April 02, 2025
Paige Haehlke
Full circle: Kyra Vidas ’18 reflects on her path to success
Kyra Vidas ’18, Director of Basketball Operations for the WNBA team Phoenix Mercury, returned to campus for the 2025 Curtis Family Lecture Series to share her career success story and the importance of appreciating the experiences and people who shape your life.
A Chicago native, Vidas’s connection with Lake Forest began before she became a student; one of her older brothers played football at the College, and she visited campus often to attend his games.
“I fell in love with the area, the culture, and the community, and I really wanted to be part of that,” Vidas said “I felt like it was meant to be when I showed up for his games and everybody considered me a Forester before I was even a student at the College.”
Vidas made the most of her four years on campus, becoming involved in many extracurricular activities that are the source of her best college memories. She also studied abroad in Greece and even picked up two new sports.
“I was a basketball player my whole life, and at Lake Forest I turned into a handball and rugby player,” Vidas said. “It was awesome to be a part of that culture and those communities and to be involved in so many different activities.”
Vidas’s experiences at the College helped her grow and prepare for her post-college career. She knew she wanted to work in the sports industry, coming from a family of athletes and being immersed in sports her whole life, but had to make her own way toward that goal.
“I was really focused on my career, and I took advantage of all the resources and networking opportunities I could,” Vidas explained. “The College doesn’t have a sports management program, so I had to forge my own path to get where I am today.”
One opportunity that gave Vidas a foot in the door was working for the Chicago Sky WNBA team during her years at the College. Starting as a ball kid, she worked her way up to equipment managing and assisting the team’s operations manager.
Following graduation, Vidas moved to Atlanta, Georgia to take on the role of Director of Basketball Operations for the Atlanta Dream WNBA team, then relocated to Arizona to work for Phoenix Mercury. Coming up on her fifth season with the team, Vidas manages all day-to-day operations, including coordinating team travel and logistics, handling all player and family services, overseeing equipment, and much more.
“Every day is something different in this job,” Vidas said. “I’m behind the scenes a lot of the time, putting our players in positions to be successful on the court. Things come up left and right in the operations world, and I just love being able to tackle each challenge.”
“It’s important for me to give back to a place that’s poured so much into me.”
Vidas’s talk, “Never Forget Where You Came From,” drew a captivated audience of students, faculty, staff, and community members to the Curtis Family Lecture Series in February. Honored to be able to tell her story and inspire current students, the lecture paid homage to her roots.
“‘Never forget where you came from’ is something my dad always told me and my siblings growing up,” Vidas said. “I've always remembered the journey to get here and everybody who’s been there for me along the way. A lot of those people are at Lake Forest College, so it was a full-circle moment. It’s important for me to give back to a place that’s poured so much into me.”
As Vidas looks toward her future, she sees only growth and development.
“It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m not done yet, that’s for sure,” Vidas said. “I absolutely love what I do, and I want to continue down the operations path. The WNBA is taking off right now, and it’s energizing to think of where it will go and where it will take me.”
Vidas reflects on the mentors and experiences that have shaped her, thankful for a college that not only prepared her for success but also empowered her to build a meaningful career.
“I’m very grateful to share my story with so many people and to the Curtis family and communications department for having me speak,” Vidas said. “This was an incredibly special moment for me. No matter how far away I am, Lake Forest College will always be home.”