This past May, the University of Hartford
welcomed her back and presented her with the Vincent Brown Coffin Award
(professional achievement by a former student athlete) at the 2014 Alumni
Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner.
“It was a super fun night and great to be
back with my friends & family,” described Behrens who recently took the
time to reflect on her experiences. “I come back to the University fairly
regularly because I’m on the Board of Regents, but to be able to experience the
Hall of fame Dinner and go down memory lane was very special. I always think my
sports background prepared me for after college because it’s a competitive
environment and you have to deliver in a different way than you do on the
court.”
Following college, Behrens wanted to learn
the ins and outs of fundraising. She did so while working for former New York
Governor Mario Cuomo for seven years in various capacities and also with United
Way. In 1995, Behrens began working as the executive director for New
York Cares, a non-profit organization still near and dear to her heart.
In 2000 the NBA commissioner David Stern
called Behrens, approaching her about becoming the Vice President of Community
Relations for the NBA and she accepted.
“With basketball being a big part of my life,
I thought it was a great opportunity and a great time in my life for a career
change. I loved the sport and I understood how much of an emphasis the NBA
wanted to place on community service and how much it values the work it’s
players and teams do around the world.”
In fourteen years Behrens role with the NBA
has changed and expanded. She has pioneered a number of important NBA community
service initatives that have made a huge impact around the world. In 2005 she
spearheaded the NBA Cares program, which she describes as “an umbrella
to connect our players, teams and employee’s and capture the different things
they were doing.” Through NBA Cares, the NBA & WNBA have traveled to
over 900 places around the world renovating homes for veterans and the elderly,
going into schools and Boys and Girls Clubs, and performing a “day of service”
each year during the NBA All-Star Weekend. One of her proudest memories was the
day of service in New Orleans’s after Hurricane Katrina.
Behrens has developed and overseen numerous
initiatives such as NBA Fit, a program to help children lead active and
healthy lifestyles, Share Our Strengths, which provides children access
to nutritious food and prevent hunger, and Basketball Without Boarders
where NBA & WNBA players travel around the world growing the game of
basketball and demonstrate the commitment to giving back. Under her leadership,
the NBA & WNBA have also worked with programs focusing on ending homophobia
in sports.
“Respect, inclusion and diversity are things
we feel really strongly about,” explained Behrens.
Despite her tireless work and busy travel
schedule, Behrens still finds time to give back and support the University of
Hartford.
“I loved the University of Hartford and I
still come back and participate because I’m still connected. I made life long
friends. The things I did athletically and with the student government were
transformative for me.”
Behrens also credits the University of
Hartford for distinguishing a culture of giving back to the community. “Being a
leader in the community is part of the culture at Hartford. It’s not just about
the people your helping, it’s also important for the people doing the helping.
It’s a real differentiator for Hartford and it can really change the culture
your trying to create when community service is in your DNA.”
