Renee Montgomery
Renee Montgomery fell in love with hoops at a young age. She began her illustrious basketball career in Connecticut, where she played for the UConn Huskies and led the team to an undefeated season and national championship in 2009. That same year, Montgomery was drafted fourth in the WNBA. She went on to play for 11 seasons in the league until 2020, when she opted out of the season to focus on social justice reform. She also married her partner, Sirena Grace. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that everything in my life changed for the better since,” she tells GO. She retired from her basket- ball career with the Atlanta Dream the following year, a decision which has given her the opportunity to pursue new enterprises. Now, Montgomery is a modern-day Renaissance woman, working as a sports broadcaster, podcast host, and vice president and co-owner of her former team, the Atlanta Dream. “This felt like the right step towards leading change,” she says. She’s also ventured into digital, film, and entertainment space through her company, Think Tank Productions. “Our goal with Think Tank is to invest in ideas and stories of underrepresented voices that may be known but not always heard,” Montgomery says, “impacting the culture through narrative change.” Along with helping her develop and strengthen her leadership skills, Montgomery’s time as an athlete has prepared her for facing challenges and pursuing dreams head-on. She doesn’t let adversity or setbacks stand in the way of reaching her goals. “Staying level-minded,” she says, “helps calm adversity.” –LC
