USA Triathlon has announced the results of its 2021 Board of Directors and Athletes’ Advisory Council elections.
Dr Tekemia Dorsey (Middle River, MD), CEO of the International Association of Black Triathletes (IABT), earned re-election as a General Director to the USA Triathlon Board of Directors. Meanwhile William Huffman (New York, NY) and Erin Storie (Fort Benning, GA) were both elected to the USA Triathlon Board of Directors as Elite/Pro Athlete Representatives.
Greg Billington (San Francisco, CA) won re-election to the USA Triathlon Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) and joining him will be newly-elected Chelsea Burns (Seattle, WA).
All terms start in January 2022, with General Directors serving a four-year term, Athlete Directors serving a two-year term and AAC members serving a two-year term.
“I am so thrilled to welcome William and Erin to the Board and for the opportunity to continue working with Dr Dorsey, who has been an invaluable member of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors for the past two years,” said Joel Rosinbum, President of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors.
“USA Triathlon continues to expand the accessibility and awareness of triathlon to new and diverse audiences throughout the US as a sport and as a lifestyle.
“William and Erin bring a wealth of experience in both elite racing and advocacy, as Erin has previously served as an Elite/Pro Athlete Representative on the Board and William serves on the USA Triathlon Athletes’ Advisory Council.
“In addition, Greg and Chelsea have represented the US in major international competition and are established leaders in the multisport community, making them both outstanding fits to serve their fellow elite athletes.”
As CEO of IABT, Dr Tekemia Dorsey oversees a non-profit organization serving urban communities with a mission to increase participation in multisport and provide opportunities to work in the multisport industry.
A recipient of the USOPC 2020 Rings of Gold – Individual Award Winner and a founding member of USA Triathlon’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Council, Dorsey received her Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix and Masters of Education in Guidance & Counseling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She was elected as the first African American to serve on the USA Triathlon Board of Directors in 2019.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude from the endurance community in re-electing me to the Board of Directors for a second term, and I’m humbly excited to continue this journey,” Dorsey said. “I am more dedicated than ever to continue advocacy, leadership, vision and innovation to the sport across the world, especially in the urban market.
“I look forward to remaining an active Board member and lending a voice to positive change in policies and procedures for the betterment of our constituency and the sport.”
As Elite/Pro Athlete Representatives on the Board, Huffman and Storie were elected by their peers, with voting open to elite triathletes who met eligibility requirements.
Huffman, currently serving on the AAC, began his career as an elite triathlete in 2010 and retired in 2020, now racing as an amateur age group athlete.
Storie previously served on the USA Triathlon Board of Directors from 2017 to January 2021, in addition to serving on both the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council. Retiring as a professional triathlete in 2020, Storie started competing for the US National Team in 2012.
“I’m honoured to be elected as an Athlete Director on the USA Triathlon Board of Directors,” Storie said. “It’s important to advocate for athlete’s rights and help foster a sense of unity across the organization. Together, we can make an impact nationally and globally. I hope to bring experience, passion and integrity, all crucial for athlete representation. Thank you for the support.”
Billington and Burns were named to the Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC), a USA Triathlon bylaw-mandated standing committee that broadens communication between USA Triathlon and elite athletes and serves as a source of opinion and advice to the USA Triathlon Board of Directors.
The AAC makes recommendations to the Board on issues related to the needs and concerns of USA Triathlon’s elite athlete members, including, but not limited to: race selection, USA Triathlon National Team qualification criteria, elite athlete rankings, competitive rules in elite races and the procedure for the appointment or election of elite athletes to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council.
Billington represented the US this past August at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, serving as a guide for gold medallist Brad Snyder. He also represented the US at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Billington was first elected to the Athletes’ Advisory Council in 2018, and will be entering his third term in January.
Burns will join Billington on the Athletes’ Advisory Council for her first term in January. Burns started her career on the national team in 2013, and represented the United States in the 2015 Pan American Games, as well in many ITU World Cups from 2013 to 2019.
“This sport and the athletes competing are very important to me and I’m excited for the opportunity to join the AAC,” Burns said. “I hope that my recent experience as an athlete, awareness of important issues and ability to be a communication liaison will bring a voice and impact to all relevant sides of USA Triathlon.”
www.usatriathlon.org/governance
