Athlete Ally Board of Trustees Updates
January 18, 2023 —Today, Athlete Ally announced several updates to the Board of Trustees, which serves to provide strategic guidance to the organization.
Laura Clise has stepped down from her role as Co-Chair (though will remain a board member), and board member Nate Richards will assume this role along with current co-chair Joy Bunson. Lisa Gerson, Chad Salter and Michelle Waites will be leaving the Board after years of dedicated service. The Board also welcomes new member Pat Noonan, Chief Financial Officer at FloSports.
“We are very grateful for the expertise and guidance provided to us through the years by outgoing Board Members Lisa Gerson, Chad Salter and Michelle Waites, and by Laura Clise, who led us with wisdom and passion during her time as Board Co-Chair,” said Hudson Taylor, Founder and Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “We’re thankful that Laura will continue to stay on the board and look forward to our continued work together. We are also incredibly honored to welcome Nate Richards as Co-Chair, and Pat Noonan as a new board member. Nate brings tremendous expertise and a deep love for Athlete Ally’s mission, and I’m excited for what we can accomplish under his and Joy’s joint leadership. I’m also thrilled to welcome Pat, who brings unique expertise and skills to the Board along with a longstanding connection to sports. Athlete Ally’s work is only possible because of the many dedicated people who lend their expertise and passion to us, and we’re so grateful to have worked and continue to work with people who help us grow our impact.”
“I am honored to have been asked to serve as Co-Chair of Athlete Ally and excited to build on the work we’ve been doing to end homophobia and transphobia in sport,” said Nate Richards, Chief of Staff at TransPerfect. “I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Athlete Ally’s brilliant staff and dedicated Board of Trustees for three and a half years and I’m looking forward to helping the organization continue to grow its reach and impact.”
“I’ve been a big fan of Athlete Ally’s mission, to end homophobia and transphobia in sports, and I couldn’t be prouder to join the advisory board and to work alongside the exceptional team Hudson and his crew have assembled,” said new Board Member Pat Noonan. “Athlete Ally is changing lives and changing the world, and I’m thrilled to be involved.”
Pat Noonan is the Chief Financial Officer at FloSports, a direct-to-consumer, subscription-based sports media company. He currently oversees Finance, Accounting and Business Intelligence after previously holding the position of SVP of Business Development at the company. Prior to FloSports, Pat was a venture capital investor at Austin Ventures and Commonwealth Capital Ventures. He is an alumnus of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard College.
In college, Pat played rugby and soccer. Now he avoids running at all costs but remains an avid skier and weightlifter. Originally from Boston, Pat now calls Austin, Texas home. Pat and his husband, Stace Houk, were married in St. Petersburg, Florida in November 2022.