Source: Michael Tran / Getty
Kiesha Nix has made history as the first Black woman to become a vice president within the Los Angeles Lakers organization. Nix is now the vice president of charitable affairs for the Lakers after being promoted from executive director for the Community Lakers Youth Foundation Sports Illustrated reported.
Nix has spent her three-decade career doing philanthropy work that was often outside of her job description. Nix has managed investments at Merill Lynch and Bank of America for most of her career and dedicated her spare time to volunteering and raising money through the organization’s charities.
“It was not part of my normal day-to-day job responsibilities, but I did that work for 18 years,” she said. “I saw it as a way to bridge the gap between our clients and the kids in South Central, Watts and Compton because that’s where I grew up.”
“I started out at the bottom of the totem pole almost 30 years ago as a project manager at Merrill Lynch, and by the time I left, I was negotiating contracts on behalf of Bank of America after the two institutions merged,” she told Sports Illustrated.
When she left her position and transferred to the community relations department, she blossomed. She was able to put her other talents to work and surely did not disappoint. During her first year in the department, she broke a record by raising over $400,000 in one day at an annual golf tournament, which was the most ever. Due to her impact, she was able to snag the vice president position within the Los Angeles Lakers organization off of a recommendation.
Lakers president Jeannie Buss called Lon Rosen, the executive vice president of the Los Angeles Dodgers, when she was looking for someone to take over the Laker’s charity foundation and Rosen recommended Nix. The rest was herstory.
“I think being the first Black woman vice president here is exciting,” Nix said. “I once heard Jeannie Buss say when she became the first female team owner to win a championship that it’s O.K. to be the first, but you can’t be the only. I’ve adopted that mentality, and I’m looking to help the next generation of leaders to take my place.”
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