Table tennis athlete Han Xiao was voted chair of the United States Olympic Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council during the AAC’s quadrennial leadership election, which took place at the council’s quarterly meeting in New Orleans on Jan. 21.
A member of the USOC AAC since 2013, Xiao represented Team USA in four world championships and the 2007 Pan American Games. He was a member of the USA Table Tennis board of directors from 2008-16, and served as one of two athlete services coordinators for Team USA at the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
Meanwhile, Olympic fencer Cody Mattern (2004) and three-time Paralympic sitting volleyball player Katie Holloway (2008, 2012, 2016) were selected as vice chairs. Rounding out the newly elected six-person at-large leadership group are wrestler Jordan Holm, Paralympic track cyclist Sam Kavanagh (2012) and three-time Olympic race walker John Nunn (2004, 2012, 2016).
“The AAC elected a great group of athletes to serve as its leaders for the 2020 quadrennium,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “I commend these athletes for their willingness to step into important leadership roles and look forward to gaining insight from them during our collaboration over the next four years.
“I’d also like to thank the outgoing leadership group – led by Sarah Konrad – whose cooperative support helped Team USA achieve historic results in both Sochi and Rio.”
“I’d like to thank Sarah for her commitment and contributions to Team USA and the AAC over the past four years,” said Xiao. “I’m honored that my fellow athletes have entrusted me with this important position and look forward to working with a fantastic leadership group to ensure that the AAC continues to represent the athletes’ voice effectively.”
The AAC is responsible for broadening communication between the USOC and active athletes, and serves as a source of input and advice to the organization’s board of directors.
The AAC is led by a leadership group consisting of one chair, two vice chairs and three at-large representatives. The council contains at least one athlete from each Olympic and Pan American Games sport in which the U.S. participates, as well as eight athletes representing Paralympic sport organizations. Athletes on the council must have represented the U.S. in Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American or other major international competition within the last 10 years.