*The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) announced today Katrina M. Adams, the first African-American and youngest Chairman of the Board, CEO, and President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), as the recipient of the 2017 Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award.
Adams will be honored, along with the previously announced 2017 Next Generation Leaders and Luminaries, at the 31st Annual NAMIC Conference during the NAMIC Annual Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. ET at the New York Marriott Marquis.
“Katrina M. Adams’ personal and professional commitment to diversity and inclusion as head of the USTA and executive director of the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program, is an inspiration to us all,” said NAMIC President and CEO Eglon E. Simons. “In addition, her trailblazing work advancing the concerns of people of color – in the sports and entertainment industries – makes her the quintessential Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award honoree.”
NAMIC’s Mickey Leland Humanitarian Achievement Award, among the highest honors within the communications industry, was established in 1992 to commemorate anti-poverty activist George Thomas “Mickey” Leland, an eponymous Texas Congressman and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, for his lifelong advocacy for social justice and equality for people around the world.
Adams joins an impressive slate of alumni, such as Maria Elena Salinas, Stuart Scott, Paula Madison, Marc Morial, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Anderson Cooper, Soledad O’Brien, Robert L. Johnson and others.
“It is a privilege to be the recipient of an award honoring and paying tribute to Congressman Leland’s legacy,” said Adams. “The path he set forth with his social justice advocacy work serves as a daily reminder of how truly important it is to continue my mission to engage, support, and positively impact youth and families of diverse communities so they may succeed through the sport of tennis and ultimately in life.”
Currently in her second two-year term as the USTA’s chairman of the board, CEO and president, Adams also serves as chairman of the US Open, which this year saw four Americans – Madison Keys, Sloane Stephens, CoCo Vandeweghe and Venus Williams – in the women’s semi-finals for the first time since 1985. Stephens went on to claim her first major title as the winner of the 2017 US Open.
Under her leadership as the executive director, the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program has grown from 80 young participants to more than 1,000 year-round, and from a budget of $150,000 to more than $1,000,000. In addition to her duties with HJTEP and USTA, Adams is a contributor on CBS Sports Network’s first all-female sports show, “We Need to Talk.” She also serves as a television analyst for Tennis Channel and as a contributor to Tennis Magazine and tennis.com, providing instructional articles and videos.
An accomplished pro tennis player, Adams competed for 12 years on the WTA tour. She ranked as high as No. 67 in the world in singles and No. 8 in doubles, winning 20 career doubles titles and reaching the quarterfinals or better in doubles at all four Grand Slam events. Her best Grand Slam singles result was reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1988.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
