WNBA Chief Operating Officer

Ann Sarnoff

As Chief Operating Officer, Ann Sarnoff oversees the business functions of the league, including its advertising, broadcasting, marketing, merchandising, player programs and communications activities.

Sarnoff joined the WNBA in February 2004 from Viacom, where she served as Chief Operating Officer for both VH1 and Country Music Television. Her responsibilities there included strategic planning and business development for both channels, together with oversight of the digital television networks, program enterprises businesses, and the research, legal, financial and human resource functions.

Prior to her role at VH1 and CMT, Sarnoff served as Executive Vice President of Consumer Products and Business Development for Nickelodeon, where she launched "Rugrats" and "Blues Clues" products into the market and built Nickelodeon�s merchandising division into a sizable business. She began her career at Nickelodeon in 1994 as Vice President of Business Development and was later responsible for developing the business plans of TV Land and Noggin, Nick�s successful spin-off channels. Before joining Viacom, Sarnoff was a strategic consultant for Marakon Associates where she assisted Fortune 50 companies in developing strategies and improving their operations.

Sarnoff graduated cum laude from Georgetown University with a B.S. in marketing and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She is a member of the Board of the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and lives in New York City with her husband, Richard, and their two children.