MEAC Commissioner Sonja O. Stills Wins Nike Executive of the Year
MEAC Commissioner Sonja O. Stills named Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports — a landmark honor for HBCU athletics leadership.
In brief
Commissioner Sonja O. Stills, who leads the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), has been named Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports — one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate athletics administration. The award recognizes Stills for her transformative leadership of an HBCU-anchored conference that includes Howard University right here in the District. Her recognition signals a larger cultural shift: HBCU athletics leadership is no longer operating in the margins of the national sports conversation.
🔑 Key Takeaways
Commissioner Sonja O. Stills received the Nike Executive of the Year award from Women Leaders in Sports, a top national honor in collegiate athletics.
Stills leads the MEAC, a historically Black conference whose member institutions include Howard University in Washington, DC.
The recognition elevates HBCU athletic administration into the national spotlight at a moment of surging interest in historically Black colleges and universities.
Women Leaders in Sports represents more than 10,000 members across professional and collegiate athletics organizations nationwide.
Stills is among a small cohort of Black women holding commissioner-level positions in NCAA conference leadership.
Who Is Sonja O. Stills — and Why Her Title Matters
Sonja O. Stills serves as Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the HBCU-rooted NCAA Division I conference that counts Howard University, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, and North Carolina A&T State University among its members. She is one of a rare few Black women to hold a commissioner title in Division I college athletics — a pipeline that has historically been dominated by white men.
Her appointment to lead the MEAC placed her at the intersection of two of American sports' most consequential conversations: the push for gender equity in athletic leadership and the surging national profile of HBCU institutions. Under her watch, the MEAC has worked to expand its media visibility, strengthen institutional partnerships, and position its student-athletes for opportunities that rival those at Power Five programs.
For readers tracking DC's power landscape, Stills isn't a peripheral figure — she operates within the orbit of Howard University's athletic department, one of the most high-profile HBCU programs in the country following the arrival of head football coach Kenny Carter and continued momentum in the Bison's national brand. Follow WDCM's ongoing coverage of Howard University and HBCU culture in DC.
Women Leaders in Sports: The Organization Behind the Honor
Women Leaders in Sports is the largest network of women in sports leadership in the United States, representing more than 10,000 members across professional leagues, collegiate athletic departments, and sports business organizations. The group's annual awards, including the Nike Executive of the Year, are considered marquee distinctions in the industry — the kind that appear on executive bios, reshape career trajectories, and open boardroom doors.
Being selected as Nike Executive of the Year specifically signals peer recognition at the highest level. Nike's corporate partnership with Women Leaders in Sports underscores the award's commercial and cultural weight. In an era when NIL deals, streaming rights, and brand partnerships are reshaping college athletics economics, being named the executive most embodying leadership excellence carries real industry currency.
The award also arrives as the NCAA continues to navigate pressure around diversity in leadership. Women hold fewer than 30 percent of athletic director positions at NCAA Division I schools, according to the NCAA's own demographic data, making Stills' commissioner role — and this recognition — structurally significant beyond the ceremonial.
Washington, DC, is not just a political capital — it's a university city, an HBCU city, and increasingly a sports city re-examining who holds institutional power. Howard University's campus in LeDroit Park anchors one of the most storied HBCU athletic traditions in the country, and the MEAC's commissioner sits at the top of that ecosystem. When Stills wins national recognition, it reverberates through DC's education, sports, and civic communities simultaneously.
The District has spent the better part of the last decade repositioning itself as a city that takes HBCU excellence seriously — from congressional HBCU caucus activity on Capitol Hill to philanthropy flowing into Howard's endowment. Stills' Nike Executive of the Year award lands in that context as external validation: the broader sports industry sees MEAC leadership as worthy of its highest honors. That's a data point DC's civic and philanthropic communities should note.
The timing of this award is not incidental. HBCU athletics entered a new era beginning in 2021 when Deion Sanders took over at Jackson State and ignited mainstream media coverage of historically Black programs at a scale not seen in decades. Since Sanders' departure for the University of Colorado in 2022, the question has been whether that momentum could be institutionalized — embedded in conference infrastructure, leadership pipelines, and media deals rather than riding one celebrity coach's coattails.
Stills' recognition argues yes. The MEAC has continued building its brand through consistent conference play, HBCU rivalry games that draw national audiences, and the elevation of its member schools' academic and athletic profiles. Honoring the commissioner who steers that ship sends a message to recruits, donors, and media partners: HBCU conference administration is a serious profession producing serious results.
For a deeper look at how DC's HBCU institutions are shaping culture and careers, visit WDCM's Howard & HBCU DC Guide.
A Rare Cohort: Black Women in Collegiate Athletic Leadership
Stills joins a still-small but growing group of Black women exercising commissioner or director-level authority in collegiate athletics. According to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, racial and gender diversity in college athletics leadership has improved incrementally but remains far from proportional to the student-athlete population those leaders serve.
That context makes every award, every appointment, and every public recognition matter beyond the individual. Stills' Nike Executive of the Year honor functions as a visibility mechanism — it puts her name in industry conversations, on panels, and in the networks where the next generation of HBCU athletic directors and conference commissioners will be mentored and recruited.
The bottom line: representation at the commissioner level shapes culture downward through every athletic department, coaching staff, and locker room in a conference. Stills' leadership — and the national recognition it's now earned — matters to every student-athlete wearing a MEAC uniform.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Commissioner Sonja O. Stills?
Sonja O. Stills is the Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), a Division I NCAA conference composed primarily of historically Black colleges and universities, including Howard University in Washington, DC. She is one of a small number of Black women serving as a conference commissioner in Division I college athletics.
What is the Nike Executive of the Year award?
The Nike Executive of the Year is an annual honor presented by Women Leaders in Sports, the largest network of women in sports leadership in the United States with more than 10,000 members. The award recognizes an executive who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, impact, and advancement of women in sports.
What is the MEAC conference?
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is an NCAA Division I athletic conference founded in 1970. Its member schools are historically Black colleges and universities, including Howard University (Washington, DC), Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, and North Carolina A&T State University, among others.
Why does this award matter for HBCU athletics?
The award signals that HBCU athletic leadership is receiving peer recognition at the highest levels of the sports industry. At a time when HBCU athletics has gained significant national visibility, honoring a MEAC commissioner with a top executive award reinforces the institutional credibility of historically Black conference administration.
How does Sonja Stills' work connect to Washington, DC?
As MEAC Commissioner, Stills oversees the conference that includes Howard University's athletic programs, based in DC's LeDroit Park neighborhood. Her leadership directly influences the profile and resources of Bison athletics, which has become one of the most watched HBCU programs in the country.
What is Women Leaders in Sports?
Women Leaders in Sports is the largest membership organization for women in sports leadership in the United States. It serves more than 10,000 members across collegiate and professional sports organizations and presents annual awards recognizing excellence in athletic administration, including the Nike-sponsored Executive of the Year honor.
What to Watch Next: Track whether Stills' national recognition translates into expanded MEAC media partnerships or new corporate sponsorship conversations — both are natural next steps when a conference commissioner earns this level of visibility. Also watch Howard University athletics in 2026 for signs that the MEAC's elevated profile is drawing higher-profile recruits and broadcast attention. WDCM will continue covering the intersection of HBCU leadership, DC power, and women breaking barriers in collegiate sports. Follow our HBCU coverage and Power Moves for updates.
Reporting drawn from: MEAC Sports (meacsports.com). Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
