David J. Gascon serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of USA Diving (USAD), a position he has held since September 2019. Previously, he was Executive Director and High-Performance Director of USA Team Handball. His leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to public service, sport, and community impact.

Gascon is a retired Assistant Chief of Police with the Los Angeles Police Department, concluding nearly 32 years of service. His LAPD career included critical roles from undercover narcotics officer to commanding officer of major divisions. He was ultimately appointed Chief of Staff, where he managed key functions of the Office of the Chief of Police, coordinated with City and State leadership, and served as the City’s Director of the Emergency Operations Center. He also commanded the elite Metropolitan Division, home of the renowned LAPD SWAT Team.

Outside of policing, Gascon has held influential nonprofit leadership roles. He is President of the Los Angeles Harbor College Foundation and serves on the Boards of Behavioral Health Services (BHS) and a foundation supporting youth with special needs in hockey. These positions reflect his dedication to education, recovery, and inclusion.

His academic background is extensive: he earned a Master of Science in Management from Cal Poly Pomona and a Bachelor of Science in Police Administration from Cal State Long Beach. He completed executive programs at Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety, California P.O.S.T. Command College, and the FBI Southwest Training Program. He also completed graduate coursework at Loyola Marymount University and UC Riverside.

Gascon has taught transition management at UCLA and served as an instructor at Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety. He is a recognized expert in risk evaluation and government liability and has consulted and testified in legal matters across the country. His insight and experience have made him a regular guest on both local and national media.

Gascon’s leadership continues to shape organizations across public safety, education, athletics, and social services. His career exemplifies values of service, excellence, and advocacy.

A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Dan attended Archbishop Moeller High School and the University of Cincinnati.  He was a member of Cincinnati’s swimming and diving team and then coached at Denison University from 1985-1989. He was named NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1987.

Dan is the Founder and President of Field Development Consultants, Inc (FDC).  Founded in 1993, FDC is a national consulting firm dedicated to serving Catholic organizations and private family Foundations.

Over the past 30 years FDC has successfully partnered with over 100 institutions across the country in developing and executing major gift programs, creating strategic long range plans, conducting executive searches, performing development audits and assessments and implementing program enhancements.

In addition to serving on USA Diving’s board, Dan has been involved with several other not-for-profit boards. He was a charter board member of the J.A.G Laps for Life Foundation and is the Founder of MISSION IMPACT – a private foundation dedicated to supporting the mission of emerging organizations.

Dan and his wife Cindy reside in Powell, Ohio and have four grown children and three grandchildren. 

Keven Ellison brings over three decades of marketing leadership to his role as Vice President of Marketing at AIS, a technology solutions provider serving businesses across the Southwest. His diverse industry experience spans technology, financial services, communications, biotech, and lead generation. At AIS, Keven is responsible for AI adoption, driving brand strategy, digital transformation, and customer engagement, playing a key role in the company’s expansion into managed IT, telecom, security, and digital services.

Keven’s work has earned national recognition, including the 2019 Geary Award for Executive of the Year, ENX Magazine’s Difference Maker honor, and the Inbound Award from iMPACT for marketing excellence. He is known for building award-winning teams and fostering innovation across departments.

In addition to his corporate leadership, Keven is an active supporter of civic and nonprofit organizations. Additionally, he serves on the advisory board of Ad Fontes Media, contributing his expertise in strategic communications, branding, and digital engagement. Passionate about the future of technology, Keven is also a dedicated advocate for AI and continues to explore its role in shaping marketing and business strategy.

David E. Farnsworth has served as Mercury Systems Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2023. Mr. Farnsworth was the Chief Financial Officer of HawkEye 360, a radio frequency data analytics company from 2020 to 2023. Before joining HawkEye 360, Mr. Farnsworth was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Integrated Defense Systems of Raytheon Company from 2018 to 2020. Before that, he was CFO for the Intelligence, Information, and Services segment of Raytheon. In March 2025, Mr. Farnsworth was appointed as a non-voting Board advisor at V2X Inc., and in August 2025 he was appointed to the Board at V2X., a leading facilities management, logistics, and network communications services company.  Mr. Farnsworth serves on the Board of USA Diving as an Independent Director as well as Treasurer and the Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee.

 John Kiani joined Apollo Global Management as an Operating Partner in January 2025, focused on investments in power, utilities and other related energy infrastructure.

