USA Fencing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The USA Fencing Board of Directors on Friday appointed Donald Alperstein, Mike Joo and Selina Kaing as Special Board Members for the 2023-24 term. All three of these leaders bring a unique blend of professional experience and passion for the sport and are sure to make significant contributions to the organization's growth and development.

Alperstein returns to the Board as a Special Board Member, bringing with him a rich history of involvement with USA Fencing that spans four decades. He served as President from 1996 to 2000 and has acted as general legal counsel to the organization under six different presidents. Alperstein has chaired numerous committees and has been elected to the Board of Directors in three different decades. He remains an active referee and veteran epee fencer.

Joo, a seasoned financial leader and Chief Operating Officer for Global Corporate & Investment Banking at BofA Securities, joins the board as a new Special Board Member. Joo's extensive career in finance and his role as a fencing parent and Veteran foil fencer offer a fresh and diverse perspective to the board.

Also returning to the Board is Kaing, a competitive veteran foil fencer with more than 20 years of experience in technology and startups. Kaing, who also serves as a Trustee for the U.S. Fencing Foundation Board, is committed to leveraging her tech expertise to advance the sport.

All three Board members are enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve and are committed to raising the profile of fencing at local, regional and national levels. Their appointments come at a pivotal time for USA Fencing, as the organization seeks to expand its reach and impact.

Donald Alperstein returns as a Special Board Member, bringing with him a rich history of involvement with USA Fencing that spans four decades. He served as President from 1996 to 2000 and has acted as general legal counsel to the organization under six different presidents. Alperstein has chaired numerous committees and has been elected to the Board of Directors in three different decades. He remains an active referee and veteran epee fencer.

On the international stage, Alperstein has served on the FIE Commission on Discipline, worked as an international referee, and been appointed as the FIE Supervisor for various world cup competitions. He continues to serve on the FIE Disciplinary Panel.

Professionally, Alperstein is an attorney with over 40 years of experience, specializing in general business transactions, real estate, and amateur sports law. He holds degrees from Whitman College and Harvard Law School and is an active member of the Colorado Bar Association. Based in Denver, Alperstein is deeply committed to the ethical and inclusive growth of USA Fencing, advocating for a membership and leadership that reflects the diversity of the United States.

"USA Fencing is my passion," Alperstein says. "I firmly believe that we stand at the threshold of a new and golden age for our organization and our sport. As the author of USA Fencing’s vision statement – ‘To inspire a lifetime enriched by fencing’ – I fully embrace that sentiment."

Mike Joo, Chief Operating Officer for Global Corporate & Investment Banking (GCIB) and head of GCIB North America at BofA Securities, is a seasoned financial leader with a diverse career spanning multiple continents. Responsible for key business initiatives, he also sits on the GCIB Executive Committee. Mike's journey began at Goldman Sachs in New York, focusing on Capital Markets. He then transitioned to Credit Suisse in Hong Kong, where he led Asia Debt Capital Markets. In 2006, he joined Merrill Lynch, initially serving as head of Asia Debt Capital Markets before being named COO for Global Markets in New York.

Throughout his career, Mike has played a pivotal role in advisory and financing projects for the Korean government, earning him various accolades during the Asian financial crisis. A board member of the Korea Finance Society, Mike is also committed to various philanthropic initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from MIT, adding a unique dimension to his financial toolkit.

Mike also is a proud fencing parent and a Veteran foil fencer in New York City.

“I am honored and excited at the opportunity to serve on the board of USA Fencing,” Joo says. “As a fencing parent and recreational foilist, I hope to bring a fresh and diverse perspective that leverages my experience in business and other philanthropic organizations. I look forward to working with leadership and the rest of the board to continue to elevate the sport of fencing in the U.S.”

Selina Kaing returns to the USA Fencing Board of Directors as a Special Board Member. With her term in this non-voting seat expiring this year, this renewed mandate will enable her to continue steering the sport in a positive direction. 

Kaing brings over a decade of involvement in fencing as a competitive veteran foil fencer, coupled with more than 20 years of professional experience in technology and startups, including leadership roles at companies like Google.

In addition to her role on the board, Kaing serves as a Trustee for the U.S. Fencing Foundation Board, where she recently launched and seeded the Women’s Coaching Grant. She also has extensive experience with multi-sport organizations such as Maccabi USA and other groups focused on sports and community. Kaing is committed to leveraging her unique skills in strategy and technology to contribute to the growth and development of USA Fencing.

“As a community, we are equipped, prepared, and committed to raise the profile of fencing in a positive manner at the local, regional, and national level, ensure that fencing is a sport that can be accessed anywhere by anyone, and where opportunities for growth and advancement are met by qualified individuals, free of all forms of discrimination and bias,” Kaing says.