1. Donna Geils Orender was born on February 14,1957 and is a sports executive and a former collegiate and professional basketball player.
23 Facts About Donna Orender
1. 2.
Donna Orender was formerly president of the Women's National Basketball Association, and senior vice president of the PGA.
3.
Donna Orender played college basketball for Queens College in New York and later professionally in the Women's Professional Basketball League, the first women's pro league in the United States, for three seasons.
4.
Donna Orender belonged to a Conservative synagogue.
5.
Donna Orender attended and played basketball for Elmont High School, in Elmont, New York, and was a five-sport athlete in high school, lettering in field hockey, volleyball, softball, and tennis.
6.
Donna Orender turned down an academic scholarship to the University of Chicago to instead attend Queens College in New York City, New York to play basketball for Lucille Kyvallos.
7.
Donna Orender graduated from Queens College in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
8.
In 2012 Donna Orender was inducted into the Queens College Athletics Hall of Fame.
9.
Under the name Donna Geils, Orender played three seasons in the Women's Pro Basketball League, where she was an All-Star, and one of only 20 women to play in all three seasons of the league.
10.
In 1987, Donna Orender started working for the PGA Tour, where she oversaw their global television and production businesses.
11.
In February 2005, Donna Orender was named the new WNBA president, succeeding Val Ackerman.
12.
Donna Orender's responsibilities included the oversight of all league operations including both the business and competitive aspects of the league.
13.
On December 3,2010, it was announced that Donna Orender would be stepping down from her post effective December 31,2010.
14.
Donna Orender wanted to be around for them as they were growing up, and as they needed her more.
15.
In 2011, Orender registered and launched a 501c3, non-profit organization called Generation W This non-profit organization is used to provide a platform to bring women together to educate, inspire, and connect through mentor-ship and national events.
16.
Donna Orender became the CEO of Generation W when it was founded in 2011.
17.
Donna Orender has been the CEO since it launched in 2011.
18.
Donna Orender has been appointed and elected to serve on several organizations' executive board committees:.
19.
In 1990, Donna Orender moved from New York to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, where she resides with her husband.
20.
Donna Orender is a member of the Jacksonville Jewish Center.
21.
Donna Orender met her future husband Carnace Donna Orender while both were working for PGA of America.
22.
From her marriage, Donna Orender is mother to two stepchildren, Morgan and Colleen Donna Orender.
23.
Donna Orender is friends with Ann Meyers Drysdale, whom she met in 1979 while playing in the WBL.