Power of People Summit Session:

The Future IS Human - the Power of Connection & Leadership

About Kimberly

Kimberly B. Davis currently serves as Senior Executive Vice President, Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs at the National Hockey League, and as the President of the NHL Foundation. In her capacity as a senior executive, Kim reports directly to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and focuses on attracting, developing and retaining fans – with a specific focus on multi-cultural audiences – through culture, youth participation, and social impact initiatives. As President of the NHL Foundation, she leads strategic funding and philanthropic investments aimed at community development, health and wellness, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the sport across North America. Over the past year, Ms. Davis was honored as a 2024 EBONY Power 100 honoree in the "Leaders in Sport" category, recognizing her continued impact in the Sports Industry.

Under her leadership, NHL Growth Initiatives Programming reached unprecedented milestones during the 2024–25 season. Female participation in the NHL's First Shift and Learn to Play programs—introductory clinics designed to teach kids the fundamentals of hockey—rose by 16%, reflecting the League's commitment to inclusivity and grassroots growth. The groundbreaking 'NHL in ASL' alternate broadcasts, created to provide play-by-play and color commentary of live NHL games to serve the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, generated more than 2 billion media impressions and earned a Sports Emmy nomination. The NHL's 'Hockey Fights Cancer' campaign raised over $8.2 million for cancer research in its second year in partnership with the V Foundation. The NHL and NHLPA co-hosted the 2024–25 Industry Growth Fund Hockey Innovation Competition, challenging students from universities and colleges across Ontario to develop creative, sustainable solutions to grow the game—offering scholarship opportunities to support their academic futures.

As Board President of both the NHL Foundation U.S. and NHL Foundation Canada, Ms. Davis helped direct support to nine grantees across key areas including youth development, food access, mental health, adaptive sports, education, and veteran wellness. Additionally, the NHL Foundation U.S. launched its inaugural Girls Hockey Grant, awarding $50,000 to the Columbus Ice Hockey Club to help expand opportunities for girls in the sport.

Ms. Davis has been recognized as #1 on Sportsnet's list of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Sports, as well as honored by Sports Illustrated in "The Unrelenting" Most Powerful Women in Sports and "100 Influential Black Women in Sports." In addition, Ms. Davis was profiled on the front cover of the 2023 Hockey News' Power & Influence edition and recognized as #31 on the publication's "Top 100" Most Influential Leaders in the Sport list, Essence Magazine's "Woke" 2019 Change Agents, Adweek's "30 Most Powerful Women in Sports," and Sports Business Journal's "GameChangers." She has also been featured in Savoy Magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America" and Fast Company's "100 Most Creative People in Business." In 2012, Ms. Davis was profiled with First Lady Michelle Obama in Essence Magazine's "28 Most Influential Black Women in America."