38-Year Career Marked By Unwavering Commitment to Athletes

Special Olympics Kentucky (SOKY) President and CEO, Trish Mazzoni, has announced her retirement, effective December 31, 2024. She has served as the organization’s President and CEO since 2012, but her Special Olympics career spans 38 years.

After volunteering at Special Olympics events as a student at the University of Kentucky, Mazzoni was hired as the program’s Sports Director in 1986. After successfully managing sports programs for several years, she was promoted to Executive Vice President, where, in addition to continuing to direct sports and health programs, she ran the organization’s day-to-day operations before her elevation to President and CEO.

During her time in charge of SOKY’s sports programs, Mazzoni oversaw a significant expansion of opportunities for Special Olympics athletes in Kentucky, including adding sports and increasing competition dates. She was also responsible for organizing Kentucky’s entries into the Special Olympics World Games through 1999. Mazzoni then served as Head of Delegation for Special Olympics USA’s Great Lakes Region in World Games abroad in Ireland (2003) and China (2007). She served as Team Kentucky’s Head of Delegation at the inaugural USA Games in Iowa (2006) and then again in Nebraska (2010).

As President and CEO, Mazzoni has driven growth both on the program and fundraising sides of the organization. On the program side, she has overseen major expansions of the Healthy Athletes and Unified Champion Schools Programs. She is especially proud of the growth of the Athlete Leadership Program, which she continues to run directly. On the fundraising side, she has overseen across-the-board growth in sponsorships, most notably for the State Summer Games.

One of her greatest accomplishments came in the wake of the 2020 Pandemic when she worked to keep athletes involved and motivated during the time that sports couldn’t be offered. She collaborated with health professionals to find safe ways for Special Olympics athletes to return to play as soon as the state allowed sports participation generally. SOKY was able to hold golf and softball programs as early as July 2020, and Kentucky became one of only a few states that held a 2021 Summer Games after the 2020 Games had to be cancelled.

In 2018, Mazzoni organized Special Olympics Kentucky’s celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Special Olympics movement. That celebration honored athletes from every decade of SOKY’s existence. The event gathered athletes, volunteers and supporters at Valley High School in Louisville, which hosted the first Special Olympics Games ever held in Kentucky.

Mazzoni has also been a leader on the national and international levels, serving on the International Sports Rules Committee, the United States Leadership Committee and the Special Olympics USA Management Committee.

Throughout her career, Mazzoni’s dedication to athletes and their families has been at the forefront, and despite her many accomplishments, it is the athletes that have made her the proudest.

“It has been an honor and a blessing to have met and worked with so many amazing athletes through the years,” Mazzoni said. “I am so proud of what they have accomplished, and I have learned so much while witnessing their accomplishments on and off the playing field.  It has also been an honor and a blessing to have had the opportunity to work with so many talented and dedicated coaches and volunteers. Through my journey with SOKY, I’ve been surrounded by co-workers, board members and supporters who have encouraged and supported me at every stage of my career!  How lucky am I?!”

To address the leadership transition that will take place at year’s end, the SOKY board of directors has retained an executive search firm to assist with the recruitment and selection of the organization’s next President and CEO. The selected firm brings deep expertise in nonprofit operations, fundraising, and executive transition management, ensuring an inclusive and thorough process.

The application will be made available in the coming weeks. Please do not contact SOKY staff or board about the search. Any interest in or nominations for the role should be directed to the search firm, Benefactor Group: [email protected].