Caitlin Leverenz Smith Elected, Katie Meili Re-Elected to USA Swimming Board of Directors
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By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
U.S. Olympic swimmers Katie Meili and Caitlin Leverenz Smith have both been elected as 10-year athlete members to the USA Swimming Board of Directors. The two were elected to their positions by the Team USA Athletes Commission (formerly the USOPC Athletes’ Advisory Council) after self nomination.
They take over the spots previously held by Anthony Ervin and Ashley Twichell, whose terms both expired this year.
New rules instituted by the USOPC require there to be five 10-year athlete members on the Board of Directors; since 2021, the two athletes elected by the Team USA Athletes Commission automatically earn spots on the USA Swimming Board of Directors and Athlete Advisory Committee.
Meili returns to the board after a hiatus of just a few months. Nic Fink was elected to fill her seat as a 10-year athlete by the House of Delegates in September, but she now returns for a new four year term via this alternative pathway.
Leverenz has served as the chair of the USA Swimming Athletes’ Advisory Council since its inception in 2021 and has been a member of the National Team Steering Committee and Athletes’ Executive Committee.
Both are also serving in key roles as USA Swimming looks to rebuild its leadership after the Paris 2024 Olympics: Meili is on the US National Team Director Search Task Force, while Leverenz Smith is on the USA Swimming CEO Search Task Force.
Meili is a two-time Olympic medalist who won gold in the 400 medley relay and bronze in the 100 breaststroke at the 2016 Olympic Games. She graduated from Columbia University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a concentration in Art History. Meili also graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2020 and clerked for the Honorable Catharina Haynes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Meili is an associate at the law firm Jones Day in Dallas, TX. She is the chair of the USA Swimming Ethics Committee.
Leverenz Smith is a 2012 Olympic medalist, winning bronze in the 200 IM in the 2012 London Games. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health. Leverenz Smith also graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2021 with a Master of Business Administration. Leverenz Smith is currently a consultant for Kaiser Permanente and resides in San Diego, CA.
Current USA Swimming Board of Directors
- Board Chair – Chris Brearton (2021-2025)
- Vice Chair, Chair-Elect/10-year athlete rep – Natalie Coughlin (2022-2026)
- Vice Chair Financial Oversight – Kenneth Chung (2022-2026)
- 10-year athlete rep – Maya Dirado Andrews (2021-2025)
- 10-year athlete rep – Nic Fink (2024-2028)
- 10-year athlete rep – Caitlin Leverenz Smith (2024-2028)
- 10-year athlete rep – Katie Meili (2024-2028)
- At Large – Katy Arris-Wilson (2022-2026)
- At Large – Kathleen Fish (2024-2028)
- Ex Officio (Coach) – Bruce Gemmell (2021-2024)
- At Large – Clark Hammond (2021-2025)
- At Large Coach – 2021-2025
- At Large, 10-Year+ Athlete – Sabir Muhammad (2023-2027)
- At-Large Coach – Kathleen Prindle (2023-2027)
- At-Large – Bob Vincent (2021-2025)
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