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Following 15 years of unparalleled leadership in building and growing the Women’s Sports Foundation, Donna A. Lopiano, Ph.D., announced her decision to leave the Foundation last August. As just the third leader of the organization in its 34 years, Dr. Lopiano led tremendous social change and left behind a list of accomplishments as CEO that rivaled those of her athletic and coaching career. Among her considerable achievements on behalf of the Women’s Sports Foundation, Dr. Lopiano:
o Led multiple national efforts to strengthen Title IX protections and to guarantee the legislation’s enforcement.
o Provided expert testimony on gender equity issues in sport in more than 30 legal cases on issues such as coaches’ compensation, athletes’ rights and equitable treatment for all girls and women.
—Donna A. Lopiano, Ph.D.
o Designed and oversaw ground-breaking research studies that definitively demonstrated the benefits of sports participation for girls and women.
o Grew the organization from $1 million in revenue and eight paid staff to $10 million in revenue with a staff of 65.
o Built a network of champion athletes spanning more than 80 sports to showcase the mission and the work of the Women’s Sports Foundation.
Dr. Lopiano is passionate about research and a gifted leader in advocacy and public policy. Her legacy to the organization will be a cornerstone of the Women’s Sports Foundation for decades to come. It is the intention of the Board of Trustees to raise $2 million in her name toward advocacy and research; $1 million in current dollars and $1 million in planned gifts.
“Donna has been a driving force and a tireless supporter of gender equity issues as she led the Women’s Sports Foundation through some of its most formative years. As she moves on in her career and in her life, she has established an outstanding legacy that will pave the way for women and girls all across the country who dared to dream of a bright future in women’s sports. Donna made a difference in many people’s lives — some who she knew and countless others who only benefited from her work. Our organization has grown because of Donna’s efforts, and we wish her continued success.’”
—Billie Jean King, Founder and Honorary Chair of the Women’s Sports Foundation
“Donna Lopiano has made a strong and lasting impression on the Women’s Sports Foundation, and her never-ending commitment to advance the lives of girls and women from all walks of life will forever be part of the organization’s history.”
—Ilana Kloss, Chair of the Women’s Sports Foundation Board of Trustees
In her tenure at the Women’s Sports Foundation, Dr. Lopiano facilitated significant social change, both in establishing the Foundation as a world leader in gender equity in sports and as an expert in research around health and sport issues for girls and women. She has:
o Led multiple national coalition efforts to strengthen Title IX and its enforcement, and was the driving force against the Bush Administration’s 2003 policy attempt to weaken Title IX protections.
o Forged relationships with international sports leaders and experts will continue to show their commitment to the Foundation’s efforts through working with Public Policy Officer Terri Lakowski and Legal Advisor Nancy Hogshead-Makar.
Each year the Foundation’s Advocacy Department gets hundreds of calls from parents, athletes and coaches experiencing situations of gender discrimination—from a high school track athlete who was sexually harassed by her coach to a middle school girl who was kicked off the wrestling team because her school thought it was “sexually inappropriate to wrestle with boys”. College players call with no field or place to play at their school, and coaches call for support for being fired for demanding equipment for their soccer teams.
Full enforcement of Title IX means an end to situations like these and that girls and women will have equal opportunities to play and be treated equally when they do compete.
— This research report focused on the under-representation of women and minorities in leadership and participation in the Olympic Games. The Foundation’s advocacy team is working in tandem with the USOC to encourage internal change and reform. For example, the Foundation is compiling a list of minorities and women to recommend for NGBs’ Board of Directors.
— The Women’s Sports Foundation commissioned this study to politically educate and inform those who choose to attack Title IX under the ruse that Title IX compliance is forcing the elimination of men’s sports. The report showed men’s sports have actually increased overall since Title IX’s passage. While there have been decreases in some men’s sports, such as wrestling, gymnastics and tennis, there have been similar decreases in women’s gymnastics and tennis. This report was cited as key evidence at a recent governmental hearing on Title IX and was influential in shaping the outcome of a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). John Cheslock, the researcher of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s report, was able to speak with the GAO researchers to ensure that their methodology was sound and ultimately, the GAO study substantiated the findings of the Foundation’s report.