Chrissi Rawak, a 1988 graduate of Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, has been named USA Swimming’s new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
A member of Germantown Academy’s 1986, 1987, and 1988 Easterns Championship Team and their 1987 National Championship High School team, Rawak takes over for former CEO Tim Hinchey.
“I started swimming competitively at about 10. I loved it. I was really fortunate to swim at Germantown Academy in Philadelphia and then went on to the University of Michigan where I swam and then coached as well,” Rawak told Swimming World. “I have an incredible appreciation for the sport, as an athlete, a coach and an administrator. I have followed this sport my entire life.”
She will lead Team USA to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
“The excitment is significant. I am old enough to remember when it was in L.A. last time, watching Janet Evans and Steve Lundquist and Rowdy Gaines crushing it in that pool,” Rawak said. “There is a lot of passion around this sport, and we are driving toward L.A. We want to make it an unprecedented experience. This is a transformational moment for sport.”
Rawak was the first woman to serve as Director of Athletics at Delaware and was recognized as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ Athletic Director of the Year in 2024.
“I would tell you I am who I am because of the sport of swimming,” Rawak said. “The discipline, the focus, the goal orientation, the perseverance is all very real. I would also tell you that my experience coaching was one of the most formative career experiences I’ve had. I was really lucky to do it, honestly at a young age, coming out of college, at 22, becoming the assistant coach at Michigan was certainly a privilege and an honor.”
From USA Swimming’s announcement:
A former Division I swimmer and coach, Rawak has over three decades of experience championing program growth and competitive excellence. Before joining USA Swimming, Rawak served as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services at the University of Delaware, where she led more than 600 athletes across 21 Division I sports programs. Under her tenure, the university saw remarkable athletic success—including an NCAA Division I field hockey championship and four Coastal Athletic Association titles. She was awarded the 2024 Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics for her leadership. Under her guidance, athletes also excelled academically, achieving a 3.0 GPA or higher for 21 consecutive semesters.
Rawak grew up swimming at Germantown Academy and was a member of the 1986, ‘87, and ‘88 Easterns Championship Team and 1987 National Championship High School team. She competed and coached collegiately for the University of Michigan as part of nine Big Ten Championship teams, four as a student-athlete and five as a coach. All nine years during her time with Michigan, they were Big Ten champions and finished top 15 at the NCAA Championships. Michigan became the first school to break into the top three at the NCAA Championship outside of Stanford, Texas, and Florida. As a coach, she coached alongside Jon Urbanchek, Alex Braunfeld, Eric Namesnik, and Jim Richardson and served as an assistant coach at the USA Swimming Open Water Camp in 1996. Rawak coached multiple Big Ten Champions, NCAA Champions, Olympic, and National Team members.
Rawak brings strong experience growing organizations and ensuring their long-term stability. She led the University of Delaware’s first-ever fundraising campaign, raising $38 million to fund the construction of a new athletic department facility. She held leadership roles in development departments and people operations at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University. At UofM, she implemented the development department’s first human resources/talent management strategy for more than 500 employees.
Rawak and her husband Glenn Hill, a fellow former Michigan athlete, are the parents of three children.
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