2022 USA Triathlon Board of Directors, Athletes’ Advisory Council Election Results Announced

October 21, 2022

/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.) was elected to the USA Triathlon Board of Directors as an Elite/Pro Athlete Representative, while Kyle Coon (Carbondale, Colo.) and Megan Foley (Salt Lake City, Utah) were elected to the USA Triathlon Athletes’ Advisory Council.

The Elite/Pro Athlete Representatives on the Board of Directors provide insight, perspective and advice from the elite athlete community. Elite Athlete Representatives are full-fledged Board members, participating in all Board meetings and voting on all decisions.

The Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) is 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.

Zaferes, Coon and Foley were elected by their peers, with voting open to elite triathletes who met eligibility requirements. All terms start in January 2023, with Athlete Directors serving a two-year term and AAC members serving a two-year term.

“I am so thrilled to welcome Katie to the USA Triathlon Board of Directors and Kyle and Megan to the USA Triathlon Athletes’ Advisory Council,” said Joel Rosinbum, Chair of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors. “A two-time Olympian, Katie brings a wealth of experience in elite racing, representing the U.S. at the highest level of competition. Her perspective as an elite athlete, leader and mentor is incredibly important as we look ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and continue to grow and support the USA’s pool of elite talent. Kyle is a Paralympic athlete who brings an important voice to the AAC in representing para athletes and Megan is an established leader in the multisport community, making her an outstanding fit to serve fellow elite athletes.”

The 2019 world champion and two-time Olympian, Zaferes won the Olympic bronze medal in the women’s individual triathlon competition and silver in the Mixed Relay at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. A member of the U.S. Elite Triathlon National Team, Zaferes entered the USA Triathlon high performance pipeline through the organization’s Collegiate Recruitment Program after a standout track and field career at Syracuse University. This summer, Zaferes gave birth to her first child and through her experience wants to empower women so they can continue to compete during motherhood. This will be her first term serving on the USA Triathlon Board of Directors.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to be on USA Triathlon’s Board of Directors. I think it’s so important to have an athlete’s voice in order to foster symbiotic decision making across the many areas of USA Triathlon,” Zaferes said. “I feel my experiences as an athlete will be valuable and I am excited to use what I have learned through those experiences to coordinate with others to make our organization even better.”

Coon and Foley were both named for the first time 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 Elite and Elite Paratriathlon 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 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council.

A Tokyo 2020 Paralympian, Coon is on the Toyota U.S. Elite Paratriathlon National Team and is a member of the Toyota U.S. Paratriathlon Resident Team Program that trains together at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Coon competes in the vision impairment category of paratriathlon (PTVI) and earned the bronze at the 2021 World Triathlon Para Championships. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Central Florida.

“Triathlon has given me so much over the years and I now look forward to being a part of the AAC and being a voice for my fellow athletes as we continue to grow and make this already incredible sport and community even better,” Coon said.

A professional triathlete and registered dietitian, Foley first earned her elite license in 2015 and represented the U.S. at the 2016 FISU World University Games. She’s raced on the World Triathlon circuit, with 33 career starts and a win at the 2019 Bridgetown CAMTRI Sprint Triathlon American Cup. Foley is a 2012 University of Denver graduate and obtained her masters degree in nutrition from the University of Utah in 2016.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the AAC and give back to the community of athletes that have made my experience worthwhile,” Foley said. “I hope to act as an intermediary between elite athletes and the Board of Directors, give a voice to those in our sport, and advocate for athlete wellbeing, fairness and inclusion.”

More information on the 2022 USA Triathlon Elections, including candidate platforms, can be found at usatriathlon.org/governance. To view the complete Board of Directors listing, click here.

About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 races and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors – as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation – USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).