Speaker Profile

Jessica Berman is the Commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League where she oversees all operations of the league with a focus on supporting players on and off the pitch, working with NWSL clubs to continue building on the positive momentum of the league’s growing audience and collaborating with NWSL partners to create the most engaging and entertaining fan experience.

Berman joined the NWSL after two and a half years serving as Deputy Commissioner and Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at the National Lacrosse League. During her time with the NLL, Berman’s responsibilities included overseeing team services, operations, marketing and communications, broadcast and content, community engagement, human resources, and league governance.

Prior to her time with the NLL, Berman spent 13 years with the National Hockey League, first serving as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for the organization before becoming Vice President of Community Development, Culture and Growth and Executive Director of the NHL Foundation. A graduate of the Fordham University School of Law, Berman also worked as an associate at Proskauer Rose LLP in the labor and employment sector where she represented several employers in collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, mediations and litigations, and worked on pro bono cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault and military matters.

Berman has received a number of distinctions throughout her career in the sports industry. Most recently, she was named Sports Business Journal’s 2022 Best Hire following her first season at the helm of the NWSL. Berman completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, graduating with a degree in Sports Management and Communications. A Brooklyn, New York native, Berman resides in Larchmont, New York, with her two sons and two rescue dogs