FIS Council Member Paine Elected To U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the addition of six members to its board of directors. The new directors will take their seats on Jan. 1, 2021, within a newly constituted board structure that elevates athlete representation.

The new directors include: 

• Daria Schneider, Athletes’ Advisory Council representative.
  A five-time fencing national team member and two-time world championships medalist, Schneider brings perspective as an athlete and now a coach – as she serves as 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 has been a key figure in championing women’s and athletes’ rights in the U.S. and internationally. Also bringing experience from the pool, five-time Olympic medalist Naber spent years in the broadcast space and advocates for Olympic and Paralympic sport through several board positions.
   
• Dexter Paine, National Governing Bodies Council representative. 
  Paine brings important experience from both the sport and business sectors. Paine served as chair for U.S. Ski & Snowboard for 13 years, and most recently has joined the board of US Biathlon. Internationally, he sits as an elected member of the International Ski Federation Council.
   
• Muffy Davis, International Paralympic Committee representative (ex-officio). 
  Davis was elected to the IPC Governing Board in 2017. A seven-time Paralympic medalist, Davis also serves on several boards internationally, as well as on the USOPC Paralympic Advisory Council. She currently serves in the Idaho House of Representatives.
   
• Gordon Crawford, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation representative (ex-officio, non-voting). 
  Crawford began serving as the USOPF chair in 2013. He is the retired senior vice president of Capital Research and Management, a global investment management company, and the past chairman of the board of directors of The Capital Group, its parent company.

The new board members’ full biographies can be found here.

“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.”

“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.”