The WTA today announced the appointment of Valerie Camillo as its new Chair, charged with leading the next phase of growth for women’s professional tennis. Camillo will begin her role on November 17, 2025, working with the WTA Board to guide and implement the organization’s long-term vision and strategy at a time of tremendous opportunity for players, fans, tournaments, and partners worldwide.
With over 50 Tour events across six continents and an audience of over one billion, Camillo will represent the WTA on the global stage, ensuring that women’s tennis remains at the heart of the sport’s evolution. She will also serve as Chair of WTA Ventures, supporting continued commercial growth and innovation.
Camillo will lead the WTA’s commitment to achieving equity in access, standards, visibility, and compensation for women athletes, who are among the most recognized, accomplished, and admired in global sport. Her appointment comes at a moment of accelerated growth and opportunity. Building on the WTA’s strong foundations, Camillo will collaborate with players, tournaments, and partners across sport and entertainment to elevate the athlete experience, expand the global fan base, and strengthen the commercial future of women’s tennis.
The WTA Board approved Camillo’s appointment following an international search led by Elevate Talent and supported by outgoing Chair Steve Simon and a search committee. The process included a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates from across global sports and business.
Camillo was selected for her alignment with the WTA’s vision for continued growth, her reputation as an innovative and respected leader, her collaborative style, and her proven record of commercial success. Over her career, she has built and transformed major sports and entertainment properties across the NBA, NHL, MLB, and collegiate athletics, combining strategic insight with operational expertise. She has led the execution of more than 1,000 live events, modernized operations for two professional teams, advised on many others, and guided the development of four major sports and entertainment venues. Known for principled, people-first leadership, Camillo has fostered strong relationships with players, coaches, sponsors, and industry partners to craft strategies that support both athlete performance and business growth.
On her appointment, Camillo will succeed Steve Simon, who is retiring after a decade of service to the WTA.
“I am delighted to welcome Valerie as the new Chair of the WTA."
Steve Simon
outgoing WTA Chair
"She is an outstanding leader who brings vast expertise and experience from a 30-year career delivering growth, developing organizations and building effective relationships across sports and entertainment. I am confident that her insightful and inclusive leadership will allow for the WTA to maintain its position as the clear leader in women’s professional sports.”
“Valerie’s appointment as the WTA Chair is a strong move for the organization and her strength and leadership in sports and entertainment will benefit everyone involved in the WTA."
Billie Jean King
"I’ve known Valerie for years, and she is a winner, and brings a passion for tennis, a wealth of knowledge of sports business and a fresh perspective for our future.”
“I’m honored to lead the world’s number one women’s sport at such a pivotal time."
Valerie Camillo
"The WTA has long been a force for progress, pushing boundaries for athletes and fans alike. Women’s tennis isn’t just watched—it’s lived and loved by people around the world. Together, we’ll continue to grow this extraordinary sport and ensure it leads the way for women everywhere.”
“This is a critical moment for women’s tennis, with important decisions ahead that will shape the future for our players, tournaments, fans, and partners. I look forward to working with our world-class athletes, among the most recognized and admired in the world, our tournament members, the entire WTA team, and the wider tennis community to deliver a successful future for this incredible sport.”
About the WTA
The WTA is the original game-changer for women’s sport. Founded in 1973 by the visionary Billie Jean King, the WTA was created to build equal opportunities for women in tennis—and has been breaking boundaries ever since. Today, the WTA is a powerhouse of women’s professional sports, uniting athletes in fearless competition and bringing people together through the love of tennis.
The Hologic WTA Tour shares the thrill of every serve, rally, and match point with an audience of more than one billion around the world. Players compete for PIF WTA ranking points in tournaments across six continents, including the Grand Slams, before the season culminates at the WTA Finals, where the best singles and doubles superstars are crowned year-end champions.
Beyond the court, the WTA champions more than 1,600 athletes and drives progress for women’s health and empowerment globally. Rally the world: wtatennis.com
WTA Ventures, the commercial arm of the WTA established in partnership with CVC Capital Partners in 2023, fuels the growth of professional women’s tennis. In its first full year of operation, WTA Ventures increased revenue by 25%, setting a record for WTA commercial performance.
About Valerie Camillo
Valerie Camillo is a recognized leader in sports and entertainment, known for driving transformation and building collaborative stakeholder relationships across the NHL, MLB, NBA, and collegiate sports. She also brings cross-industry experience from projects in entertainment, including work with Dolly Parton’s operating company.
Camillo serves as a board director for Herschend Family Entertainment and the University of Virginia Athletics Foundation. Previously, she served as President and CEO of the Sports and Entertainment Division of Comcast Spectacor, overseeing business operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center, and served as one of the franchise’s representatives on the NHL Board of Governors. She also held senior roles with the Washington Nationals and the NBA, following an early career in strategy consulting at Booz Allen Hamilton and IBM/PwC Consulting.
Camillo holds both a BS in Commerce and an MBA (Darden) from the University of Virginia. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, she is an avid community player dedicated to improving her USTA 3.5 ranking.