John was previously the Executive Chairman of Energy Harbor, the second largest US merchant nuclear power company. He orchestrated the acquisition of Energy Harbor in bankruptcy in 2018 and led the successful operating and financial turnaround of the company from a distressed nuclear and coal power business into a carbon free power infrastructure and energy supply company. As Executive Chairman, he was responsible for overseeing the board of directors, providing leadership to the executive management team, providing strategic and financial direction in all areas of the Company and driving a corporate culture of performance excellence.

Under his leadership, Energy Harbor saved four nuclear units from early retirement and turned around a major retail energy supply business, resulting in the preservation of more than 2,200 jobs. These four nuclear units represent 33 million MWhs of annual generation, 12% of PJM nuclear generation and 10% of PJM carbon free power produced. Through his power industry and financial experience, John also led the successful sale of Energy Harbor to Vistra Corp. for $8 billion in 2024, resulting in an 8x MOIC over 6 years.

Prior to Energy Harbor, John was the Co-Founder and a Portfolio Manager at Cove Key Management, a multi strategy investment fund focused on energy commodities as well as power generator, utility, energy and infrastructure businesses. During his time as an investor, he was responsible for managing a portfolio of equity, credit, distressed/special situations and commodity investments globally. John also previously worked as a Research Analyst on Wall Street where he was ranked as one of the top analysts for his Independent Power Producer industry research and stock picking. Most recently he served as a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank where he was the head of North American Utilities, Power and Pipelines equity research.

John has extensive energy industry experience and began his finance career in the power industry at Enron. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts degree and from Rice University with a Master of Business Administration degree. John resides in Houston, Texas and is a member of the board of directors of USA Diving, the US Olympic Committee governing body for the competitive sport of springboard and platform diving. He is also a board member of Covenant House Texas, a non-profit youth homeless shelter and advocacy organization.

With 30 years of experience, Michelle has a proven track record in building strong brands and cultivating loyal customer relationships across a wide array of organizations, ranging from Fortune 10 companies to small businesses and non-profits. She skillfully combines deep business acumen with a wealth of operational and marketing experience to drive business growth through the development of essential business foundations (purpose, mission, vision, values), strategic planning, and brand activation across multiple channels such as advertising, sponsorship, promotions, and experiential marketing.

Following two decades at The Marketing Arm (TMA), a premier sports and entertainment marketing agency in the U.S., Michelle founded her consultancy, Palmer Marketing Consultants, LLC. Through this venture, she offers executive leadership and strategic planning services to companies looking to grow, reimagine, or expand their business.

As the President of Sports and Experiential at TMA, Michelle led the agency's initiatives in these areas, allowing brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level through emotionally impactful platforms. Collaborating with clients like AT&T, State Farm, Hilton, Goodyear, and Frito-Lay, Michelle and her teams negotiated multi-million-dollar venue partnerships, managed thousands of sponsorship portfolio assets, and executed award-winning brand activation campaigns across entertainment and lifestyle sectors, including professional, amateur, and collegiate sports. In September 2016, she was recognized as “Game Changer” by Sports Business Journal, an award that acknowledges women who have made a significant impact in the industry.

Before her tenure at TMA, Michelle held marketing roles in brand management at SBC Communications (now AT&T) and at advertising agencies like Bates Southwest in Houston and GSD&M in Austin.

Additionally, Michelle has been actively involved in various volunteer board roles, including the Corporate Advisory Board for Texas CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates for children), the National Sports Marketing Network, serving as a mentor for NextUp (Network for advancing professional women), and acting as an Independent Director on the board of USA Diving.

Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Colorado State University and a Master of Arts in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dan started his career in sports marketing in 1987 as Creative Director for the Denver Nuggets. In 1996, when ASCENT purchased the Quebec Nordiques (renamed the Colorado Avalanche), Dan became Creative Director of both teams. During his tenure, his department redesigned the Denver Nuggets logo and created the new Avalanche logo. This experience built valuable industry contacts that became the foundation for his future success in sports branding.

Dan left the teams in 1997 and co-founded Adrenalin, a sports branding agency, where he served as President and Creative Director for over 24 years. His sports industry experience, brand development methods, and ability to understand client objectives were critical to Adrenalin's success. Under his direction, the creative staff produced complete brand makeovers and marketing campaigns for teams and leagues across the country. Notable projects include the "Denver Broncos Country" campaign, logo redesigns for the Chicago Fire and Phoenix Coyotes, branding and logo design for World Lacrosse, and a rebrand of the LA Kings.

