Katherine DeStefano – United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee

Having one’s dream become a reality doesn’t always happen. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication—with some luck and good fortune along the way.  

For as long as she can remember, Katherine DeStefano knew that she wanted to work in the sports industry because sports have been a pivotal part of her life since she was born. Her father, Paul, has been a legendary high school boys’ basketball coach in the Washington, D.C., area for nearly 50 years. Her brother, Brian, was a graduate assistant for the Duke University men’s basketball program and spent nine years as an assistant head coach at Harvard University, and her mom, Chris, was always in the gym with them as a coach from the bleachers.

Katherine DeStefano / United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee / Associate General Counsel, Litigation & Dispute Resolution

DeStefano was a promising youth and high school basketball player in the DC area until, at the age of 15, she experienced a life-changing medical situation after playing in an AAU tournament.  

“I was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called Long QT Syndrome, and due to the level of risk associated with high-intensity competition that could trigger a cardiac episode, the consensus from doctors was that I end my competitive playing career,” DeStefano says. “This was a heartbreaking diagnosis, but I didn’t let that bump in the road deter me from my ultimate goal of a career in sports, especially coming from such a sports-oriented family.” 

After her diagnosis, DeStefano remained a captain of her high school’s varsity basketball team, took up golf and made the varsity golf team —this was the only sport doctors felt comfortable clearing her to play. And despite not being allowed to play basketball, her hoops journey didn’t end there.  

“During my senior year of high school, the women’s basketball coaches at Georgetown University offered me a scholarship to serve as team manager after learning about my past success as a player, my heart condition, and my deep understanding of the game,” DeStefano recalls.  

This opportunity allowed her to continue to be involved with the game she loved while seeing it from a different perspective. She says she learned valuable insights about teamwork and operations that she wouldn’t have appreciated as a player.  

With her family coaching pedigree, many people encouraged DeStefano to pursue coaching herself after college, but she had other ideas. She wanted to work in the sports industry, just in a different capacity. So, she attended law school at Fordham University School of Law. But the jobs in sports law weren’t there right away. DeStefano spent seven years as a law firm associate doing commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense before an opportunity came along to join the legal department for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in January 2021. In December 2023, she was promoted to her current role as associate general counsel for litigation and dispute resolution.

“I think my journey is a testament to how sports can fundamentally transform a person’s life and positively alter an individual’s trajectory,” DeStefano explains. “Sports, especially team sports, have allowed me to develop a broad skill set and make significant contributions not just as an athlete but also in my professional life.” 

USA! USA!

At the USOPC, DeStefano is pivotal in managing the organization’s litigation and dispute-resolution strategies. She also serves as lead counsel for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the USOPC that generates financial support for Team USA’s athletes. A federally chartered nonprofit organization, the USOPC is entirely privately funded through the generosity of the American public and the support of many corporate sponsors. 

“We are one of the only national committees in the world that manages Olympic and Paralympic activities,” she notes. “But, unlike most national committees, we don’t receive any government funding. Thus, our philanthropic efforts through the USOPF are crucial for the USPOC to support the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls.” 

The USOPF recently announced it is embarking on its most ambitious fundraising journey ever. With the goal of raising $500 million, One For All: The Campaign for Team USA seeks to propel Team USA toward unprecedented success at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. 

While seeking to grow fan engagement across the country simultaneously, the USOPC and USOPF are working hand in hand to engage audiences spanning generations and further the organization’s recently revised mission: Empowering the competitive excellence and well-being of Team USA athletes, championing the power of sport, and inspiring the nation. 

Games Time 

DeStefano is looking forward to the upcoming Paris Games, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina in Italy, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games. She and the entire USOPC legal team will handle unique challenges in preparation for each of these Games. That’s why the legal team of ten consider themselves members of the Team Behind the Team.

“I am excited to keep propelling the USOPC’s strategic priorities this summer in Paris and on the road to Los Angeles in 2028. The LA Games will be the first Games on U.S. soil in over 25 years and will serve as an opportunity to significantly strengthen the future of the global Olympic and Paralympic movement,” she explains.  

To take full advantage of these opportunities, the USOPC will collaborate with athletes, individual national governing bodies, and supporters as a collective Team USA community to holistically support athletes on and off the field.  

“I know from firsthand experience that life after sport can come suddenly, and it is important that we not only help our athletes during their playing days but also help prepare them for their post-Olympic and post-Paralympic careers,” she says.  

This includes programs such as the USOPC’s Athlete Fellowship Program, which allows retired Team USA athletes to rotate between two USOPC departments for a full year to gain hands-on work experience in sports. Establishing this program was possible because of the generosity of donors. 

Paying it forward 

Understanding the impact of mentorship on her own career progression, DeStefano helped launch the Legal Diversity Mentorship Program at the USOPC. The program, which started with relationships with several law schools in Washington, D.C., and a Colorado law school, pairs law students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds with mentors at the USOPC to discuss skillset development, provide networking opportunities, and increase participating law students’ exposure to traditional and non-traditional career paths in sports law and beyond.

“This program continues to grow, and we’re adding additional law schools each year, indicating that these types of programs are not only effective for professional development but also meaningful and rewarding for both mentors and mentees,” DeStefano says.  

DeStefano grew up in  Silver Spring, Maryland and was a standout basketball player for St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Georgetown University before earning a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in New York City.  

Upon graduating from law school—and when a job in sports didn’t present itself—DeStefano clerked and then spent nearly seven years in private practice, previously as an associate at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. She joined the USOPC in January 2021 as senior counsel and rose to her current position in December 2023.  

”I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to pursue my passions and the adversity I learned to face along the way,” DeStefano says. “We’ll all hit a roadblock or two in our lives. It’s how you respond when they come that matters most. My journey can hopefully remind you to keep chasing what you’re passionate about, even when the proverbial ball stops bouncing.”