Jessica Berman is Deputy Commissioner and Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at the National Lacrosse League (NLL) where she provides strategic direction on all growth initiatives and legal matters facing the NLL. Among her areas of responsibility, Berman oversees human resources, team services, marketing and communications, lacrosse operations, community engagement and the governance of the League. When hired in 2019, she became and continues to be the first female Deputy Commissioner of a men’s professional sports league.

Berman previously served as Vice President, Community Development, Culture & Growth at the National Hockey League (NHL), and was also the Executive Director of the NHL Foundation. In this role, she participated in the design and execution of the League’s strategic corporate social responsibility goals, initiatives, policies and programs in the areas of importance to the League, NHL Clubs, NHL’s business partners and the hockey community generally. In her philanthropic role, she worked to increase access and reduce barriers to the game of hockey, with an emphasis on the life skills and positive values learned through the sport.

Prior to this position, Berman was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for the NHL. She was a member of the collective bargaining team for the 2012 NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, which involved crafting the League’s labor strategy, negotiating with the NHLPA, drafting the Agreement, and analyzing the impact of proposed changes.

Prior to working for the NHL, Berman was an associate in the Labor & Employment Department at Proskauer Rose LLP. At Proskauer, she represented employers in collective bargaining, mediations, arbitrations and litigations. While at Proskauer, she also handled pro bono matters, mostly relating to domestic violence, sexual assault and military service.

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