Karen Bryant has been a visionary for women’s professional basketball for nearly 20 years, as she was key in Seattle being awarded a WNBA franchise in 2000 and recently stepped down from said franchise as President and CEO following the 2014 season.
She started in professional sports in 1996 when she was recruited to serve as the Director of Operations during the American Basketball League’s Seattle Reign’s inaugural season. After the dissolution of the ABL, her leadership coupled with the support of the Seattle Supersonics brought the WNBA’s Seattle Storm to the Emerald City in 2000.
As President and CEO of the Seattle Storm until her recent resignation, she oversaw business and basketball operations for an organization that won the WNBA championships in 2004 and 2010.
Bryant also holds several community awards including Seattle Sports Commission Executive of the Year (2011), Puget Sound Business Journal Women of Influence (2005), Girl Scouts of America’s Women of Distinction (2011), among others.
She has also previously served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Clubs of King County, Special Olympics Washington, Girl Scouts – Totem Council, and King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.