Major League Baseball on Tuesday announced April Brown has been elevated to Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility & Diversity. In this expanded role, Brown will assume responsibility for overseeing diversity-focused areas of the Office of the Commissioner while continuing her leadership of all social responsibility and community relations functions. This includes internal MLB employee culture and belonging programs, MLB & MiLB Club diversity collaboration, strategic partner and external cultural engagement, industry-wide professional development, the Diverse Business Partners program, and workforce diversity reporting. Brown also will be a leading voice within the MLB Owners Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Additionally, Michael Hill has been appointed Senior Vice President of On-Field Operations & Workforce Development. Hill will maintain leadership over on-field operations as well as the Front Office & On-Field Diversity Pipeline Program. Initiatives include the MLB Diversity Fellowship, MLB University, Take The Field, and opportunities for candidates from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in professional baseball. Hill also will work closely with Commissioner Manfred on league-wide compliance regarding front office and on-field diversity hiring.
Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr., said: ¡°The passing of Billy Bean left a tremendous void in our hearts and in our sport. We are fortunate to have two well-suited and dedicated executives to continue the crucial mission of ensuring that opportunities to work in and engage with baseball are available to all. I have watched April quickly establish herself as a reliable and effective leader, overseeing some of the industry¡¯s most important and meaningful work in our communities. Mike continues his efforts to build a diverse pipeline of baseball operations employees and will remain the key liaison to our Clubs with respect to hiring of senior baseball operations personnel. I look forward to their continued contributions to the game.¡±
Brown began her MLB tenure in September 2021, and has since led the launch of significant initiatives, including the creation of the MLB Together (www.MLBTogether.com) social responsibility platform and mental health supportive programs across the League. Brown¡¯s team leads philanthropic giving (via MLB Charities), community-focused & charitable-based partnerships (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Jackie Robinson Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer), employee volunteerism, Legacy initiatives (e.g., All-Star, World Series and Special Events), league-wide commemorations (e.g., Jackie Robinson Day, Lou Gehrig Day, Roberto Clemente Day), health & wellness programs (e.g., Mother¡¯s Day/breast cancer awareness, Father¡¯s Day/prostate cancer awareness, childhood cancer awareness), and more.
Hill, who also began his MLB tenure in 2021, has overseen the industry¡¯s workforce diversity initiatives that focus on the recruitment and retention of talent on and off the field. As part of the Front Office & Field Staff Diversity Pipeline program and league-wide compliance, Hill¡¯s team oversees various networking and development opportunities, including the Diversity Pipeline Scout and Coaching program, scholarships for the SABR Analytics Conference, Umpire Camps around the country, and more. This past December, he led the launch of ¡°Advancing Bases,¡± a new program during the annual Winter Meetings to introduce diverse professionals in various baseball operations fields to leaders from around the game.
Building the pipeline of youth and amateur talent in baseball and softball will continue to be overseen by Tony Reagins, MLB¡¯s Chief Baseball Development Officer. Programs under Reagins¡¯ purview, including the DREAM Series, the Breakthrough Series, Nike RBI and more, will feature collaborative elements of both Brown¡¯s and Hill¡¯s areas.
Brown has degrees in Psychology (B.A.) from Binghamton University and Developmental Psychology (M.A.) from Columbia University. Hill, who served as the General Manager (2007-2013) and President of Baseball Operations (2014-2020) of the Miami Marlins, is a 1993 Graduate of Harvard University.