Tabby Kangas is in her third season with the Lumberjacks. She was hired by head coach Loree Payne as Northern Arizona’s Director of Basketball Operations in August of 2022. Prior to the 2024-25 season, she was elevated to Director of Basketball Operations/Chief of Staff.
 
As NAU’s Director of Basketball Operations, Kangas coordinates all the day-to-day operations of the women’s basketball team both at home and on the road. This includes managing the team budget, schedule and all aspects of team travel including airfare, hotels, transportation, communicating with opposing teams and handling meals.
 
In Flagstaff, Kangas is the primary contact and liaison between the women’s basketball team and other departments on campus including marketing, facilities, sports information, tickets, administration, the University, vendors, and the community. She also leads the training and oversight of women’s basketball’s graduate assistants, student managers, and the practice squad.
 
Prior to joining the Lumberjacks, she spent four seasons working with Oregon State’s women’s basketball program as a head student manager. She assisted with the needs of student athletes and staff and led the training and oversight of student managers. Kangas documented statistics for all 13 student-athletes, assisted with film and the shot clock during practices, helped with recruitment, and kept the basketball facilities clean and safe for the student-athletes.
 
Kangas graduated from Oregon State in March of 2022 with her OR-BS in kinesiology, a minor in chemistry, pre-medicine option, and a medical humanities certificate. In December of 2024, she graduated from Northern Arizona with her Masters in Organizational Leadership.