Speaker Profile

In March 2023, Charlie Baker became the NCAA’s sixth president, aiming to improve the student-athlete experience. He launched a post-eligibility insurance program and negotiated a media rights agreement with ESPN. Baker also advocated for banning prop bets on college sports to protect student-athletes. He engages with conference offices and values feedback from college sports stakeholders. Baker sees college sports as a uniquely American treasure providing educational opportunities.

From 2015 to 2023, Charlie Baker served as the 72nd Governor of Massachusetts. He focused on making Massachusetts a great place to live, work, and raise a family, delivering a customer-service-oriented state government. Baker closed two budget gaps totaling over $2 billion without raising taxes, while enhancing local aid, investing in public transportation, and prioritizing funds to fight the opioid crisis. Previously, he served as a cabinet secretary under Governors Weld and Cellucci and led Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to become one of the nation’s top health providers.

Raised in Needham, Baker and his wife Lauren reside in Swampscott and are proud parents of their three children, Charlie, AJ, and Caroline.

A Harvard graduate and former varsity basketball player, Baker holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School. Before the NCAA, he was a popular governor, known for bipartisan leadership and eliminating a budget deficit while investing in education and infrastructure. He co-authored "Results: Getting Beyond Politics To Get Important Work Done.