Through 24 years of service, Dan established Adrenalin as a premier resource for teams and organizations looking to improve their position within the sports and entertainment industries. In June 2021, Dan sold Adrenalin to Real FiG Advertising + Marketing and joined the team as Brand Marketing Director.

Throughout his career, Dan has overseen branding and campaign development for teams, college conferences, the USOPC, and numerous National Governing Bodies including USA Archery, USA Cycling, USA Weightlifting, USA Fencing, USA Karate, and USA Field Hockey.

Dan enjoys sharing his experiences with other marketing and sports professionals through public speaking and mentoring programs and is often called upon by local media outlets to share his opinions on sports industry developments. He has held several board positions within sports industry organizations, including the Advisory Council for the Sports and Entertainment Management program at the University of Colorado Denver Graduate Business School, Bicycle Colorado, and the Denver Sports Commission.

Gretchen Sheirr is a seasoned sports executive with over two decades of experience with the Houston Rockets, currently serving as the President of Business Operations. Sheirr began her career in sports marketing with the Houston Hotshots, a minor league indoor soccer team, followed by an internship in Portland, Oregon, selling tickets. In 2001, she joined the Houston Rockets as a Season Ticket Account Executive.  Demonstrating exceptional leadership and strategic acumen, she advanced through several key positions within the organization:

   •   Senior Director of Ticket Sales (2001–2010): Sheirr led initiatives to enhance ticket sales strategies and improve customer engagement.

   •   Vice President of Sales and Services (2010–2017): She oversaw sales and service operations, focusing on revenue growth and fan satisfaction.

   •   Chief Revenue Officer (2017–2019): Sheirr was responsible for driving all revenue-generating activities, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, and merchandising.

   •   Chief Operating Officer (2019–2020): She managed the organization’s day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency across various departments.

   •   President of Business Operations (2020–present): In her current role, Sheirr oversees all business aspects of the Rockets, including sales, marketing, communications, finance, legal, human resources, and the management of the Toyota Center. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Gretchen is committed to community engagement and diversity initiatives. She is a founding board member of WISE (Women in Sports and Events) Houston, an organization dedicated to empowering women in the sports industry. Additionally, she actively participates in Houston’s Executive Women’s Partnership, contributing to the advancement of women in leadership roles. 

Gretchen’s dedication to fostering inclusive environments and her strategic vision have significantly contributed to the Houston Rockets’ success and have established her as a respected leader in the sports industry.

A native of Spring, Texas, Gretchen attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business/Marketing and was a four-year letter winner as a diver. She is a Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40” honoree, Sheirr is a sports marketing and revenue-generation expert.

Molly graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Political Science in 1995. While at Stanford, she was a member of four consecutive NCAA Championship Women’s Swimming and Diving teams and was Captain of the Diving team in 1994 and 1995.  Additionally, she was a member of two USA Diving World teams.  After Stanford, Molly advised multi-national corporations in the areas of tax and strategy implementation, living in New York City and California.

Since 2002, Molly has been an advocate for women, sports and education.  Between 2013 and 2015, Molly spearheaded a campaign to bring the Darien, Connecticut school system into compliance with federal laws regulating the rights of children with disabilities.  Her work was featured in the Wall Street Journal and resulted in a complete restructuring of the district’s policies and personnel.

Molly’s past board experience includes trustee positions on the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Stanford University Athletic Department, STEAMahead, a partnership between IBM and NASA, and the Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, Connecticut.  She is grateful to be giving back to her favorite sport: diving!

Jason Baumann’s 30+ year career in diving has touched on every facet of the diving arena – as an athlete, coach, and administrator.  As an athlete, Baumann won the Nebraska State High School Championship his junior season and was a two-time high school All-American.  Following his high school career, Baumann was a four-year team captain and letter winner at Indiana University, a five-time Big Ten Championship finalist, and was runner-up in the platform event in 1993.  As a senior, Baumann qualified for the NCAA Championships and earned All-American honors in the platform event.  Throughout his diving career, Baumann competed at over ten U.S. Junior and Senior National Championships.

