FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adrienne R. Benton Appointed to B.A.A. Board of Governors
Benton Is First Woman Of Color To Be Named To The Organization's Board
BOSTON - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced that Adrienne
R. Benton has been named to its Board of Governors, becoming the first
woman of color to serve in this role in the organization's
135-year-history. Benton began her term in November 2021, though her
connection and work with the B.A.A. spans years.
"One of my goals is to become a better equipped ambassador for the sport of
distance running and to support eliminating racial and many other
disparities within the sport. I'm very excited to be a part of the work
the B.A.A. is doing," said Benton.
Benton attributes her journey with running to her sibling, who completed a
5K in 2014 at a time when she struggled completing a mile. Since then,
Benton has completed six marathons—including four of the Abbott World
Marathon Majors—in addition to numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons.
Benton has also served as a Boston Marathon finish line announcer, helping
to congratulate and welcome thousands of athletes to the Boylston Street
finish line.
A member of Black Girls Run - Boston and the National Black Marathoners
Association, Benton is passionate about tackling health issues that affect
the Black community. She also sits on the seven-person steering committee
of the Boston Running Collaborative, a B.A.A. initiative that seeks to
build a more diverse running community by expanding access to running and
walking in Boston with a focus on communities of color.
"It is my hope that through the Boston Running Collaborative, the B.A.A.
can become a catalyst for addressing disparities in the Boston running
community through outreach and collaboration. Specifically, the Boston
Running Collaborative seeks to create access to year-round training
facilities, provide more health and wellness opportunities that have
community benefit, and foster exposure and access to career development in
track and field in Boston," said Benton.
Benton is the founder of Onyx Spectrum Technology, which was recognized for
its growth in the technology space in 2020 by the Initiative for a
Competitive Inner City's Inner City 100 list. Benton's board appointment
follows the most recent November 2020 appointment of Keith McDermott. The
full board listing is available on the B.A.A.'s website.
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit
organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through
sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston Marathon is the world's
oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and
supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs.
Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John
Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors,
along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and
New York City. For more information on the B.A.A., the B.A.A. running club,
or the B.A.A. High Performance Team, please visit www.baa.org.
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