U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Expands Board Structure, Adds Six Directors
New additions start January 1 to elevate athlete representation
Posted On: December 21, 2020 By :The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has announced the addition of six members to its board of directors within a newly constituted board structure that elevates athlete representation.
The changes include the addition of two new athlete at-large positions, which increase elected athlete representation to five. The total representation of athletes on the board will expand to nine. Female representation will increase to 47% (up from 44%) and minority population voices will increase to 36% (up from 31%).
“We are thrilled to welcome these six new members, each bringing a wealth of experience and unique perspective and knowledge to the USOPC board,” said USOPC Chair Susanne Lyons. “As a board, we are committed to improving the experience and support for America’s elite athletes across the Olympic and Paralympic movements and I am confident the backgrounds and passion these new directors bring will continue to elevate our work in serving Team USA.”
The new directors include:
• Daria Schneider, Athletes’ Advisory Council representative and current head coach for Harvard University’s men’s and women’s fencing programs.
• Donna de Varona and John Naber, Athlete at-large representatives. De Varona is a two-time Olympic champion in swimming and five-time Olympic medalist Naber both spent years in the broadcast space.
• Dexter Paine, National Governing Bodies Council representative and board member of US Biathlon and an elected member of the International Ski Federation Council.
• Muffy Davis, International Paralympic Committee representative (ex-officio) and seven-time Paralympic medalist.
• Gordon Crawford, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation representative (ex-officio, non-voting) and retired senior vice president of Capital Research and Management, a global investment management company.
“We are grateful for the addition of our new members and to all who worked to develop new pathways and invite broader representation to this board,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “As always, we look forward to adding the perspectives of the new members to the existing board and know that together we will continue to provide leadership and guidance in service to Team USA athletes and the Olympic and Paralympic communities.”
The newly constituted board will meet in the first quarter of 2021. Current board members Robbie Bach, Bill Marolt and Whitney Ping will step down from the board upon their terms ending on Dec. 31, 2020.
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