Yesterday, the Las Vegas Raiders hired Sandra Douglass Morgan as their new president, making her the first Black woman team president in NFL history.
Morgan is no stranger to the city or state.
She moved to Las Vegas when she was 2 years old. Her father retired at Nellis Air Force Base and her mother worked in the gaming industry when she was growing up.
From then on, the city and state became her home and where she cultivated her highly successful and trendsetting career.
She received her BA in political science from the University of Nevada, Reno, earned her JD from Boyd Law School at UNLV and became an AKA, something the Las Vegas Theta Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., was proud to celebrate.
“History has been made!!” wrote the Chapter on IG. “So excited for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Theta Theta Omega Chapter member Sandra Douglass Morgan who is the President of the Las Vegas Raiders Sandra is the first black female President in NFL history. We are so proud of her!”
Morgan served as a litigation attorney for MGM Mirage (now MGM Resorts International) before going to work with the city of North Las Vegas.
In 2013, she made history when she was named city attorney in Noth Las Vegas, becoming the first Black city attorney in the state of Nevada.
After working with the city for eight years, Morgan moved to AT&T Services Inc. as director of external affairs. There she oversaw the company’s government, legislative and community affairs in Nevada.
Last year she was named vice chair of the Las Vegas Super Bowl host committee and was also appointed to the board of directors of Allegiant Travel Company. That’s the parent company of Allegiant Air, which owns the naming rights of the Raiders’ home, Allegiant Stadium.
Sandra Douglass Morgan’s resume consists of one powerful, trendsetting position after another.
She’s the former chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, where she was the first Black person to serve in that capacity.
Prior to chairing the Control Board, she also served on the Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
She has a long career in sports, entertainment, leadership and history-making. Now she gets to partake in all of those things as the Raiders’ new team president.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to join the Raiders at one of the most defining times in the team’s history,” said Morgan in a statement. “This team’s arrival in Las Vegas has created a new energy and opportunities we never dreamed possible. I look forward to taking this team’s integrity, spirit and commitment to excellence on the field into every facet of this organization.”
The team has many challenges, particularly off the field.
The Raiders made the playoffs as a wildcard last season, eventually losing to the AFC Super Bowl representative Cincinnati Bengals. This year the team has even bigger expectations with the acquisition of All-Pro receiver Davante Adams.
As an organization, the Raiders are leaders when it comes to breaking barriers and hiring practices.
In 1980, they hired former head coach Tom Flores, the NFL’s first Latino starting quarterback, making him the league’s first Latino head coach.
In 1990, they hired Art Shell as their head coach, making him the first Black head coach of the modern NFL era. And in 1997 they named Amy Trask their CEO, making her the first woman CEO in league history.
But in terms of corporate culture, the Raiders have a lot of work to do.
In October, there was the infamous Jon Gruden email scandal that led to his dismissal.
Then the team faced issues with turnover, where team presidents and longtime executives left the organization over the last year.
That includes this past May when interim president, Dan Ventrelle was fired. Ventrelle claims his firing was retaliation for notifying the league about the organization’s alleged hostile work environment.
This is a daunting task for any new leader, but Sandra Douglass Morgan is no ordinary leader.
Not only is she a fearless barrier breaker, but she has led through times of great pain.
She helped navigate the city through a recession and led an entire industry through the pandemic shutdown and reopening.
Morgan recognizes the challenges she faces and is more than ready to tackle them head-on.
“Let me be clear — I am not here to avoid or sidestep problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” wrote Morgan in her letter to employees. “I’ve given long and thoughtful consideration to joining you, and I’ve done so because I believe in the promise of the Raiders. Most importantly, I believe in your core values of integrity, community, and commitment to excellence. I will expect you to embody those and to hold me accountable to doing the same.”
That’s the type of leadership Morgan brings, and one of the reasons why owner Mark Davis spent almost a year searching for a president like her.
“I am thrilled that Sandra has agreed to join the Raiders family,” said Raiders Owner Mark Davis. “Her experience, integrity and passion for this community will be invaluable to our organization. From the moment I met Sandra, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. We are extremely lucky to have her at the helm.”
