Taking diamonds in the rough and turning them into gems is a truly remarkable experience and very few individuals have the opportunity to do this once, let alone twice. I have been very fortunate through my experiences at the University of Texas-Austin and the Women's Sports Foundation to create two jewels that will forever shine. I have one more chance for the hat trick and am eager to devote my time and energy to the next treasure about which I am passionate. -- Donna Lopiano
This is how Dr. Donna Lopiano began her weekly staff meeting where she announced with mixed emotions that she would be resigning from her position as Chief Executive Officer of the Women's Sports Foundation and leaving the national offices this summer.
“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,” said Ilana Kloss, Chair of the Women's Sports Foundation's Board of Trustees. “It has been my honor to work with Donna on the issues and challenges facing women's sports and we all wish her continued success. Our future looks bright and our challenge is now to identify and hire a new CEO who will continue in the tradition of the strong leadership that has been the hallmark of the organization and help us take the programs that Donna and Women's Sports Foundation staff have put into place to the next level.”
Dr. Lopiano joined the Women's Sports Foundation in 1992 after an 18-year tenure at the University of Texas-Austin where she initiated and built the women's athletic program. With the Lady Longhorns, Dr. Lopiano created a collegiate women's sports dynasty which won 18 national championships in six sports and produced 314 All-Americans. Dr. Lopiano came to the Women's Sports Foundation as one of the nation's leading experts on Title IX and became recognized as one of the “Top Most Powerful Women in Sports” by Fox Sports and one of the “100 Most Influential People in Sports” by The Sporting News. During her tenure at the Women's Sports Foundation, she:
- Built an internationally respected education, research and public policy organization
- Oversaw the development of model education programs and award-winning curriculums distributed nationwide
- Secured funds that enabled the Women's Sports Foundation to award more than $14 million in cash grants and free education curriculum that affected the lives of one million girls and women
- Expanded the Women's Sports Foundation endowment to $4 million
- Grew annual revenues from $1 million to $10 million
The Foundation, which is beginning its 34th year and has as its major goals:
- Increasing access and participation in sports and physical activity amongst all girls 8 to 18 years old
- Increasing the number of girl-serving organizations that make sports and physical activity a critical component of their offerings and messages to girls
- Educating parents and other caring adults about the importance of insisting on and investing in girls' physical activity participation
- Persuading policymakers and administrators to remove sports access barriers for all girls and women
- Increasing racial, ethnic and disabled diversity in sports and physical activity and sports leadership for girls and women
- Increasing the number of individual and institutional funders who invest in sports and physical activity as a positive health and developmental intervention for all girls.
The Women's Sports Foundation is one of the country's most influential women's sports organizations and counts among its supporters and friends some of the country's best-known athletes. The Women's Sports Foundation is devoted to using sports and physical activity in the prevention of childhood obesity, unintended pregnancy and other dangers to America's young women.
"After spending 18 years establishing the University of Texas-Austin women's athletic program and more than 15 years with the Women's Sports Foundation, I know it takes at least 10 years to build greatness,” said Lopiano. “I want my next challenge to be the product of everything I have learned. Like Eva Auchincloss and Deborah Slaner Larkin, my predecessors as leaders of the Women's Sports Foundation, I feel enormously fortunate to have been a part of building an organization that all of our members, funders, program participants and trustees can be proud of. I am incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to work with such great people and help shape a movement to have our culture fully embrace an active girl as the ‘norm.' I will leave with confidence that the transition plan with Billie Jean and the Board will ensure that the organization and its programs are elevated to the next level."
Billie Jean King, Founder of the Women's Sports Foundation, adds “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 has paved 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.”
Among the many upcoming initiatives for the Women's Sports Foundation created during Dr. Lopiano's tenure are:
- The early 2008 opening of the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center; housed at The Sports Museum of America in downtown Manhattan
- The launch of GoGirlGo! Boston, joining Women's Sports Foundation community programs in Atlanta, Chicago and San Antonio, targeting underserved and sedentary girls who would benefit the most from the emotional and health benefits of physical activity
- The release of several signature research projects including a research project on Sports and Fitness in the Lives of American Families (November 2007), the second in a three-part series on Title IX examining the factors that have contributed to its success and that threaten its future (January 2008) and the third report that examines racial diversity in collegiate sport (June 2008) and a report on the status of women in the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Summer 2008)
Dr. Lopiano's influence on the organization extended to her personal philanthropy. She created a lasting legacy by personally establishing the Jan Swanson Endowment and making the lead gift to establish the Dr. Dorothy G. Blaney/Billie Jean King Internship Fund to honor women who were instrumental in the success of the Women's Sports Foundation and women's sports in general. Both of these programs will help further the mission of the organization.
“I know first-hand how critical it is to have donors who support the Women's Sports Foundation's goals,” added Dr. Lopiano. “I will continue to be a staunch supporter of the Women's Sports Foundation, by continuing to contribute to these two new endowments and to invest in the work of the Women's Sports Foundation through annual gifts and by being a member of the Championship Club. I believe in these investments and know that these are the best charitable gifts I can make towards advancing women's and girls' lives."
The Women's Sports Foundation Board of Trustees has launched a nationwide search for a new CEO. In the interim, the leadership of the organization will be shared by longtime Women's Sports Foundation senior staff; Tuti Scott, Chief External Relations Officer and Dr. Marjorie Snyder, Chief Program & Planning Officer.
Have a story, picture or video of Donna from the past that you'd like to share? Please send them to [email]WebEditor3@WomensSportsFoundation.org>WebEditor3@WomensSportsFoundation.org[/email] and we'll include them in our upcoming online photo album and share with Donna your message. Note: By providing materials to the Women's Sports Foundation, you agree to give the Foundation unlimited rights to use any information and/or materials you provide, as it deems appropriate, at its sole discretion, and in any media, including but not limited to electronic media, and waive any right or option to inspect or approve any finished materials and release any claims you have now or in the future against the Foundation relating to or arising out of the use of the materials and/or information you provide.