Kids play on the new LEGO mini-pitch in Albuquerque, NM
Let soccer do what soccer does.

Together, we can give millions of kids from underserved communities safe places to grow, thrive and build confidence for life.

U.S. Soccer Foundation Appoints Mark Williamson and Sean Woodroffe to Board Of Directors

Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Soccer Foundation announced two new appointments to its Board of Directors: Mark Williamson, Managing Partner of Calera Capital and Sean Woodroffe, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at TIAA. Williamson and Woodroffe join a board comprised of more than 20 leaders and executives from the sports, business, and health sectors who are working to use the game of soccer to improve the lives of children living in underserved communities.

“I am thrilled to welcome Sean and Mark to the Board. They are passionate about our mission, and will add even more depth to our outstanding Board, which in turn will benefit our nation’s youth and ensure that every child, especially those in underserved communities, have access to the beautiful game,” said Charles Stimson, Chairman of the Board for the Foundation.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Sean and Mark to our Board of Directors,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Our work to use our game for good and improve the lives of children living in underserved communities is more important than ever as we turn the corner on the pandemic. I’m confident that the skill sets Mark and Sean bring to the Board will help us advance our mission and scale our impact in more communities across the country.”

Mark Williamson is a Managing Partner of Calera Capital, a private investment firm based in Boston and San Francisco, which he joined in 1996. Calera Capital is focused on partnering with founders and management teams to drive significant value creation in their businesses, primarily in two industry sectors: Business Services and Specialty Industrials. In this role, Williamson leads a team that has invested approximately $4 billion in leading middle market businesses, and he currently serves as Chair of a number of the Firm’s portfolio companies. Williamson began his career in London at Goldman Sachs International Corporation and McKinsey & Company, Inc. and worked at the and Harvard Private Capital Group, Inc. and ESL Partners, Inc. prior to joining Calera., Williamson earned a B.A. from Oxford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar.

Joining TIAA in 2017, Sean Woodroffe is the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at TIAA. Woodroffe is responsible for TIAA’s human resources strategy and execution for the organization’s global workforce, including compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, organizational design and effectiveness, and inclusion and diversity. In addition, he oversees the organization’s workplace, real estate and internal communications strategies, which focus on driving innovative solutions and aligning and engaging approximately 16,500 associates.

Previously, he held the Chief People Officer position at National Life Group. Prior to that, Woodroffe served as the U.S. Head of HR and Associate Communications at Sun Life Financial U.S., and also held senior executive HR roles at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company, and the United Bank for Africa. He started his career and spent over 18 years at Merrill Lynch & Co., where he last served as First Vice President and Head of International HR based in London. He also led HR for Merrill Lynch’s Japan Wealth Management business unit based in Tokyo.

ABOUT U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION
The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has established programs proven to help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth beyond sports. Its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Arnold, U.S. Soccer Foundation
jarnold@ussoccerfoundation.org; 202-872-6662