Angela Taylor named executive vice-president and general manager of the Atlanta Dream

From the Dream:

The WNBA’s Atlanta Dream announced today that Angela Taylor has been named the team’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager. Taylor previously served as Vice-President and General Manager for the Washington Mystics for two seasons (2009-10) and Vice-President of Business Operations for the Minnesota Lynx (2006-08), and is currently the Owner and President of NetWorks Sports Consulting.

“We are extremely pleased to bring Angela to the Atlanta Dream as we work to ensure our team has the tools to take our organization to the next level,” said Dream co-owners Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler. “She has tremendous experience at every level of the game in player personnel and basketball operations.”

“I am honored to return to the WNBA and contribute to the continued growth of the league as part of the Atlanta Dream,” said Taylor. “The Dream is poised to take the next step, and I am eager to begin working toward our goal of bringing a WNBA Championship to the Atlanta community and our Dream fans. I look forward to working with Mary and Kelly, CEO Ashley Preisinger, Coach Michael Cooper and our players on building a championship organization, both on and off the court.”

A 17-year veteran of the sports industry, Taylor founded NetWorks Sports Consulting, LLC in 2009. The firm focuses its efforts primarily in the sports and entertainment, technology and non-profit industries and specializes in strategic planning, brand development and event management.

In the second of Taylor’s two years as Vice-President and General Manager of the Mystics, Washington finished 22-12 for the best record and first 20-win season in franchise history, while claiming the Eastern Conference regular season championship.

Prior to her role in Washington, Taylor was named Vice-President of Business Operations with the Minnesota Lynx in July 2006. She continued in that role through the 2008 season before joining the Mystics.

Taylor previously spent 10 seasons with the WNBA League Office based in New York City, most recently as Senior Director, Player Personnel. In that role, she implemented and oversaw the league’s regional scouting program, supervising the scouting team in the identification and evaluation of elite players. In addition, she helped identify collegiate and international women’s basketball players for the league’s annual draft.

Prior to joining the WNBA league offices, Taylor served as an assistant coach at Stanford University and Texas A&M University, and also coached at the University of Arizona. While at Stanford, she helped guide the Cardinal to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 1996 and 1997.

Taylor graduated from Stanford in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and earned her MBA at New York University’s Stern School of Business in May 2002. She helped guide the Stanford women’s basketball team to two NCAA national championships (1990, 1992), three NCAA Final Fours (1990-92) and one Sweet Sixteen appearance (1993), while serving as a co-captain for the 1992-93 squad.

In 2006, Taylor co-founded The CHANCE Foundation, an organization whose mission is to Create Hope and Access for our Nation’s Children through Education.

The three-time Eastern Conference Champion Atlanta Dream completed its sixth season in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 2013 with a trip to the WNBA Finals. The Dream has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, including conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010.