The National Basketball Social Justice Coalition announced that James Cadogan has been appointed as its first Executive Director. Cadogan will assume the new position on May 10, 2021 and drive the strategic vision and day-to-day operations of the Coalition. Announced in November 2020, the Coalition will lead the NBA family’s collaborative efforts to address racial inequality and advance social justice by raising awareness, educating and advocating for meaningful policy change in several areas, including voting access and criminal justice system reform at the national, state and local level.

In his new role, Cadogan will partner with the NBA, National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA), and individual players, coaches and teams to advance broader leaguewide social impact efforts that focus on action and help create change. Cadogan will also be responsible for developing public education platforms and initiatives, identifying opportunities for policy reform and implementing effective advocacy efforts.

Cadogan joins the NBA family from Arnold Ventures, a national philanthropy, where he was a vice president overseeing a $90 million grant portfolio on criminal justice reform. Prior to Arnold Ventures, Cadogan served as the inaugural director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Previously, he served eight years in the administration of President Barack H. Obama, where he was a senior official at the United States Department of Justice and held roles as Counselor to the Attorney General of the United States, and as Senior Counselor and Director of Policy in the Civil Rights Division. In 2014, Cadogan received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service, the department’s highest award for employee performance.

Cadogan will develop and lead an internal staff and manage relationships with partner organizations, external consultants, lawmakers and elected officials to develop and execute advocacy efforts tied to policy reform priorities.  He will report to the Coalition’s Board of Directors.