Honorary Member
Paul Tagliabue is currently Vice Chair of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors. He joined the Board in 2006 and served as Chair from 2009 to 2015. Tagliabue engages in a range of endeavors, including in business, law, and higher education. He previously served as the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) from 1989 until 2006. As NFL Commissioner, Tagliabue presided over an extended period of labor peace, league expansion and growth of fan interest and revenue in professional football. Tagliabue now serves as a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and has previously advised the United States Olympic Committee on its governance structure.
Tagliabue is senior counsel in the law firm Covington & Burling in its Washington, D.C., office and advises clients on governance and public policy matters. Tagliabue's contributions in business and public service have been recognized by the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the NCAA, the Sports Business Journal, Autism Speaks, the United Way of America, the National Urban League and other organizations. Before becoming the NFL’s CEO, Tagliabue represented the NFL and other clients for two decades at Covington & Burling. He earlier served in the Office of U.S. Secretary of Defense as a policy analyst and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He currently serves on business boards, including Panasonic’s Global Advisory Group, as well as boards of nonprofit organizations.