Full Name
Donna Orender
Job Title
Commissioner
Company
Upshot League
Speaker Bio
Donna Orender is a respected corporate leader, board member, and change-maker with a proven track record in strategic growth, brand revitalization, and innovative business development across sports, entertainment, and digital media. She brings a unique combination of strategic focus, operational expertise, and entrepreneurial vision to every role, having guided organizations through transformation, economic challenges, and rapid growth.
Donna currently serves as CEO of Orender Unlimited and as the founder, investor, and Commissioner of the Upshot League, a newly launched professional women’s basketball league created in partnership with Zawyer Sports. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the Upshot League brings fresh energy to the sport, expanding opportunities for women athletes and creating new connections with fans nationwide.
Her board experience includes serving as a founding member of the World Surf League (WSL)—where she contributes to the global media and digital committee— and as Audit Committee Chair for the publicly traded Goal Acquisition Corporation, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping acquisition strategy. She also serves on the boards of the V Foundation for Cancer Research (nominating and compensation committees) and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.
A trailblazer in sports leadership, Donna served six years as Commissioner and President of the WNBA, revitalizing the brand and driving growth in attendance, TV ratings, sponsorship, merchandise sales, and digital engagement. Before that, she spent 17 years at the PGA TOUR as an executive in the Office of the Commissioner, leading global production, programming, distribution, brand, and digital businesses. Her vision fueled groundbreaking innovations, including the creation of PGA TOUR Radio, SHOTLINK (the TOUR’s data and technology platform), and transformative television rights strategies.
Her early career includes founding a successful production company, producing and directing sports and entertainment content, and advising on feature films and documentaries. In 2012, Donna founded Generation W, a nonprofit dedicated to educating, inspiring, and connecting women and girls to build inclusive, empowered communities—impacting thousands of lives nationwide.
Donna’s achievements have earned her recognition as one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports, one of Newsweek’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports, and recipient of honors including the March of Dimes Sports Leadership Award and the UJA-Federation of New York’s community leadership award. A Hall of Fame athlete at Queens College and inductee into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, she is also the best-selling author of WOWsdom! The Girl’s Guide to the Positive and the Possible.
A sought-after speaker on leadership, teamwork, motivation, and diversity, Donna is known for her creativity, approachable style, and ability to inspire action.
Donna currently serves as CEO of Orender Unlimited and as the founder, investor, and Commissioner of the Upshot League, a newly launched professional women’s basketball league created in partnership with Zawyer Sports. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the Upshot League brings fresh energy to the sport, expanding opportunities for women athletes and creating new connections with fans nationwide.
Her board experience includes serving as a founding member of the World Surf League (WSL)—where she contributes to the global media and digital committee— and as Audit Committee Chair for the publicly traded Goal Acquisition Corporation, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping acquisition strategy. She also serves on the boards of the V Foundation for Cancer Research (nominating and compensation committees) and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.
A trailblazer in sports leadership, Donna served six years as Commissioner and President of the WNBA, revitalizing the brand and driving growth in attendance, TV ratings, sponsorship, merchandise sales, and digital engagement. Before that, she spent 17 years at the PGA TOUR as an executive in the Office of the Commissioner, leading global production, programming, distribution, brand, and digital businesses. Her vision fueled groundbreaking innovations, including the creation of PGA TOUR Radio, SHOTLINK (the TOUR’s data and technology platform), and transformative television rights strategies.
Her early career includes founding a successful production company, producing and directing sports and entertainment content, and advising on feature films and documentaries. In 2012, Donna founded Generation W, a nonprofit dedicated to educating, inspiring, and connecting women and girls to build inclusive, empowered communities—impacting thousands of lives nationwide.
Donna’s achievements have earned her recognition as one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports, one of Newsweek’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports, and recipient of honors including the March of Dimes Sports Leadership Award and the UJA-Federation of New York’s community leadership award. A Hall of Fame athlete at Queens College and inductee into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, she is also the best-selling author of WOWsdom! The Girl’s Guide to the Positive and the Possible.
A sought-after speaker on leadership, teamwork, motivation, and diversity, Donna is known for her creativity, approachable style, and ability to inspire action.
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