Sonja O. Stills

Sonja O. Stills has been a respected, well-known staple within the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for the past 19 years, and, on Jan. 1, 2022, she took over as commissioner -- becoming the first female commissioner in the conference's history, as well as the first female commissioner of a Division I HBCU conference. With a proven track record of accountability, efficiency, and passion, Stills has risen through the ranks within the MEAC, beginning with her tenure at the conference in October 2002. Stills has made a name for herself among her peers and other industry professionals for her never-ending dedication to the conference and its student-athletes; her ability to grow and innovate; as well as her organization, team-first mentality, and goal-achieving initiative. In January 2021, Stills was promoted to chief of staff/chief operating officer of MEAC. In her new role, she ensures that the commissioner is carrying out the strategic objectives of the council of chief executive officers and the delegate assembly. Stills remains the lead on all hiring; strategic and long-range planning; re-branding and marketing; NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL); conference budget; the renewal of the MEAC Basketball Tournament with the City of Norfolk; and all special events and activities. Stills also serves as the Director of Esports, a new, cutting-edge initiative that began in the summer of 2020, as the conference and world continued to deal with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. She took charge in this new position, serving as the key driver in developing regulations for the MEAC Esports Community and developing the MEAC’s esports strategy. Her goal is to enhance awareness of the MEAC’s esports initiative by working with industry business leaders to encourage growth. A 1993 graduate of Old Dominion University, Stills earned her bachelor’s degree in human services counseling. While a student, she earned the Virginia Campus Outreach Opportunity League (VA COOL) Catalyst Award for creating a week-long community outreach program for the university. In addition, she served on the university’s President’s Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action and Diversity. In 1996, she received a Master of Arts in counseling (College Student Work Personnel) from Hampton University. She would later go on to graduate from the Sports Management Institute in 2002 and the NACWAA/HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement in 2008.