Marisa Wigglesworth

Chief Executive Officer @U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Colorado Springs, CO, US

As CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, I lead a $6.3M organization with a team of ~40 full- and part-time staff, including six direct reports. I am responsible for advancing the organization’s mission through strategic, operational, and financial functions, with a focus on delivering mission-aligned growth, operational stability, and optimizing the visitor experience.During my tenure, I have revitalized a dormant fundraising program, securing multiple gifts of $500K+ and driving a 20% increase in 2024 attendance—culminating in a year-end budget surplus. I restructured the executive team to better support performance and impact, hired senior leaders in key roles, and addressed areas of underperformance. These changes laid the foundation for stronger leadership and clearer accountability across the organization.I also worked to strengthen board engagement by launching five standing committees, formalizing recruitment practices, and aligning governance efforts with strategic priorities. Internally, I restrucured daily all-staff briefings to connect roles to outcomes, recognize contributions, and keep goals front and center. I prioritize transparency and trust, including overhauling board financial communications to create shared understanding of fiscal health and direction.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick

BA

New York University

MA