Olympian Anita L. Defrantz

Lightfinder PR represented ANITA DEFRANTZ.

Ms. DeFrantz is a member of the International Olympic Committee and the IOC Executive Board. In addition, she serves on the Juridical Commission of the IOC, comprised of lawyers, and on the Finance Commission, which reviews the investments and spending plans.

Before joining the IOC ranks, DeFrantz captained the U.S. women’s rowing team and rowed in the eight that won a bronze medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. DeFrantz served as Vice President of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and was elected to IOC membership in 1986, making her the first African-American and the first American woman to serve on the committee.

In 1987, DeFrantz began her 28-year role stewarding the legacy of the 1984 LA Games as president of the LA84 Foundation, which received 40% of the 1984 proceeds. Over the past 30 years, the LA84 Foundation has invested over $225 million to support more than 2,000 youth sports organizations. In addition, it continues to provide Los Angeles youth with recreation and sports opportunities.

In 1992, she was named a member of the IOC Executive Board. In 1997, she became the organization’s first female vice president, a position she held until 2001. From 1989-1994 she served on the IOC’s Summer Program Commission, determining which sports will be included in the Olympic competition. In 1995, she became chair of the IOC’s Women and Sports Commission. She is credited with adding women’s softball and soccer to the Olympic ticket.

Currently, Anita is President of the Tubman Truth Corp., an organization working to provide liberty and justice for all people. She also serves on LA 2024, the Los Angeles bid committee for the 2024 summer Olympic Games, as the LA 2024 Senior Adviser for Legacy.

DeFrantz has a B.A. from Connecticut College and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. In addition, she holds honorary doctorate degrees from several colleges and universities, including Pepperdine University, Mount Holyoke College, and Pomona College.

She has received numerous awards, honors, and recognitions. In 2011, Newsweek named her one of the “150 Women Who Shake the World,” and Los Angeles magazine named her “10 Women Making a Difference in Los Angeles.” In 2010, the French magazine L’Equipe named her one of the “10 Women Who Changed Sport” in the world. In 2006, the NCAA named her one of “NCAA’s Most 100 Influential Student-Athletes.” In May 2003, Sports Illustrated named her one of the 101 most influential minorities in all sports, and from 1991-1999, The Sporting News named her one of the 100 most influential people in sports.