Keia Clarke

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Keia Clarke – CEO

Keia Clarke is Chief Executive Officer of the New York Liberty, where she leads all business aspects of the Liberty organization, including oversight of the P&L, business operations, and strategic planning. Under her transformational business leadership, the Liberty won the team’s first WNBA championship in franchise history and New York City’s first professional basketball championship since 1973.

As CEO, Clarke led a multi-year strategy to engage stakeholders across the industry to optimize business performance, maximize sales, grow the team’s fan base, and increase accessibility through innovative broadcast and digital solutions, culminating in a historic 2024 season where the Liberty set the WNBA’s all-time single-game gate receipt revenue record twice and solidified the team as a leading sports brand synonymous with business growth, on-court success, community engagement, and authentic cultural influence.

Prior to the 2024 season, Keia negotiated a distribution deal with WNYW FOX5 New York to become the Official TV partner of the New York Liberty, marking the network’s first-ever women’s professional sports team – which is available in more than 7.5 million households throughout the New York Tri-State area. After enjoying a successful inaugural year where the Liberty’s local TV viewership increased 129% year-over-year, a multi-year partnership extension was signed in 2025. Additionally, under Clarke’s direction, the team launched Liberty Live, its very own direct-to-consumer streaming platform.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Clarke led the team’s full-time transition to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Before being promoted to CEO in 2020, Clarke was Chief Operating Officer of the team for two seasons.

Among her many distinctions, Clarke was recently named to CNBC’s Inaugural Changemakers Class of 2024 and featured in Essence Magazine, highlighting her impact on the WNBA’s cultural revolution as a leading Black woman in sports. Clarke was also selected to Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers Class of 2023, Adweek’s 2022 Most Powerful Women in Sports, WISE NYC Metro’s Women of Inspiration, INvolve’s 2020 list of Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives, Sports Illustrated’s The Unrelenting list, and Crain’s New York Business’ 2019 Notable Women in the Business of Sports. Additionally, she serves on the Sports Innovation Lab Women’s Leadership Board and The Ladies of Hope Ministries Board of Directors.

Clarke is entering her 15th season with the Liberty, having previously served as the team’s Vice President for Team Business Development, Director of Marketing, and Marketing Manager. In her marketing roles, Clarke collaborated with marketing partnerships, ticket sales, event presentation, and community relations to deliver first-class experiences for Liberty fans each summer.

Prior to joining the Liberty, Clarke worked on all areas of WNBA business as a member of Team Marketing & Business Operations (TMBO) at the NBA/WNBA league office. She also worked as a Marketing Analyst for Golf Digest Magazine and began her career as an Account Executive for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Clarke attended Canisius College where she was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team, graduating in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. She went on to earn a Master’s in Sports Business from New York University in 2006. In 2022, Keia graduated from Harvard Business School upon completion of the Advanced Management Program (AMP).

Clarke resides in New Jersey with her husband, Brian, and their two children, daughter Avery and son Gavin.