Choate Announces 2026 Commencement Speaker

Amy Brooks, President of Global Business Development at the National Basketball Association (NBA), will deliver the keynote address at the School's 136th Commencement. Head of School Dr. Alex Curtis shared the news with sixth formers as School meeting concluded on April 14.

"Amy Brooks is a leader whose career has been defined by bold thinking, innovation, and a remarkable ability to imagine what comes next — making her an especially wonderful choice for Choate and for the Class of 2026," Curtis told the Class of 2026.

She may not play alongside NBA Champions Stephen Curry or Draymond Green, but Brooks' journey to the NBA began in the Golden State. Raised in Sacramento, Calif., she graduated from Bella Vista High School and later played basketball at Stanford University. Coached by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee Tara Vanderveer, the 5'9 point guard won three conference championships and appeared in the 1996 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Final Four as a Cardinal. However, when the final buzzer sounded in Charlotte at the Final Four, her time as a proud Cardinal did not end.

Brooks earned her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2002 and worked as a consultant at Bain & Company before joining the NBA as its Director of Global Marketing Partnerships in 2005. Rising through the ranks, Brooks served in six managerial roles at the league's head office, helping grow the sport through innovative initiatives and events such as the Play-In Tournament and the Basketball Africa League, before being named President of Global Business Development in 2025. Along the way, she has been recognized by the Sports Business Journal's 40 Under 40 in 2014 and Forbes' Most Powerful Women in Sports in 2018.

"Her work is not simply about growing a game," Curtis continued. "It is about leadership, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the courage to challenge convention — qualities that resonate deeply with the spirit of Choate and with the journey our seniors are about to begin."

Incredibly, Brooks still finds time to shape the world of business and technology beyond the basketball court. In addition to reshaping the world of basketball, she serves on the boards of directors at Nex, a motion entertainment company helping families reconnect with the joy of movement, and Block, Inc., a global technology company focused on financial services.

Brooks will share her experiences as a basketball player, businesswoman, and all-around gamechanger when she arrives in Wallingford, Conn., this spring. The School's 136th Commencement, celebrating the Choate Rosemary Hall Class of 2026, will take place on May 31, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. on The Great Lawn.

Photo Credit: Choate Rosemary Hall Head of School's Office

Editorial Credit: Ryan Shepard '14 is the Manager of Editorial Services at Choate Rosemary Hall.