Anita Defrantz

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT ANITA DEFRANTZ

Anita L. DeFrantz is an Olympic medalist (1976, rowing), an attorney, an author, a leader and an executive. She has been a member of the International Olympic (IOC) since 1986, with her term extending to 2032. DeFrantz was elected to the IOC Executive Board twice for a tenure of 17 years. She was the first woman elected Vice President of the IOC. She led the effort for women’s equality throughout the Olympic movement, conducted outreach to countries underrepresented at the Games, and participated in numerous site visits to ensure host countries would be ready for the Games. She helped bring the Olympic Games to Los Angeles in 2028. She has also served on the US Olympic Committee since 1976. Following an undergraduate degree at Connecticut College and a law degree at University of Pennsylvania, DeFrantz started her professional career as an attorney with the Juvenile Law Center of Philadelphia. In order to train for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, DeFrantz moved to Princeton University, where she served as director of the Third World Center, law school advisor, student residential advisor, and coach of the freshman women’s rowing team. Internationally, DeFrantz made her name in 1980 by pressing to allow allow the athletes to decide for themselves whether they wanted to compete in Moscow. She filed suit against the United States Olympic Committee demanding an injunction against the USOC’s action to keep the athletes at home. Although not successful with the lawsuit, she was recognized by the IOC with the Bronze Medal of the Olympic Order for her efforts. In 1981, DeFrantz was named a vice president of the Organizing Committee for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where she was responsible for planning Olympic Villages. In 1985, she joined the staff at the LA84 Foundation (originally the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles). Two years later, she was named president and served in that capacity for 28 years. During her tenure, the Foundation endowment increased from $93 million to $160 million, while spending (investing)$250 million in serving youth through sport and enhancing the knowledge of sport in the community. After leaving the Foundation, DeFrantz created the Tubman Truth Project with the goal of ending modern slavery and providing justice where little is found, and she authored her memoir, My Olympic Life. DeFrantz has served as a director of the Western Asset Management Company since has received a dozen honorary degrees and numerous other awards that can be found at her website,