Inside the WNBPA’s new Executive Committee

The WNBPA’s Board of Representatives reelected Nneka Ogwumike as the president of the WNBPA to serve for her third term. She has been president since 2016 and has been instrumental in building up the 2020 CBA, described in a press release as “ground-breaking.”

“I’m honored to serve another term as WNBPA President, and to represent the phenomenal members of this historical Union,” Ogwumike said. “I am excited to continue the legacy of the WNBPA.” 

Kelsey Plum joins the WNBPA Executive Committee as the First Vice President of the Union. She has served as a WNBPA team representative for the Las Vegas Aces since 2019. Plum will replace Layshia Clarendon, who has served as the First Vice President for the WNBPA since 2016.

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“I am excited to serve as WNBPA First Vice President and to ensure that the voices of my peers are heard, and that as a league, we continue to be at the forefront of fighting for social justice,” Plum said. 

Plum has been very vocal about players receiving a larger percentage of league revenue.

Washington Mystics forward Elizabeth Williams continues a Secretary, the position she has served since August 2018. She said that her priority as a Secretary is how the WNBA can continue to succeed.

“The needs of all players are a real priority of mine,” Williams said in a statement. “I will continue to be a resource for all players whenever they need me and will always remain open-minded.  I want to continue to share everything that I have learned with all players, from rookies to veterans, and to do my part to make sure this league thrives both now and once I retire.”

Williams also served as point person on a range of fronts for the PA, including the overwhelmingly successful COVID-19 vaccination strategy.

Natalie Achonwa, a winner of the WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in 2020, won the reelection as a Treasurer of the WNBPA. She has served as Treasurer for the WNBPA Executive Committee since August 2020.

Satou Sabally, who was selected second overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2020 WNBA Draft, is reelected for her second term as a Vice President for the WNBPA. She is one of the three vice presidents of the Executive Committee and has been elected since December 2020.

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Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA Champion, and Brianna Turner, a two-time WNBA All-first Defensive Team, will serve as Vice Presidents for the first time in their respective careers.

Stewart won the 2018 WNBA MVP award and two WNBA championships with the Seattle Storm. She used her Twitter page to spread awareness about Brittney Griner, who returned home to the United States last week.

Turner has served as a WNBPA team representative for the Phoenix Mercury since June 2022. She has been vocal on her Twitter page about political issues and is pursuing her master’s degree in Social Justice and Human Rights.

“It can be easy to make assumptions about the league and how it is run,” Turner said. “Instead, I want to be a pivotal part in the decision-making process, and to have a seat at the table to be a part of the business off of the court, and what more we can do to grow our league.”

Both Stewart and Turner will replace Sue Bird and Chiney Ogwumike in the Vice President positions of the WNBPA.

Sue Bird, who retired at the end of the 2022 WNBA Season, has served four years as a member of the Executive Committee. Chiney Ogwumike has served as Vice President of the WNBPA since 2016.

Terri Jackson, Executive Director of the WNBPA, appreciates their contributions to the WNBPA executive committee by Bird, Chiney, and Clarendon.

“We want to thank and extend our deepest appreciation to Chiney, Layshia, and Sue, for the instrumental roles they played in moving the Union forward,” Carmichael Jackson said. “The advances we made to champion workers’ rights, promote pay equity, and drive activism, would not have been possible without them.”