by Larry Ederupdated 11.29.11
Council for Responsible Sport (www.councilforresponsiblesport.org)
Marissa McGilliard has been named New Board Chair and Keith Peters is the new Executive Director for the Council for Responsible Sport. Marissa has been the Executive Director for the Council for Responsible Sport for three years and has championed the cause of thoughtful green running and running events with much success.
Marissa McGilliard
Keith Peters, for those who do not know, is the man who virtually invented Nike’s coverage of major events in the digital world, starting with the 1995 Goteborg World Champs, going to the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and through the Olympics in 2000. He was also Nike’s PR man for running in the golden era. Under his skillful eyes, Nike PR provided amazing content and assets and daily
interviews (done by Steve Miller) in a Nike Press center, with key
athletes, that has been the standard to this day. The Goteborg
experience, which has been my first experience with digital support/ and
sponsored media space gave the media info that they needed and a brand a
space that did not overcome media with corporate messaging. It was, the
best of both worlds.
Keith Peters has taken those skills, honed at the Swoosh from 1985-2001 and developed a very thoughtful public relations business as well as his advocacy for green running events. Keith will be the new Executive Director of the Council for Responsible Sport.
Keith PetersThe Council for Responsible Sports does many good things, we encourage all to find a way to work with them. I also think that forward looking track & cross country coaches might contact our friends and see if the Council could provide a guide for xc and track meets too!
Among the races on their certification lists are Nike Women’s Marathon, Big Sur International Marathon, Big Sur Half Marathon, ING Hartford Marathon, AJC Peachtree Road Race, Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival, Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, LIVESTRONG Austin Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon and MCM Historic Half Marathon.
Many of the top races in the country are on board, why isn’t yours?
(Photos courtesy of the Council for Responsible Sport website)
Council for Responsible Sport Names New Board Chair and Executive Director
Five year-old nonprofit organization builds for the future with clear intent on making a sustainable difference in sport.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2011 – Portland, OR: Outgoing Board Chairman Joe Whitworth announced today the appointment of a new Board Chair and a new Executive Director for the Council for Responsible Sport (CRS). Current Executive Director Marisa McGilliard will become Board Chair, and Keith Peters will succeed McGilliard as Executive Director. Both appointments become effective immediately.
“It is with great pleasure that I pass the Board Chair’s gavel to Marisa McGilliard,” said Whitworth. “During her three-year tenure as Executive Director, the Council for Responsible Sport has made great strides in establishing itself as the go-to resource for event directors who want to make a sustainable difference in sport. Under Marisa’s leadership, CRS Certification of running events and triathlons has grown tremendously.”
“I am honored to succeed Joe Whitworth as Board Chair,” said McGilliard. “And ecstatic to collaborate with other Board and Advisory Council members to further the Council’s presence in the global sports industry.”
McGilliard has spent the last 14 years committed to the sports for social change movement, starting as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan and culminating in positions with the Council for Responsible Sport, Mercy Corps, Nike and the Nike Foundation.
Whitworth went on to say, “I am also pleased to announce that Keith Peters will join CRS as its new Executive Director. Keith has been an advocate of CRS and its certification program since day one, serving as the facilitator of our Events Community of Practice. Job number one for him will be to maximize current programs, build brand and program awareness, grow stakeholder involvement and develop a systematic approach to fundraising.”
“I’ve long been a fan of the Council and what it stands for,” said Peters. “I believe the Council is well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the movement toward sustainable sport, and I’m honored to have been asked to lead the organization’s day-to-day operations.”
After spending 17 years with Nike in various senior leadership positions, Peters has spent the balance of his career consulting with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, helping them develop effective marketing communications and fundraising strategies.
“Keith will be a phenomenal Executive Director for this organization, having dedicated much of his career to sports, sustainability and nonprofits.” said McGilliard.
The Council for Responsible Sport will soon introduce updated certification standards for 2012 – standards that have been developed by an outside working group of 18 sustainability experts and reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders. CRS has also committed to developing new sets of certification standards for multi-day and indoor sporting events with a target release date of May 1, 2012.
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About the Council for Responsible Sport:

Founded in 2007 to empower sporting event producers to incorporate sustainably into their events, the Council for Responsible Sport is about inspired innovation and unprecedented collaboration. The mission of CRS is to partner with stakeholders in the sports industry as catalysts for sustainable change. From half marathons to football games to lacrosse and snowboarding, the Council believes athletes and spectators alike have the opportunity to encourage sports to adopt sustainable practices. In addition to administering a certification for sports events, CRS also offers peer-to-peer learning communities and access to online tools, case studies and strategic partnerships to assist leaders and businesses actively engaged in the sports industry. CRS Certified races range in size from the Hawk Island Triathlon in Lansing, Michigan, with 689 finishers, to the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia, with 55,077 timed finishers. To date, 34 different events have achieved certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, serving over 500,000 athletes in the process. A complete listing of CRS Certified events can be found at: http://www.councilforresponsiblesport.org/certification/certified-events/
About Marisa McGilliard:
With 14 years in the industry, Marisa is recognized in the industry, having contributed to WEND magazine’s Greenery Section, The Washington Post, Greenopolis, YouthNoise, NIRSA and The International Platform on Sport and Development. Outside Marisa’s work with the Council, she is Senior Associate Counsel for Jive Software, an advisor to Search for the Ultimate Athlete’s Sustainability and Philanthropic Initiatives and is a consultant for Designs for a Sustainable World Collective. During her time off, Marisa is an avid traveler and runner, having recently backpacked through Ecuador and Peru.
About Keith Peters:
From 1985 to 2001, Keith enjoyed a career with Nike that included assignments as Director of Running Sports Marketing, Director of Public Relations, European Director of Communications, Director of Communications for Corporate Responsibility and Content Development Director of Nike.com. Since leaving Nike, Keith and his partner have consulted with some of the oldest and largest road races in America, helping them recognize and fulfill their eco-responsibilities. Keith is also the author of Road Race Management’s Guide to Greener Running Events.
