Gayle Benson has built hospitals, funded disaster relief, and owns two professional sports franchises. Now the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation is adding “Celebration of Service to America Leadership Award winner” to her resume.
The NABLF has named Benson the recipient of the 2026 honor, recognizing her civic and humanitarian work across the Gulf South. She will receive the award at the Celebration of Service to America Awards gala on June 9 at The Anthem in Washington, DC, as the evening also recognizes broadcasters for superlative community efforts.
Benson owns the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans and stewards the Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, carrying forward initiatives established with her late husband.
Her philanthropic focus spans health and wellness, cancer care, education, and the arts, with particular emphasis on programs for young women, including STEM education and leadership training. She helped establish the Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund to support first responders and vulnerable families, and is currently overseeing construction of The Gayle and Tom Benson Ochsner Children’s Hospital on the Ochsner Medical Center campus in New Orleans, which will include a pediatric emergency department, a Level IV Surgical NICU, and AI technology.
Forbes has ranked her among the most powerful women in sports.
Beyond philanthropy, Benson holds active roles in professional sports governance. In 2025, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appointed her co-chair of the NFL Legislative Committee. She also serves on the NBA’s Labor Relations Committee and has been a member of the NBA Foundation Board of Directors since 2020. She also played a role in launching the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, a regional broadcast and digital platform focused on local sports, culture, and community storytelling.
NABLF President Michelle Duke said, “Gayle Benson truly embodies the values of philanthropy through her work to support, educate, and care for others, especially in her hometown of New Orleans and surrounding areas. We are thrilled to be honoring Mrs. Benson and her legacy of long-term, positive, and sustainable impact with the Foundation’s Leadership Award, our highest individual commendation for service.”
