Sarah Hirshland

Organization: United States Olympic & Paralympic CommitteeTitle: Chief Executive OfficerIndustry: Media and EntertainmentNotable in 2024: Hirshland delivered increased fan engagement and added more commercial value to the Paris Olympics, from trials to the end of the Paralympic games. She also saw the successful culmination of a multi-year effort to win the United States' (and Salt Lake City, Utah) bid for the 2034 winter games.

The 2024 Paris Games were another Olympics and Paralympics to remember for America's greatest athletes. Whether it was the continued dominance of Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky, the incredible team performances seen in basketball, rugby and track and field, or the emergence of new stars like pommel horse bronze medalist Stephen Nedoroscik and gold medal winning surfer Caroline Marks, the U.S. certainly made its mark, finishing as the top-medal winning country once again.

Supporting all those athletes behind the scenes was Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the broader organization that not only oversees the athletes and teams that compete in international sporting events but acts as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S.

Hirshland was named to the role in 2018, becoming the first female CEO of the USOPC, after working across the sports industry including serving as the chief commercial officer of the United States Golf Association.

One of Hirshland's biggest tasks has been to continue to elevate the profiles of U.S. athletes, while also continuing to drive more revenue for the USOPC, which is one of the few national Olympic committees across the global that does not receive direct funding from the government.

Nothing supercharges those efforts more than hosting the Games in the U.S. With the 2028 Summer Games already coming to Los Angeles, Hirshland led a successful multi-year effort to land the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, which will be the first time since 2002 that the U.S. will host a Winter Games, which were also held in Salt Lake City.

"While the United States has always been a beacon of sporting excellence, and the next ten years will see this light shine even brighter, we must align to set the bar even higher," Hirshland wrote on the USOPC website.

"Our belief is that sport should serve as a catalyst for personal growth, inclusivity, and societal progress, aligning with the Olympic and Paralympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect. Hosting the Games on home soil is an opportunity to illuminate the path to greatness for the next generation and leave a legacy that transcends medals and records," she wrote.