Karen Bryant
Los Angeles Sparks
PositionChief Administrative Officer
General Manager
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1967-08-24) August 24, 1967
United States
Career information
CollegeWashington

Karen Bryant (born August 24, 1967) is the Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. Before joining the Sparks, Bryant started her professional sports career in the American Basketball League from 1996 to 1998. Bryant started out as the director of basketball operations for the Seattle Reign in 1996 before being named general manager in 1998. After the ABL closed in 1998, Bryant joined the WNBA as part of the newly formed Seattle Storm in 1999. With the Storm, Bryant held multiple executive positions between 1999 and 2014. Her executive roles with the Storm included chief operating officer from 2003 to 2008 and chief executive officer between 2008 and 2014.

Early life and education

In the late 1960s, Bryant was born in Edmonds, Washington.[1] As a child, Bryant played wiffle ball and association football before deciding on basketball in elementary school.[2] From the 1980s to 1990s, Bryant continued to play basketball while completing her high school and post-secondary education. Bryant attended Green River Community College and Seattle University for two years each before moving to the University of Washington in 1990.[3] A year later, Bryant received a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and specialized in communications.[4]

Career

After completing her post-secondary education, Bryant coached the girls basketball team at Woodinville High School between 1993 and 1996.[3] Bryant then worked in project management before joining the American Basketball League in 1996.[5] While in the ABL, Bryant started out as the director of basketball operations for the Seattle Reign. After becoming an assistant general manager for the Reign, Bryant was named their general manager in February 1998 after Jim Weyermann stepped down from his position.[6][7] In December 1998, Bryant ended her general manager position with the Reign upon the closure of the ABL.[8]

In 1999, Bryant joined the newly formed Seattle Storm in the WNBA as their vice president. She remained as the Storm's vice president until she was named chief operating officer in November 2003.[9] While adding an executive position in communications in 2006, Bryant continued to work as chief operating officer until becoming the Storm's chief executive officer in 2008.[10][11] Bryant remained as CEO until she left the Storm in 2014 and was replaced by Alisha Valavanis.[12] After ending her basketball position, Bryant switched to football safety after she joined Atavus Sports in 2017 as their chief operating officer.[13] In 2021, Bryant began working in consulting when she helped create KB2 Sports. The following year, Bryant became a co-owner of the NJ/NY Gotham FC.[14]

On January 3, 2023, Bryant was named the new Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager of the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.[15]

Personal life

Bryant has one child.[8][3]

References

  1. ↑ Evans, Jayda (January 3, 2014). "Karen Bryant to step down as president and CEO of Storm". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Seattle Storm: 15 Year History with Karen Bryant Part One: All In". WNBA. 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Brewer, Jerry (July 26, 2014). "Storm's Karen Bryant, first executive of women's basketball in Seattle, starts a new life". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Thompson, Erica. "Bryant ('91) has weathered all the storms, still going strong". Department of Communication University of Washington. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  5. ↑ Myhre, Rich (July 17, 2008). "Perfect Storm". The Everett Herald. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "Storm President and CEO Karen Bryant". WNBA. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Wallingford, John (February 18, 1998). "THE ABL: Holder remains with Reign; Bryant new GM". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 Evans, Jayda (October 11, 2010). "Storm CEO Karen Bryant has a winning plan". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "A moment with ... Karen Bryant, Storm COO". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 19, 2004. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Seattle Sonics & Storm promote Karen Bryant to senior VP of communications and community development". Our SportsCentral. June 6, 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "Storm Announces Bryant as New CEO". Our SportsCentral. March 5, 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  12. ↑ Evans, Jayda (June 19, 2014). "Storm hires Alisha Valavanis to replace outgoing CEO Karen Bryant". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  13. ↑ Garnick, Carol (June 3, 2018). "Former Seattle Storm CEO Karen Bryant tackles football crisis at Atavus Sports". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  14. ↑ "NWSL Gotham FC adds Bernert, Bryant as investors". Sports Business Journal. March 15, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Los Angeles Sparks Name Leading Industry Executive Karen Bryant Chief Administrative Officer & General Manager". sparks.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
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