Golden State WNBA team has named its president

The WNBA’s Bay Area franchise hired Jess Smith as its president on Tuesday morning.

Smith comes to the Bay Area from Los Angeles, where she worked as the head of revenue for Angel City Football Club of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Smith will handle all business operations and report to Brandon Schneider, the Warriors’ president and chief operating officer.

“Jess is a proven leader and the perfect fit to guide our WNBA team as we begin this exciting new endeavor,” Schneider said in a statement. “She brings a strategic and innovative business approach, in addition to an impressive track record for exceeding financial and overall goals. Those intangibles will benefit us greatly as we aim to build a world class franchise that will establish strong and impactful business initiatives off the court and compete for championships on it. We are excited to welcome Jess to the Golden State family.”

Smith has 18 years of professional sports experience, including in the Bay Area, where she spent three years working in sponsorship for the San Jose Earthquakes. She’s also worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Oakland A’s.

“It is an incredible opportunity to build a WNBA team with the backing of Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and the commitment from the Warriors’ Executive Team, led by Brandon Schneider,” said Smith. “Women’s sports fans demand—and deserve—authenticity and a commitment to greatness, two characteristics that the Warriors organization has strongly demonstrated. That is what attracted me to this role. The team’s significant initial investment in the WNBA is just a preview of what’s to come for sports fans in the Bay Area and around the world. I cannot wait to join this franchise with the opportunity to impact and transform our local community and the women’s sports ecosystem.”

She’ll begin with the Warriors in mid-February.

The Warriors’ WNBA team will begin play in 2025 and will play home games at Chase Center, though it’ll be headquartered at the Warriors’ practice facility in Oakland.