Lauren Sills

Lauren Sills is a corporate foundation and social responsibility expert currently serving as the Head of Operations for the NBA Foundation, the League’s first-ever charitable foundation, founded in 2020. A proud alumna of Spelman College, located in Atlanta. Lauren has dedicated her 15-year career to service-oriented professional endeavors related to helping underserved communities have a voice at the table.

At the NBA, Lauren leads day-to-day operations, overseeing the Foundation’s $30 million budget, strategic communications, grantmaking, and signature programs that support Black youth and small business entrepreneurship. Her extensive experience spans various industries, including nonprofits, government entities, financial services, and sports related firms with a consistent focus on supporting and investing in communities of color.

Before joining the NBA, Lauren led philanthropy and community partnerships for the East Coast at Nike Inc. and managed the largest employee volunteer program at the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Her career began as a high school teacher with Teach for America in Los Angeles, followed by roles in training and organizing young people at Generation Progress, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., and serving as a Staffer on Capitol Hill with U.S. Senator Tom Carper.

Lauren holds a master’s degree in education from Loyola Marymount University, in Los Angeles. In her spare time, she serves as an advisor for four nonprofit boards with missions ranging from education, sports, and youth.