NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today named HP, Inc.’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Lesley Slaton Brown as the organization’s new Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer.  Slaton Brown will start her position on Feb. 1 and report to NBA President, Administration Kyle Cavanaugh.

In her role, Slaton Brown will be responsible for driving ongoing DEI efforts for the NBA and its teams.  She will work with the league’s Chief People Officer and the teams’ diversity and inclusion leaders to implement and advance DEI processes, including the recruitment and retention of diverse talent, the development and enhancement of employee resource programs, and setting and assessing metrics for success.

Slaton Brown joins the NBA from HP, Inc., where she served as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer since 2015.  At HP, she developed the company’s 10-year DEI and Racial Equality and Social Justice strategy, yielding the internal movement and advancement of more than 78 percent of underrepresented employees.  As part of this role, she led inclusive and equitable talent acquisition programs and partnerships, and developed training and education for 5,500 leaders and hiring managers globally.  In addition, Slaton Brown worked closely with leaders to develop industry-leading practices to drive accountability with key partners for greater DEI impact.

Previously, Slaton Brown served as a consultant and co-founded Curated Pathways to Innovation (CPI), a personalized learning platform focused on increasing the number of women and people of color in technology and other industries.  Earlier in her career, she spent 20 years with Hewlett-Packard Company, where she rose to Director, Global Diversity and Executive on Loan, following roles within multicultural and global philanthropy, leading key efforts in Senegal, West Africa.

“Lesley brings with her significant experience in setting and implementing strategies that help companies like ours attract, develop and retain diverse talent while fostering an inclusive culture,” said Cavanaugh.  “These remain priorities of our business and we look forward to welcoming her to the NBA’s leadership team.”

“I’m honored to join the NBA at such an impactful time for a business that has a unique influence on our culture,” said Slaton Brown.  “I’m excited to bring my passion, knowledge and deep understanding of best-in-class strategies to the industry.  The NBA’s desire to prioritize inclusion and equity throughout the league and across all demographics and cultures globally is what attracted me to this position.  I look forward to working and collaborating with this esteemed and motivated leadership team.”

Slaton Brown was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity by Black Enterprise, a Top Influential Woman in Corporate America by Forbes Magazine, and DEI Trailblazer by Business Insider.  Most recently, she was named Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year by Girls in Tech.

Slaton Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Boise State University, where she played basketball.  She also completed the Black Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.  She is currently a member of the University of California Merced Board of Trustees, Curated Pathways to Innovation’s (CPI) Board of Directors, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Business Dean’s Roundtable’s Advisory Board.  Slaton Brown is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.