PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Fire have hired Golden State Valkyries executive Vanja Cernivec as the expansion WNBA team’s new general manager, the Fire announced Monday.
Cernivec has served as vice president of basketball operations for the Valkyries since June 2024, helping build the team ahead of its first year in the league.
With the Fire, Cernivec will oversee all basketball operations, including the search for a head coach and the construction of the team’s first roster. She’ll start on Sept. 15.
“Portland is a city with a deep passion for the game, and I want this team to reflect that energy in this new era — rooted in legacy, fuelled by passion, and driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence,” Cernivec said in a statement released by the Fire.
The expansion Fire begin play ne