Committees
At USA Fencing, we strive to give our members a seat at the table — ensuring that they have a powerful voice in the future of the fencing movement in the United States.
Committees primarily work with the Board of Directors to discharge their responsibilities in oversight and strategic direction of USA Fencing. Resource Teams primarily work with the staff of USA Fencing to deliver on the strategy and operational plans of USA Fencing.
All members who are interested in becoming more involved are encouraged to email USA Fencing at committees@usafencing.org.
Meet the current members of these committees and resource groups below.
USA Fencing Representative to NGB Council and USOPC Assembly #
Phil Andrews, Chief Executive Officer
Athlete Advisory Group #
Staff Liaison: Kate Reisinger
Board Liaison: Kat Holmes OLY
Council Membership: Kat Holmes OLY (Chair)
Lauryn Deluca PLY (Vice Chair) Jake Hoyle OLY, Jackie Dubrovich OLY, Gerek Meinhardt OLY, Francesca Russo OLY, Khailil Thompson OLY, Rick Swauger.
USOPC Athlete Advisory Council Representative #
Kat Holmes OLY
Alternate: Lauryn DeLuca PLY
USA Fencing's Board of Directors is vested with the full powers and responsibility for the oversight, strategic direction, and policies of USA Fencing. The Board promotes the interests of USA Fencing members by providing guidance and strategic direction to the National Office and to the Committees of the Board.
Committees #
Audit Committee #
Chair: Charles (Chuck) Wemple
Board Liaison: Mike Joo
Staff Liaison: Tabitha Chamberlin
Membership: Ben Bratton (2025), Darryl Jacobs (2026), Tetyana Klepko (2025), Charles Wemple (2026), Lauryn Deluca PLY (Athlete) and Adam Watson (Athlete)
Budget Committee #
Chair: Emily Bian
Board Liaison: Selina Kaing
Staff Liaison: Tabitha Chamberlin
Membership: Emily Bian (Chair, ex-officio), Maria Panyi, Andrea Pangnanelli, Nzingha Prescod OLY (Athlete), and Jake Hoyle (Athlete)
Coaches Committee #
Chair: Allen Evans
Board Liaison: Andrey Geva
Staff Liaison: Brad Suchorski
Membership: Jennifer Oldham, Allen Evans, Tsvetelina Hristov, Greg Domashovetz, VIctoria Isaacson, OTD, OTR/L, PLY, and Dwight Smith. 3 Athlete appointments TBD.
Election Committee #
Chair: David Hitchcock
Board Liaison: Damien Lehfeldt
Staff Liaison: Bryan Wendell
Membership: Oppong Hemeng (2025), David Hitchcock (2026), Mark Segal (2025), April Alford (2026), Ariel Simmons (Athlete), and Eli Dershwitz (Athlete)
Grievance & Discipline Committee #
Chair: Mark House
Board Liaison: Peter Barton
Staff Liaison: Christina Pachuta
Membership: Mark House, Sarah Hall Kaufman, David Eldridge, Kenneth Gauvey, Daria Schneider (Athlete), and Ellen Geddes PLY (Athlete)
Nominating Committee #
Chair: TBD
Board Liaison: Molly Hill
Staff Liaison: Christina Pachuta
Membership: Harrison Hue (2025), Andrea Pagnanelli (2026), Iana Dakova (2025), Cody Mattern (2026), Jackie Dubrovich OLY (Athlete), Kat Holmes OLY (Athlete), and Phil Andrews (non-voting resource)
Ethics Committee #
Chair: Gregory Husisian
Board Liaison: Molly Hill
Staff Liaison: Christina Pachuta
Membership: Gregor Husisian, Kelvin Mai, Kathy Vail, Amanda Nguyen, Ben Bratton (Athlete), Maya Lawrence OLY (Athlete)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee #
Chair: Nzingha Prescod OLY
Board Liaison: Lauryn DeLuca PLY
Staff Liaison: Shannon Jolly
Referee Commission Liaison: Tasha Martin
Membership: Christopher Collado, Dawn Wilson, Andrea Munoz, Nicholas Harvey (DEIB Appointment), Nzingha Prescod OLY (Chair and Athlete), and Iman Blow (Athlete)
Referee Commission #
Chair: Tasha Martin
Board Liaison: Donald Alperstein
Staff Liaison: Glen Hollingsworth
Membership: Tasha Martin (Chair), Kelly Koehler (Vice Chair, International Referee DEvelopment and Assignments), Jelena Zeljovic (Vice Chair, Domestic Referee Development, National), Charles Astudillo (Vice Chair, Domestic Referee Development, Grassroots), Bradley Baker (Vice Chair, Rules and Examinations), Sean Shutmate (Vice Chair Somestic Assignments), Bobby Gibs (Referee Ombudsman), Kat Holmes OLY (Athlete), Alex Massialas OLY (Athlete), Rick Swauger (Athlete)
