Ritch, Mena appointed to World Triathlon Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commission and World Triathlon Sustainability Commission

January 18, 2022

United States has 10 members serving in roles across World Triathlon Executive Board, Committees, Commissions and Tribunal — the most of any nation.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Megan Ritch (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has been appointed to the World Triathlon Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commission and Kristina Mena (El Paso, Texas) has been appointed to the World Triathlon Sustainability Commission, USA Triathlon announced today.

With Ritch’s and Mena’s respective appointments to the two World Triathlon Commissions, the United States has 10 members serving in roles across World Triathlon Executive Board, Committees, Commissions and Tribunal — the most of any nation. The United States also leads all nations with six committee members and seven females in leadership positions.

USA Triathlon’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access Senior Manager, Ritch oversees USA Triathlon’s equity, diversity and inclusion efforts as well as women’s engagement in the sport in the United States. Ritch is focused on empowering, exposing, educating and engaging the multisport community to drive actionable change in their respective local communities.

She designed  with the goal of integrating diversity, equity, inclusion and access into all areas of USA Triathlon and keeping it at the forefront of the multisport community. In October of 2021, the initiative was the recipient of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s annual Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Choice Award, the fourth time the organization has been honored by the USOPC for its diversity and inclusion efforts since 2017.

Ritch joins the World Triathlon Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission, which has a mission to increase diversity and inclusion in World Triathlon and make leadership roles within World Triathlon accessible to all.

Mena, the El Paso Campus Dean at the UTHealth School of Public Health, joins the World Triathlon Sustainability Commission, which was launched in 2020 and is tasked with creating a detailed pathway for greater environmental consideration in all policy making among stakeholders and Local Organizing Committees.

• A trailblazer in preserving and reusing water resources and a prominent advocate for protecting public health, Mena is focused on helping underserved and underrepresented populations, sharing resources and enhancing the sustainability efforts already underway throughout the multisport community. In 2016, Mena conducted human health risk assessment for the water quality at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• The United States’ representatives on World Triathlon Executive Board, Committees, Commissions and Tribunals:

• World Triathlon Executive Board: Gabriela Gallegos (El Paso, Texas)
• Athletes Committee: Allysa Seely (Glendale, Ariz.) – also serves as Athletes Committee representative on the World Triathlon Executive Board
• Legal & Constitution Committee: Gale Bernhardt (Loveland, Colo.)
• Audit Committee: Victoria Brumfield (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• Medical & Anti-Doping Committee: Dr. Doug Hiller (Colfax, Wash.)
• Paratriathlon Committee: Christine Palmquist (Geneva, Ill.)
• Multisport Committee: Tim Yount (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Commission: Megan Ritch (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• Sustainability Commission: Kristina Mena (El Paso, Texas)
• World Triathlon Tribunal: Judge Jones (Orleans, Mass.)

Visit triathlon.org for more information about its Committees, Commissions and Tribunal.

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 events 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).

– usatriathlon.org –