New Orleans (LA) Chapter member Kiki Baker Barnes had the honor of being the principal speaker at the University of New Orleans 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
Ms. Baker Barnes is the commissioner of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, a 10-member conference of historically Black colleges and universities. Further, she holds both a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate from the University of New Orleans. There, she was also a standout basketball player and record-setting triple jumper for the Privateers.
In 2022, Ms. Baker Barnes became the first African American woman commissioner in the history of the GCAC and in any conference in the history of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, an association founded in 1937 that includes more than 250-member institutions.
“We are so excited to welcome Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes back to campus,” said UNO President Kathy Johnson. “Her groundbreaking leadership of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and her distinguished career as a university administrator are shining examples to members of our University of New Orleans community. Her work as a coach, mentor and athletic director demonstrates her deep desire to inspire and uplift the next generation of leaders, particularly women. Her message will definitely resonate with the class of 2024.”
Congratulations, Kiki!
