Lives of Consequence
Donna Daniels '86
NBA, Vice President, Team Marketing and Business Operations
Currently vice president of content and strategic initiatives, Donna Daniels '86 is a member of the NBA's Team Marketing and Business Operations department. Among her many responsibilities, she has helped oversee the launch of both the Tulsa Shock and Atlanta Dream in the WNBA and leads a talented group that identifies and develops best practices in the areas of ticket sales and marketing on behalf of teams in the NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League.
Daniels started her career at the NBA as manager of media programs and then marketing partnerships, developing and implementing domestic and international promotions as well as selling broadcast and print media packages for the NBA and USA Basketball. As a director of marketing partnerships, she established and executed fully integrated marketing plans for partners such as Nike, Lady Foot Locker, McDonald's and American Express.
During her tenure, she also has served as vice president of marketing for the NBA D-League, as well as team president for Roanoke, Virginia's D-League team Roanoke Dazzle during its inaugural season (2001). Daniels returned to her home state of Virginia to start the highly anticipated D-League franchise. As team president, she was responsible for managing all of the team's operations including business affairs, human resources, community relations, ticket sales, marketing, promotions and communications.
Daniels graduated from William Smith with bachelor's degree in English. She was born in Buffalo, N.Y., and after spending many years moving to several places in upstate New York and Connecticut, graduated from high school in Charlottesville, Virginia. She started her sports career with Madison Square Garden Radio in media sales and went on to work for MSG Network and Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising as a sports media buyer.