As we gear up for CNBC x Boardroom’s Game Plan conference this summer, let’s learn more about one of the event’s featured speakers, NWSL Commisioner Jessica Berman.
In a first-of-its-kind partnership, CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, and Boardroom, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s premier media brand covering the business of sports, music, and entertainment, are teaming up to produce CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan, an all-new, high-powered event taking place on July 25 in Los Angeles. Today, we’re highlighting featured speaker Jessica Berman, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League. Click here to view the full list of CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan speakers.
NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman began her four-year term at the helm of the league in 2022. Throughout the search process, the players were primary stakeholders in identifying the next person to lead the emerging organization, and Berman’s past experiences uniquely positioned her for the task.
Prior to assuming her role, Berman built a career championing both athletes and fans as the deputy commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. She was also the first-ever woman to hold the deputy commissioner position in a professional men’s league in the United States. Before that, she spent 13 years with the NHL, ending her time with dual roles as the Vice President of Community Development, Culture & Growth and the Executive Director of the NHL Foundation.
In an interview with the “Attacking Third” podcast, Berman said that her position with the NWSL offers her the opportunity to blend her past experiences, working at the intersections of professional sports leagues and labor relations. She touted the NWSL’s immense promise, explaining “the strength of a sports property built through its partnership with the union.” In her short time with the league, she has helped navigate the implications of the US Soccer investigation and is actively creating a league with the protection of its players at the center.
With record-setting attendance and citywide commitments to the cause, the NWSL is on the precipice of a major breakthrough.
Learn more about Jessica Berman’s Game Plan below.
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Jessica Berman’s Game Plan
Background & Career
- Native of Brooklyn, New York
- Graduate of University of Michigan & Fordham Law School
- 2022-present, Commisioner, NWSL
- 2019-2022, Deputy commissioner & executive vice president of business affairs, National Lacrosse League
- 2006-2019, multiple positions, NHL
- 2003-2006, General Counsel, Proskauer Rose LLP
Accomplishments & Milestones
- UJA-Federation’s David J. Stern Leadership Award (2023)
- Sports Business Journal’s Best Hire of the Year (2022)
- Multichannel News Sports Executive of the Year (2018)
- Sports Business Journal “40 Under 40” honoree (2014)
Click here to learn more about Boardroom and CNBC’s Game Plan event and find out how you can sign up today.
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