Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley Named Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport

New CEO brings athlete and executive experience, taking the reigns as the organization approaches its tenth year of operation

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center) today announced that Olympian Benita Fitzgerald Mosley has been named the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. She formally steps into the CEO role on February 1, 2026.

“It is an honor to be selected as the Center’s CEO, and it is my goal to shepherd this organization forward with a focus on service to athletes, operational excellence, and culture change in sport,” Benita Fitzgerald Mosley said. “As an athlete, I felt safe, supported, and strengthened in my career, and I am committed to helping all athletes within the Olympic and Paralympic movement feel that same sense of support. While the Center has moved the needle on athlete safety nationally, my vision is to ensure we are building an organization that athletes can believe in, the staff can be proud of, and the public can trust and respect.”

“Serving as interim CEO over the past eight months has been a privilege, and I look forward to passing the baton to a fellow athlete with the experience and commitment to lead this organization into its next chapter,” said Board Chair emeritus and Paralympic gold medalist April Holmes.

During her time as interim CEO, April Holmes led the organization in key initiatives focused athlete engagement, including a comprehensive stakeholder engagement campaign involving multiple listening sessions with athletes, survivors, and national governing bodies, that resulted in several important process improvements. April was also instrumental in elevating the Center’s profile in the international sport safeguarding space, which will be showcased at two upcoming symposia at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“On behalf of the entire Board and the search committee, we are pleased to welcome Benita Fitzgerald Mosley as Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport,” stated Chicka Elloy, Vice Chair of the Board and head of the search committee. “Benita brings a wealth of experience as both an athlete and a leader in nonprofit, sports, and business sectors. She is well-positioned to advance the Center’s mission as the organization completes its first nine years of operation and prepares for the next era.”

About Benita Fitzgerald Mosley:

• Benita Fitzgerald Mosley is an Olympic gold medalist and an established international leader in nonprofit, sports, and business sectors.
• Benita most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Multiplying Good, whose mission is to cultivate greatness through service to others through volunteerism and public service.
• Prior to Multiplying Good, Benita served as President of FundPlay Foundation and VP of Community & Impact for LeagueApps (2020-2023), a youth sports technology company.
• Prior to that, Benita served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA from 2016-2020, leveraging the power of Sport for Good to build thriving kids and communities across the United States.
• Benita served as Chief of Operating Officer of the United States Olympic Committee where she oversaw operations functions from Olympic Training Centers and Athlete Relations to Human Resources to Strategic Planning (2013-2016).
• In her previous role as USA Track & Field’s Chief of Sport Performance, Benita led Team USA to win 29 medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the most of any U.S. track and field team in 20 years (2009-2013).
• Additionally, Benita served on the Commission on the State of U.S. Olympics & Paralympics (2021-2024).
• A world-class athlete, Benita won a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, making her the first American woman to accomplish this feat. She was a member of the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic Teams.

Need for Abuse Prevention in Sport

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the nation’s only independent organization dedicated to ending sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. The Center emerged in response to high profile cases of sexual abuse of minor athletes within Olympic and Paralympic sport in the mid-2010s. With the mission of making athlete well-being the centerpiece of the nation’s sport culture, the Center has since been setting safety policies, and receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints of abuse and misconduct. The Center also serves as an educational resource for sports organizations at all levels, from recreational sports organizations to professional leagues.

With the goal of ensuring athletes within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement are safe, supported, and strengthened, the Center:

• Establishes safety policies, including the SafeSport Code and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP).
• Investigates and resolves allegations of abuse and misconduct and levies sanctions, including temporary and permanent bans from Olympic and Paralympic Sport.
• Delivers comprehensive abuse prevention education within and outside of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
• Implements a comprehensive audit and compliance function over all National Governing Bodies (NGBs) within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement to ensure adherence to safety, abuse prevention, and accountability standards.

About the U.S. Center for SafeSport

The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 codified the U.S. Center for SafeSport (the Center), as the nation’s safe sport organization. It furthered the Center’s independence while underscoring its authority to hold individuals accountable. It also charged the Center with developing policies, procedures, and training to prevent abuse and misconduct in sport.

In October of 2020, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act of 2020 became law, even further strengthening the Center’s independence and oversight functions while mandating minimum funding requirements for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

The Center opened its doors in March of 2017.

Reporting and Resources

Report here to the U.S. Center for SafeSport if you have experienced abuse or misconduct—or if you have reasonable suspicion of abuse or misconduct—inflicted by someone in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. You can also leave a message by calling the Center at: 833-587-7233.

RAINN's 24/7 online hotline is available for crisis intervention, referrals, or emotional support at any time. You can also call RAINN at: 800-656-HOPE (4673).

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support at 988lifeline.org or by calling 988.