NEW YORK, NY, October 4, 2023 – THINK450, the partnership and innovation engine of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), today announced the addition of Pat Connaughton, Megan Holston-Alexander, Bruce Jackson, Arturo Nuñez, Patrick Walsh, and Joyce Roché to its board of directors. They will join preexisting board members Tamika Tremaglio, Que Gaskins, Clarence Nesbitt, and Gary Arrick in shaping THINK450's business strategy and overseeing the direction of the company.

"I am thrilled to join the board of THINK450," said Pat Connaughton. "Since taking back our group licensing rights in 2017, THINK450 has served as an amazing outlet for players to take charge of their collective brand and grow in the business world. As the first player to serve on the board of THINK450, this is a real privilege, and I plan to use my position here to focus on innovative commercial opportunities that will empower current and future generations of players to thrive on and off the court."

"This is an exciting time for THINK450 as we add new board members," said Que Gaskins, President of THINK450. "Our players have some of the strongest voices in culture, and these new board members will serve as an invaluable resource to strengthen our business strategy and ensure that we are finding new ways to capitalize on the immense value of the collective group of players from a commercial and marketing perspective. These new board members have the business acumen and experience that will put us in the best possible position to scale up and grow this business on behalf of our members."

Learn more about the new THINK450 board members below:

Pat Connaughton, currently playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, has been in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2015 and won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. Before joining the NBA in 2015, Connaughton had a distinguished career as a two-sport athlete at the University of Notre Dame and was selected in the 2014 MLB draft. Off the court, Connaughton is the Co-Founder and CEO of the real estate development firm, Three-Leaf Partners. Additionally, early in his professional basketball career, Connaughton launched the Pat Connaughton Foundation in 2016, which has been designed to increase access to athletics for the next generation of student-athletes.

Megan Holston-Alexander is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she leads the firm's Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF), Silicon Valley's first venture capital fund consisting exclusively of Black cultural leaders and organizations committed to Black wealth generation. In her role, Holston-Alexander oversees the CLF's dual mission of connecting the world's greatest cultural leaders, including athletes, entertainers, and C-level executives, to the best new technology companies and engaging and elevating African Americans in the technology industry. Holston-Alexander also serves on the board of three nonprofits, including All Stars Helping Kids, HBCUvc, and The Hidden Genius Project, along with the advisory board of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

Bruce Jackson is an Associate General Counsel at Microsoft and the Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships out of the office of the president at Microsoft. With over 32 years of experience assisting public and privately held companies grow their businesses, Jackson brings a range of skills, including technical, leadership, business management, and creative thinking. At Microsoft, Jackson supported the Global Sales, Marketing & Operations (GSMO) for the United States. In this role, Jackson led the engagement of a $20 billion business and managed a team of more than twenty professionals. Prior to joining Microsoft, Jackson was the founding and managing partner of a successful entertainment law firm. Jackson also serves on the board of the Hip Hop Museum and Tech:NYC.

Arturo Nuñez is the founder and CEO of AIE CREATIVE, a company designed to provide immersive experiences to a highly curated selection of brands looking for ways to connect with diverse customers. Nuñez was previously the Chief Marketing Officer at Nubank, the world's largest independent digital bank, where he ran its global marketing efforts in Brazil, Mexico, and Columbia. Nuñez has 30+ years of in-depth experience with globally recognized organizations and has served in various marketing leadership roles and board positions at Nike, Nike Basketball, Apple, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Diageo, PepsiCo, Estée Lauder, Playing for Change Foundation and more.

Patrick Walsh is currently the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Foot Locker Inc.'s Atmos retail banner, where he oversees global business operations. Walsh joined Foot Locker Inc. in 2018 and has served in several other roles at the company, including Senior Vice President of Growth & Business Development, Vice President and General Manager of Footaction, Vice President of Marketing for Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker, and Vice President of Marketing for Champs Sports. Walsh also led Foot Locker Inc.'s Leading Education & Economic Development ("LEED") initiative, a $200 million commitment to support the black community through education and economic development. Before joining Foot Locker Inc., Walsh spent ten years as the Chief Marketing Officer at the lifestyle retailer, VILLA.

Joyce M. Roché is an author and the former President and CEO of Girls Inc., a national nonprofit research, education, and advocacy organization in New York. Before joining Girls Inc., Roché served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Carson Products Company and Vice President of Global Marketing at Avon Products, Inc. At Avon Products, Inc., Roché broke new ground, becoming Avon's first African-American female Vice President, the first African-American Vice President of Marketing, and the company's first Vice President of Global Marketing. Roché currently chairs the board of Berrett-Koehler Publishers and the Chatham County Hospital Authority. She previously served on the boards of Macy's Inc., AT&T, Dr. Pepper Snapple, Tupperware, and Anheuser Busch.

All media inquiries should be directed to communications@nbpa.com.

About THINK450
THINK450 is the innovation and partnership engine of the NBPA, dedicated to uncovering shared interests between the current players of the NBA and leading brands to build more engaging partnerships. Together with its partners, THINK450 creates original ideas that engage fans, stir them to action, and earn brands the right to participate in cultural conversations. For more information, visit THINK450.com.

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