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| Jill Geer |
Embattled USA Gymnastics has recruited Jill Geer, chief communications and marketing officer.
The Indianapolis-based organization has come under fire for its mishandling of allegations lodged against disgraced Larry Nassar, who was USAG's doctor.
Nassar, who also was a sports medicine physician at Michigan State University, pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct and federal pornography charges in 2018. He was sentenced to 175 years in prison.
Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman are among the more than 150 women who testified at Nassar's sentencing hearing.
Geer will be responsible for driving internal and external communications, social media, branding, marketing, digital strategy, content development and media relations.
Li Li Leung, USA Gymnastics president/CEO, noted that Geer is joining USAG, at "a pivotal time for our sport."
"Her longstanding commitment to helping athletes tell their stories, existing relationships with the press, and deep understanding of national governing bodies bring an additional dimension to our team," said Leung, who joined USAG from the National Basketball Assn. in March 2019.
Most recently, Geer was CMO at the American College of Education.
Before that, she led communications and marketing for USA Track & Field from 2000 to 2018 and has also worked as an editor and columnist at Knight Ridder/Tribune.
Geer looks forward to making "a positive impact on an incredible sport with the best athletes in the world from youth through elite," and promises to communicate "authentically and effectively" as USAG evolves.
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