In the high-stakes world of the NFL, where split-second decisions can make or break a game, Chanelle S. Reynolds is calling an audible (see what I did there?).
It’s not the kind you’d hear echoing across the field at Northwest Stadium (formerly FedExField), home of the Washington Commanders. Instead, it’s a play that’s reshaping the very DNA of one of America’s most beloved—and historically homogeneous—institutions. As the first-ever Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Programs Lead for the Commanders, Reynolds isn’t just breaking the glass ceiling; she’s shattering outdated playbooks and drafting a new game plan for inclusivity in professional sports.
More than a decade ago, Chanelle Reynolds walked across the stage at Delaware State University, diploma in hand and a world of possibilities ahead. Her journey in the sports industry began in 2016 when she joined the NBA G League as an account executive for the Delaware 87ers (now the Delaware Blue Coats). In July 2019, Reynolds made her move to the NFL, joining the Washington Commanders (then known as the Washington Football Team) as Director of Group Sales. Little did she know that in just two years, she would be stepping into a role that would allow her to influence the very culture of the organization.
Reynolds’ transition from sales to diversity champion came in July 2021, when she assumed the groundbreaking role of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Programs Lead. This evolution wasn’t just a career pivot—it’s a testament to the seismic changes rippling through the sports world, and a beacon for every young person who’s ever dreamed of making a difference in an industry that often resists change.
“If you asked me years ago if this pivot was even possible, I would’ve said no,” Reynolds confesses. “I was like, I’m a revenue girly. Cash rules everything around me.”…
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