President and Chief Operating Officer
Morgan Shaw Parker serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream overseeing day-to-day business operations and revenue growth, and working closely with ownership to set the direction of the organization and build their strategic vision. Shaw Parker brings 27 years of experience and values-driven leadership at all levels of the sports industry, and developing a proven track record in sport business, marketing innovation, and building high-performing teams across the NFL, NBA/WNBA, and NCAA as well as media, corporate brands and sports agencies.
In her role as President & COO, Shaw Parker manages sponsorships, ticketing, retail, marketing, digital, in-game experience, human resources, community engagement, and analytics. She came to the Dream in 2021 during a pivotal year in which the organization welcomed a new ownership, new leadership, new Head Coach, and a brand vision to to become the best place to work and play in all sports (not just women’s sports). The Dream was named the 2020 ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year for the players’ remarkable work around social justice efforts last year that influenced the Georgia Senate election, and the 2021-22 season lead to a franchise record eight sell-outs in Gateway Arena as well as AP Head Coach and Rookie of the Year awards (Tanisha Wright and Rhyne Howard) as well as the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award (Rhyne Howard).
Prior to the Dream, Shaw Parker served as Chief Marketing Officer at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) where she led marketing and communications initiatives for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. At AMBSE, Shaw Parker oversaw brand and sales marketing, communications, broadcast, digital, and creative design for the Atlanta Falcons and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. She spearheaded the team’s brand refresh, inclusive of the Falcons’ uniforms, which resulted in the single-highest merchandise sales results in team history. She also helped increase the team’s revenue by implementing analytics and outside market data to drive ticket sales, digital content, content monetization, and overall marketing efforts. Over her tenure at AMBS&E, she worked to fully integrate all brand marketing disciplines for the first time in team history, also leading her team to earn nine regional Emmy Awards, 19 regional Emmy nominations, three platinum and two gold AVA Digital Awards, two Webby Awards, and one Hashtag Sports Award. Prior to her role as CMO, Shaw Parker served as Vice President of brand strategy, and Vice President of Football Communications – the first female in the NFL to hold this position.
Prior to joining AMBSE, Shaw Parker spent more than a decade at NIKE, Inc. developing long-term marketing communications strategies to support Nike’s brand and business objectives, including the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, and 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Additionally, she managed multiple multi-million-dollar fiscal operating budgets and set strategic communications plans for professional sports leagues outfitted by Nike (NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA), in addition to NCAA college football, men’s and women’s training, sportswear, and running divisions.
Shaw Parker also spent five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs in Communications, Corporate Affairs, and Community Relations. While with the team, she served as an on-air feature reporter team’s Gameday Show and was a member of the NFL’s Super Bowl PR team for over a decade. In addition, she spent time with two sports marketing agencies working with national brands and clients including the NFL, MLB, NBA, USOC, and NASCAR.
Beyond her vast expertise, Shaw Parker has dedicated herself to bettering the sports industry as a whole and for women. Atlanta Business Chronicle named her one of Atlanta’s “Most Admired CEOs” in 2023, AdWeek named her one of its “2019 Most Powerful Women in Sports,” and Sports Business Journal recognized her as a “Game Changer” in the sports industry in 2020 – an award given to women who are making an impact in sports business. Shaw Parker sits on the board of the Atlanta Sports Council and plays an active role in schools and organizations that seek to empower women and create more diverse communities.
Shaw Parker holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a M.S. of Education in Sport Management from the University of Kansas. She resides in Sandy Springs, GA, with her husband and two sons.