Shelly Cayette-Weston brings championship experience to Charlotte and emphasizes that ‘anything is possible’ for the next generation of women leaders.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Charlotte Hornets President of Business Operations Shelly Cayette-Weston will be among the honorees at next month’s UNCF Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon, marking her first year as an executive in the Queen City.
The annual event, scheduled for Sept. 13 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Uptown, recognizes trailblazing women in sports and entertainment while raising funds for college scholarships through the United Negro College Fund.
“It’s just an honor,” Cayette-Weston said during an interview on WCNC+. “I can’t believe it’s been a year already that I’ve been in this city, in this great city with my family. We feel settled. We feel like Charlotteans.”
Cayette-Weston will be recognized alongside Christie Coleman and Christie Ferko at the luncheon, which continues the legacy of poet Maya Angelou and supports UNCF’s mission of providing educational access.
The Hornets executive brings more than 20 years of experience in the NBA, including previous roles with the New Orleans Pelicans and Cleveland Cavaliers. She was part of the Cavaliers organization when the team won an NBA championship.
“I know what it’s like to have championship culture both on and off the court,” she said. “Most importantly, it’s about great people and building a culture of winning.”
As a woman executive in the male-dominated NBA, Cayette-Weston emphasized the importance of diverse leadership in business and its impact on future generations.
“I have two young girls, so as I think about the next generation and to let them see an opportunity for the future that they have a seat at the table, but also for the current generation to know that this is the norm โ women executives in the industry is the norm,” she said.
Since joining the Hornets, Cayette-Weston has focused on community engagement, describing the team as “a community asset” that “belongs to the city of Charlotte and to all of the Carolinas.”
She praised Charlotte leaders who have reached out to provide guidance and support the organization’s growth under co-chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, whose vision is to be a premier NBA and entertainment franchise in the Queen City.
Her message to young women and men at the upcoming luncheon reflects Maya Angelou’s influence: “Anything is possible.”
“One of my main messages is not that you have to be a president of an NBA team, but that you have to keep your options open and that anything is possible,” she said. “That’s the great legacy of Maya Angelou. She’s one of my favorite authors and inspiration.”
The hat luncheon, which has previously honored figures like Oprah Winfrey, provides opportunities for networking, shopping and community engagement. Tickets are still available for the Sept. 13 event.
