice president of team business development (2017-2018); and chief operating officer (2018-2020), prior to her current post.
“Keia has an incredible ability to combine strategic thinking, operating excellence, and a focus on people and talent,” said the team’s co-owner Joe Tsai, who also has a majority stake in the Brooklyn Nets, per a news release. “These qualities, plus her unassuming leadership style, will take our Liberty franchise to the next level.”
Clarke is tasked with managing the team’s profits and losses, business operations, and strategic planning, the team’s page lists. She also works side by side with stakeholders to improve sales and increase its fanbase.
Of late, the team has been winning the hearts of more fans in light of their viral mascot, Ellie the Elephant.
Additionally, on Sunday, October 20, 2024, the team earned a WNBA championship, etching themselves in the history books in the process as it marked their first win.
