Kimberly Ford

For Kimberly Ford, work in the NCAA has been about giving back. Just 12 years ago, a yearlong NCAA internship aimed at opening doors for women and minorities interested in professional jobs in sports administration helped catapult Ford to a place at the top of her field. As the NCAA’s director of minority inclusion since 2010, Ford has been on a mission to create a culture of inclusion and equity for student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Ford’s wish: “To see in my lifetime that the work I am doing now is no longer needed.” Ford earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in sports management from Baylor University.