A longtime Phoenix Suns employee resigned from the team last month, alleging she became the target of bullying and retaliation by superiors after raising concerns about gender equity and misconduct within the organization, documents obtained by ESPN show.
Melissa Fender Panagiotakopoulos, who began working for the Suns in August 2007, sent a resignation email on May 20 to 16 members of the ownership group, including majority owner Robert Sarver, challenging them to address what she said is a toxic and misogynistic workplace culture.
Her resignation came amid the NBA's investigation into Sarver and the Suns' workplace, which the league launched in November after ESPN published a story detailing allegations of racism and misogyny in a sometimes hostile and toxic workplace during Sarver's 17-year tenure as majority owner.