The City of Portland has a WNBA team in 2026: the Portland Fire. Now, that team has a General Manager: Vanja Černivec.

In a press release earlier this week, the team announced the hire. Černivec, currently the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Valkyries WNBA expansion franchise, will join the organization on September 15th.

“Vanja is a visionary, and we are confident she will help define what this franchise can be,” said Lisa Bhathal Merage, Portland Fire Co-Owner and Governor. “As a foundational leader in this new chapter for the Fire, she brings the experience, integrity, and passion for advancing the women’s game that this moment demands.”

Černivec will be deeply involved with every facet of the Fire’s inaugural season: she will make personnel decisions, lead the Fire’s inaugural coaching search, hire & manage the scouting department ahead of the team’s first free agency & draft, and fill out the Fire’s player development staff.

As a leading executive with Golden State, Černivec carried similar responsibilities to the ones she will hold in Portland. Partly thanks to her efforts, the expansion franchise has shocked many experts with a respectable record (18-15). The Valkyries are currently positioned to make the WNBA playoffs (7th place, a game and a half ahead of the 9th place Sparks) with just a few weeks remaining in the regular season.

A native of Slovenia, Černivec holds her B.A. in international relations from the University of Ljubljana, and her M.S. in sports marketing and communications from Euroleague Basketball Institute and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.