​Billie Jean King (1943 - )

American tennis legend, Billie Jean has won 39 major titles and proved to be a champion both on and off the court. King founded the Women’s Tennis Association and by leveraging her position as the most celebrated player at the time, she pushed for equal pay and recognition for women. She also co-founded the World Team Tennis co-ed circuit with her ex-husband and became the first female was one of the first women to coach professional male athletes. When she was outed as a lesbian in 1981, she lost all her endorsements, but went on to become an outspoken leader in LGBTQIA+ rights. Her Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative (BJKLI) seeks to create a world in which workplaces are free of discrimination and inequality.