Big East Commissioner and former President and co-founder of the WNBA, Val Ackerman, has lived a life of 'firsts.' From her star college basketball playing days at the University of Virginia, Val was one of the first recipients of Title Nine, offering a level playing field to both male and female college athletes. Working as a staff attorney for the NBA, Val took her experiences with her to USA Basketball where she became the driving force behind creating the women's first national team which culminated in a gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. With the success of this team, Val created the WNBA, launching the professional careers of some of the first stars of the league. Today, Val is not only running a college basketball conference, but she is teaching, and a board member with several notable foundations including March of Dimes and Girls Incorporated.