Twelve-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin was elected to her second term as a 10-Year Athlete Representation on the USA Swimming Board of Directors, the national governing body announced on Thursday.
As mandated by the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act, the boards of national governing bodies must be made up of 33% “10-Year Athletes,” or athletes who have represented the U.S. in the Olympics, Pan American Games, Pan Pacific Championships, long course World Championships, and/or the World University Games, since January 1, 2012. Coughlin is one of five 10-Year Athletes on the board of 15 members, having served in that role since 2018.
“I have been a member of the Board of USA Swimming since 2016 and am honored to serve another term as Athlete Representative,” said Coughlin, who has served as the Executive Compensation Committee since 2019. “This sport has given me so much and I feel compelled to give back.”
During last month’s annual business meeting, more than 500 eligible voters also elected Katy Arris-Wilson and Kenneth Chung to At-Large Director positions with four-year terms. Arris-Wilson is a former National Team member and current swim parent who also acts as president emeritus on Tide Swimming’s board of directors.
“I want to combine my experience as a former USA Swimming National Team athlete, the parent of a current USA National Junior Team athlete, a manager at Bain & Company and a president of a large USA Swimming club, to help USA Swimming best fulfill our mission: to achieve growth and success in swimming,” Arris-Wilson said. “I hope to bring analytical rigor, critical thinking and humble listening skills to help USA Swimming best serve its stakeholders.”
Chung is starting his second term on the Board of Directors following a two-year stint as the Vice-Chair Fiscal Oversight. He has worked as a meet referee in New England and North Texas as well as on the Inclusion Council since retiring as an Executive Vice President of Commercial Insurance at Chubb Group.
“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for another term,” Chung said. “I would like to continue to leverage my business leadership experience in finance and risk management and work with all the stakeholders to help advance the great sport of swimming.”
“Natalie, Katy and Kenneth bring so much combined experience to the board,” USA Swimming Board Chair Chris Brearton said. “From competing and working at the highest levels to their business acumen, these leaders are prime examples of the excellence in our swimming ranks, and I’m honored to work alongside them for the betterment of our sport.”
Jennifer Gibson, who was elected to a three-year term in 2019, is the lone outgoing member of the Board of Directors.
This feels like a no brainer for both parties
It’s nice to have swimmers be a part of the leadership in their respective governing bodies.