Storm CEO and Team President Alisha Valavanis
Alisha Valavanis is currently President and CEO of the four-time WNBA Champions, the Seattle Storm.
Valavanis is in her eleventh season with the franchise, having served her first six seasons as CEO & General Manager, leading the Storm through a rebuild that culminated with WNBA Championships in 2018 and 2020.
Throughout her tenure, Valavanis and the Storm have focused on the intersection of business, sport, and community as a platform to drive positive social change.
In 2022, Valavanis joined the ownership group and supported the development of the Storm’s $64 million state-of-the-art practice facility and team headquarters, which opened doors in March of 2024. Valavanis’ father, Spero, was an architect on the project.
Under Valavanis’ leadership, Storm revenues have increased over 350%, and in 2025 the franchise was reported at a $330 million valuation by Forbes, one of the highest in professional women’s sports.
A native of Valparaiso, Ind., Valavanis played four years at California State University, Chico, finishing as the program’s all-time leader in three-pointers. She then coached at Chico, helping the team to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Final Four. After serving as associate head coach at the University of the Pacific, she transitioned to the business side of sports with roles in the Golden State Warriors front office and as assistant athletics director at UC Berkeley.
Valavanis completed her B.A. in journalism in 2000 and received her master’s degree in physical education in 2004, both from Chico State. In 2016, she was named Distinguished Alumni for Chico State. And, in 2024, Valavanis and her twin sister, Alexa Benson-Valavanis, were both named to the City of Chico Sports Hall of Fame.
Valavanis is a member of the Women Leaders in Sports National Advisory Council, the Washington Roundtable, and the International Women’s Forum, with previous seats held on both the Seattle Sports Commission Board of Directors and the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.
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In 2025, Valavanis was named Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) Most Admired CEOs. Valavanis has been named to the PSBJ Power 100 List for six consecutive years (most recently 2024). Other honors include Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers (2019), Adweek’s 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports (2019), Adweek’s Rising Brand Stars in Seattle (2018), PSBJ Women of Influence (2018), PSBJ Outstanding Voice for inclusion and diversity (2017), Washington Diversity Council’s Leadership Excellence Award (2016), and Chico State Distinguished Alumni (2016).