At the start of the summer, the leaders of the most powerful conference in college sports convened in a ballroom in Destin, Florida. A single room held the presidents, athletic directors, football coaches, basketball coaches, compliance officers, and sports information directors (SIDs) of all 14 institutions in the Southeastern Conference. On this day of the annual SEC Spring Meetings, Oris Stuart, the NBA’s Chief People and Inclusion Officer, was leading a workshop. After asking the group to share how their schools try to further their goals of inclusivity and diversity, he zeroed his focus in on one person: a short blonde woman wearing a bright blue dress at the front center table.
Gatekeepers: Meet the Women Behind Kentucky Basketball and Football
