Leadership Tuesdays: Grow Up To Be The Best You Can Be...Laurel Richie

I think that you should grow up to be whoever you are. Don't try to follow the crowd. Don't try to be somebody else. Find the wherewithal to be yourself. I really believe that if you do what you love and do what makes you happy, you'll be sitting in chairs bigger than this one (i.e., WNBA President).

--Laurel J. Richie, President, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)

Twice a month on Tuesdays, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. This week, Leadership Tuesdays is featuring Laurel J. Richie, the first African American president of the WNBA and the first African American to head a U.S. professional sports league. She was named to her current position in April 2011.

On Friday, May 18, 2012, the WNBA will kick-off its 16th season as Ms. Richie nears her first anniversary. With play as competitive as ever, teams filled with the nation's top female basketball players, and some of the most passionate fans around, Richie is building upon the league's current success. And although she has no previous connection to the sport, this seasoned business executive brings a wealth of marketing experience in consumer marketing, corporate branding, public relations, and corporate management. 

In a video from the NBA TV Network, Ms. Richie talks about the current state of the WNBA and what she hopes to accomplish in moving the league forward. To learn more about Laurel Richie and view the  Leadership Tuesdays' feature, click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays, see here.