The Las Vegas Raiders have hired Sandra Douglass Morgan to be the team’s new president, making her the first Black woman in NFL history to be named to that position.
The Raiders announced the news in a statement on Thursday, with the team later holding a press conference to introduce Morgan.
Morgan, the former chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, is expected to replace former interim team President Dan Ventrelle, who was dismissed by the franchise in May, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
In a letter to Raiders’ employees, Morgan, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas, graduate and Las Vegas native, expressed her gratitude for being named to the position.
“I am thrilled to join you as we embark on one of the most exciting times in the history of our organization,” Morgan wrote in the letter to team employees.
Morgan is the third African American to hold the position of team president for an NFL franchise.
Raiders owner Mark Davis, who has expressed interest in signing free agent quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick, shared his excitement in the hiring of Morgan.
“I am thrilled that Sandra has agreed to join the Raiders family,” Davis said in his statement. “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.”
Ventrelle claimed that his dismissal from the team was in part due to him alerting league officials about a hostile work environment in the organization.
“Let me be clear — I am not here to avoid or sidestep problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” Morgan said. “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.”