Jason has coached at progressively higher levels since beginning his career in 1999, coaching at the NCAA Division I level for over ten years.  He first served as the Head Diving Coach at the University of Wyoming from 1999-2001.  In his two years in Laramie, eight divers made the finals at the Mountain West Conference Championships.  In 2000 he coached the men’s conference platform champion, and in 2001 he was named the Mountain West Conference Men’s Diving Coach of the Year after all but one of his divers was a finalist in all three events.  From 2001-2005 Baumann was the Assistant Coach at Indiana University.  During Baumann’s tenure in Bloomington, the Hoosiers won four combined team U.S. National Championships and four women’s U.S. National Championships and included 2004 Olympian Cassandra Cardinell, 2000 and 2004 Olympian Sara Reiling, and 2008 and 2012 Olympian Christina Loukas.  From 2005-2009, Jason moved to the University of Minnesota to serve as their Head Diving Coach.  Highlights in his time with the Gophers included 36 Top-16 finishes at the Big Ten Championships and two team Big Ten Championships, diver Shaun Kennedy earning NCAA All-American honors, the Men’s Team earning 2nd place at the 2008 U.S. National Championships, and the Men’s Platform Synchro team winning the 2009 U.S. National Championships.  Jason was the interim Head Diving Coach at the University of Utah in 2010, before joining the USA Diving staff in Indianapolis.

Jason is also no stranger to club diving, having coached with the Clayton Diving Alliance, Twin City Divers, the Indiana Diving Club, and the Indiana Diving Academy.  Under his tutelage, countless divers have realized success at U.S. Junior and Senior National Championships, including winning national titles at both levels and in multiple events.  Baumann’s divers have represented Team USA at World Cups, World Championships, Junior Pan Ams, World University Games, Grand Prix events, and the Olympic Trials.  He has also coached numerous athletes to successful collegiate careers, including multiple NCAA championship titles.

From 2010-2014, Jason took a break from coaching athletes and took on the role of Director of Coaches Education for USA Diving, where he oversaw all coaches education programs, including developing the new aerial training curriculum and certification.  As a lifetime member of USA Diving, Jason is an active contributor to the sport.  He has served on several committees, been a member of event management for all levels of competitions, conducted coaching clinics, led cultural exchange training trips, and been a Team USA Leader for multiple international competitions.  Jason has been a Aqua certified judge and has served as a judge and referee at several national and international competitions.

Jason earned a BA in Political Science and Criminal Justice with a minor in Mathematics while at Indiana University.  He later went on to earn a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Sports Science, with a focus on sport performance and educational psychology. Jason resides in Rosemount, Minnesota with three children Sidney, Connor, and Case.

Mark Anderson is serving his second term as an Athlete Director on the Board of Directors. A former member of the USA Diving National Team, Mark competed in various international events, including the FINA Diving Grand Prix, FINA Diving World Series, and World Championships. During his collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin, he was part of the Longhorn Swimming and Diving team that earned three consecutive NCAA National Championships. Mark graduated with a B.A. in Economics and recently completed his MBA at UT Austin. Currently, he serves as an Investment Banking Associate in the Healthcare group at William Blair in Chicago, IL. Although he retired from competitive diving in 2019, Mark remains deeply committed to advancing the sport’s future success.

As an elite diver and Olympic medalist, Krysta's dedication and perseverance led her to compete at the highest levels of the sport. She has been a mentor to many athletes, coaching and supporting them in their journeys to reach their full potential. Known for her leadership, positive attitude, and commitment to the growth of diving, Krysta is excited to work alongside the board to elevate the sport to new heights in the United States and ensure that USA Diving continues to be a leader in the global diving community.

In her new role, Krysta aims to advocate for divers of all ages and skill levels, foster a strong, supportive and safe diving environment. Her passion for diving, coupled with her extensive competition experience on world stages, positions her to make a lasting impact on the organization and the athletes it serves. With a strong background in both competitive diving and coaching, Krysta brings invaluable experience to the USA Diving Board of Directors.

John “Jack” Ryan is a graduate student at Stanford University and has been a diver since he was 11. A two-time Pan American Games bronze medalist and five-time USA Diving National Champion, Jack developed his skills at Mile High Dive Club in Denver, Colorado. Outside the pool, he’s an outdoorsman who loves skiing and exploring nature.