February 2026 Board Meeting Recap: Sirota Appointed At-Large Director; Single Logo, Division Updates Approved

CINCINNATI — With a packed agenda spanning tournament restructuring, Parafencing advancement, a significant branding decision and a key governance appointment, the USA Fencing Board of Directors convened for nearly three hours on Feb. 14 during the February North American Cup to fulfill its oversight duties.

• Single logo approved. Following consultation with the membership, board, committees and athletes — including both FIE and Para communities — the board voted to adopt a unified logo for USA Fencing, combining the current Parafencing and able-bodied logos. Staff will implement the new logo on the most cost-effective timeline, with the transition anticipated to begin with the 2026-27 season and a sneak peek (with merchandise available!) at Summer Nationals.
• Sirota appointed At-Large Director. Jeremy Sirota was appointed to the USA Fencing Board of Directors as an At-Large Director, with his term beginning Sept. 1, 2026. A Foil parent who currently serves on the board of the Fencers Club in New York City, Sirota brings a background in law, technology, music and media, with career experience spanning Meta and Merlin, along with significant board and leadership experience in membership organizations.
• Points Task Force seated. Following a detailed presentation on the event qualification restructure, the board and Tournament Committee seated a task force comprising elite coaches, elite athletes, tournament operations representatives and parents to develop consensus within six weeks. The board affirmed that no international selection criteria will be changed ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and tasked staff to develop a robust communications plan supporting any rollout.
• Division boundaries updated; North Dakota chartered. The board adopted updated division boundary definitions as recommended by the USA Fencing Division Resource Team, aligning boundaries with state and county lines to resolve longstanding administrative ambiguities. The changes also formally charter the North Dakota Division, covering the entire state — an area previously unassigned to any division. Updated boundaries take effect Aug. 1, 2026.

The board heard operational and financial updates highlighting the positive current financial strength of the organization, projecting to end the year slightly ahead of budget. The board also heard about significant progress in college, corporate partnerships and media partnerships, and joined the CEO in thanking staff and the fencing community for their efforts across a demanding — yet successful — stretch of events from January through March.

The board also accepted an updated Conflicts of Interest report from the USA Fencing Ethics Committee, approved a new USA Fencing Sport Integrity Policy, and reappointed Biggs Kofford as the organization's auditor for an additional year on the recommendation of the USA Fencing Audit Committee, while also accepting the 2024-25 audit report. The audit highlighted the positive financial and cost-control progress of the organization over the last couple of years.

The board also appointed Donald Alperstein as its representative on the Referee Commission Nominating Committee, which will assist in seating Referee Commission members ahead of the May election.

Finally, the board engaged in a discussion around the Para Advancement pillar of the USA Fencing strategic plan, highlighting successes to date and roadblocks to further success, and seated a task force of interested board members to help remove such barriers.

These highlights summarize approved actions from the Feb. 14 meeting. For full details, please refer to the official minutes posted on the USA Fencing website.