Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

In spring 2022, longtime athletics administrator Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes became the first full-time staff member in the 40-year history of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC), which comprises HBCU institutions that compete in the NAIA. Barnes previously served the GCAC on a part-time basis while working as athletic director of Dillard University. Long known for mentoring young women of color who aspire to careers in college sports, Barnes also consults with collegiate athletics programs on strategic planning, leadership training, and team building. She aims to be the resource she wishes she’d had as a young athletic director.