Lisa Borders

As President and CEO of Times Up, Lisa Borders has nearly 30 years of experience in operations, marketing, government relations and public service. Previously, as President of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Borders was responsible for setting the vision for the WNBA and overseeing the league’s day-to-day business and basketball operations. In 2016, Borders’ first year at the helm, the WNBA scored its highest attendance in five years and included record marks for digital, social media and retail. In addition, the league experienced double-digit growth in television viewership on ESPN Networks and welcomed several new league partners, including Verizon as the WNBA’s marquee partner. In 2017, the League welcomed Twitter as a distribution partner and introduced fantasy gaming through a partnership with FanDuel. Additionally, and for the first time, the League was featured in the NBA Live video game with every WNBA player having an avatar for participation in the game. As the 2018 Season begins, the WNBA had the highest watched DRAFT in four years. Borders has worked and delivered results in all three sectors: public, private and non-profit. Prior to joining the WNBA, she served as Vice President, Global Community Affairs at The Coca-Cola Company and Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation. She led the strategy and execution for deploying 1% of the company’s operating income in communities across the globe. Borders was instrumental in bringing the WNBA to Atlanta in 2008, when she served as Vice Mayor of Atlanta and President of the City Council. In that role, Borders was responsible for managing the legislative branch of government and maintaining the relationship with the Mayor’s office during Mayor Shirley Franklin’s administration. She was also President of the Grady Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of Grady Health System, Georgia’s largest public hospital and metro-Atlanta’s premier level I trauma center. She led a five year, $325 million Capital Campaign for the health system, completing it ahead of schedule in just four years. Borders’ work in the community has focused primarily on family issues in the areas of education, healthcare and housing. She serves as a trustee of Duke University and The Westminster Schools and she is an advisory board member of Operation Hope. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Association of National Advertisers’ #SeeHer initiative, ensuring the positive portrayal of women and girls in media. Borders also supports the #SheIS movement along with Commissioners of several women’s professional sports leagues in the USA and Canada. As a co-founder of No Labels, Borders remains deeply engaged with public policy. She has received numerous honors and consistent recognition for her corporate and civic work, including the Forbes.com, Most Powerful Women In U.S. Sports 2018.

Borders holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a master’s of science in health administration from the University of Colorado. She has a son, Dijon Bowden, who is a photojournalist and film producer in California.