The USA Gymnastics Foundation raises funds to inspire world-class achievement at all levels of the sport and in life, striving to empower the gymnastics community by embodying these core values:

  • Excellence – strive to be the best
  • Integrity – instill transparency and trust
  • Impact – make a measurable difference
  • Collaboration – build teamwork and community
  • Joy – inspire love of the sport
  • Wellness – support the whole athlete and person

 

With a vision of Empowering champions and enriching communities for all-around success, the USA Gymnastics Foundation raises funds to inspire world-class achievement at all levels of the sport and in life. Fundraising centers on two primary pillars:

  • Empowering Champions: Supporting athlete performance, health, and wellness at all levels of the sport.
  • Enriching Communities: Helping to build and holistically support the gymnastics community, including gyms, coaches, parents, and alumni.

Executive Director Debbie Hesse

Introduced as the Foundation’s executive director May 29, 2024, Hesse brings a history of expansive organizational growth and impact to the USA Gymnastics Foundation. As the first executive director of the USA Swimming Foundation from 2010-2019, she led the organization through a period of expansive growth, more than tripling annual revenues. Also focused on community impact, the foundation’s flagship learn-to-swim program, “Make a Splash,” expanded during her tenure to teach nearly 2 million children to swim each year.

Hesse served as president and CEO of USA Diving from 2007-2010, where membership increased by 39 percent and the organization more than doubled sponsorship and broadcast revenues. She also was executive director of USA Synchronized Swimming from 1994-2001. The former president and CEO of Special Olympics Indiana, Hesse most recently served as assistant vice president of the Texas A&M Foundation.

Hesse is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she competed on the varsity swim team.

“It is important to the Foundation that our mission reflects the direction of the sport as a whole. We will fundraise and invest in supporting programs where the gymnastics community and athletic achievement thrive together.”
– John Deary
USA Gymnastics Board Chair

Board of Directors

The USA Gymnastics Foundation Board of Directors includes a range of lifelong contributors to the sport, accomplished “change agents”, and respected executives in a range of industries. The board will continue to grow and evolve in the next phase. Current board members include:

John Deary
Chair, owner of Deary’s Gymnastics Supply
Kimberly Till
Vice Chair, former executive at Disney, Sony, AOL Time Warner, and Microsoft
Patti Conner
Secretary, USAG Trampoline & Tumbling Committee chair
Jess Zeiss
Treasurer, Managing Director Fixed Income Institutional Sales & Business Development
Ashley Davis
Director, Founding Partner, West Front Strategies
Elodie Dupuy
Director, founder and managing partner at Full In Partners
Leslie Ferraro
Director, NYU Professor at Stern School of Business. Former President at Disney and QVC/Home Shopping Network
Molly Parker Prince
Director, Philanthropic Advisor, Former NCAA Gymnast, TN USAG Hall of Fame
Carly Patterson
Director, 2004 Olympic all-around champion and USAG Hall of Fame inductee.

Ex-officio Board Members