International Relations Committee #
Overall Chairs: Kelly Koehler
Overall Board Liaison: Andrea Pagnanelli
Overall Staff Liaison: Phil Andrews
Overall Membership: Kelly Koehler, Jennifer Yamin, (John) Scott Rodgers, Sean Shumate, Felicia Zimmerman, Phil Andrews (non-voting ex-officio), Alex Massialas OLY (Athlete), Kat Holmes (Athlete)
FIE Sub-Committee Chair Jennif Yamin
FIE Sub-Committee Membership: Kelly Koehler, Jennifer Yamin, Iana Dakova, DOn Anthony, Saul Mendoza, Felicia Zimmerman
FIE Sub-Committee Non-Voting Ex-Officio Members- Jeremy SUmmers, Carl Borack, Lorrie Marcil-Holmes, Gerg Massialas, Rita Comes, Donald Alperstein, Phil Andrews (or designee), Damien Lehfeldt (Chair of Board)
WAS Sub-Committee Chair: (John) Scott Rodgers
WAS Sub-Committee Members: Donald Alperstein, Theodore Li, Sean Shutmate, Kathy Walters, (John) Scott Rodgers
WAS Sub-Committee Non-Voting Ex-Officio Members: Cat (Bouwkamp) Howard PLY, Gil Pezza, Gary Van der Wege, Jon Moss, Phil Andrews (or designee), Damien Lehfeldt (Chair of Board)
The Electronic Signaling Equipment and Installations Committee (US SEMI) #
Chair: Kathy Walters
Board Liaison: Abdel Salem
Staff Liaison: Shannon Daugherty
Referee Commission Liaison: Bradley Baker
Membership: David Blake, Theodore Li, Joseph Moore, Alice Kee, Irene Edgerton, Albert Merritt, Liz Morey, Brian Rosen, Kathy Walters, Ron Herman, Jacob Golson, Jonathan Yergler (Athlete), and Leo Curtis (Athlete)
Hall of Fame Committee #
Chair: Kamilla Gafurzianova
Board Liaison: Abdel Salem
Staff Liaison: Phil Andrews
Membership: Simon Pitfield, Nikki Franke, Victoria Kuznetsov, Valerie Asher, Kamilla Gafurzianova, Justin Tausig, Ellen Geddes PLY (Athlete), and Cassandra Bates (Athlete)
Tournament Committee #
Chair: Brandon Rochelle
Board Liaison: Damien Lehfeldt
Staff Liaison: Glen Hollingsworth
Referee Commission Liaison: Sean Shumate
Membership: Maggie Dull, Nathan Anderson, Brandon Rochelle, Alan Geller, Jannifer Salmon, Laura Johnson, Richard Weiss, David Blake, Dan Berke, and Adam Rodney (Athlete)
Veterans Committee #
Chair: Valerie Asher
Board Liaison: Maria Panyi
Staff Liaison: Phil Andrews
Membership: Valeria Asher, Jane Carter, Kate Sierra, Will Chang, Jonathan Bartlett, Thomas G Mahnken, Ken Gauvey, Marsha Ellen Reichman, Judith Offerle (Athlete), Vacant (Athlete), Rita Comes (Voting Ex-Officio)
Resource Groups#
Data Resource Group
Chair: Marc Shull
Board Liaison: Kat Holmes OLY
Staff Liaison: Brad Suchorski
Membership: Justin Smith, Nick Ferrara, Helen Hu, Fuchang Yin, Katarzyna Trzopek, Jonathan Bartlett, Don Tam, Zachary Hoffer, CHarles Alexander, Marc Shull
Division Resource Group
Board Liaison: Donald Alperstein
Staff Liaison: Brad Suchorski
Membership: Dan Berke, Shanna Davis, Dennis Kolakowski, Jennifer Nollner, Brenda Waddoups, Richard Weiss, Dominique Hance, David Galler, Stephen Janoski, Lewis Weiss (Athlete), Rebecca Chimahusky (Athlete)
Paralympic Development Resource Group
Board Liaison: Lauryn DeLuca
Staff Liaison: Beth Mahr
Membership: Stacey Breidenstein, Sean Shumate, Nova Gregory, David Arias, Jill Feldman, Kamilla Gafurzianova, National Team Parafencing Coach (Ex-Officio), Ellen Geddes PLY (Athlete), Byron Branch (Athlete)
Sports Medicine Resource Group
Board Liaison: Kat Holmes OLY
Staff Liaison: Dr. Peggy Chin
Membership: Adam Thompson, Jasmine Brewster Piper, Kelcie Whitmann, Mariam Zakhary, Mia Cho, Laura Johnson, Lee Kiefer OLY (Athlete), and Kamali Thompson OLY (Athlete.)
Sports Performance Resource Group
Board Liaison: Nzingha Prescod OLY
Staff Liaison: Kate Reisinger
Membership: (John) Scott Rodgers, Harrison Hue, Holly Buechel, IpekIrem Ulku, Kelly Koehler, Natalie Dostert, Dagmara Wozniak, Keeth Smart OLY (Athlete), and Maya Lawrence OLY (Athlete).
Parents Council
Chair: Heather Schankwiler
Board Liaison: Ben Bratton
Staff Liaison: Phil Andrews
Membership: Heather Shankwiller, Eric Kaplan, Gregory Husisian, Zhimin Zhang, Mark Hanssen, Allison Wade