Advisory Board Bios

Anne Flannery was named Executive Director of PE4life in June, 2000 to lead a comprehensive initiative to improve the nation’s physical education programs for all children in grades K-12. In four years, Flannery has helped expand the national dialogue at the federal and local level, engaging parents, teachers, school administrators, and the private sector in understanding that physical education needed a paradigm shift, and that it’s impact on a child’s health and ability to lead a better life warrants attention and investment.

Under Flannery’s leadership, PE4life was instrumental in creating the first national funding program for physical education, the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP), which has provided over $185 million in grants to communities across the country to improve their school-based physical education programs.

In 1999, Flannery concluded a five-year tenure as the Director of Women’s Sports Marketing for Spalding Sports Worldwide, where she developed Spalding’s women’s sponsorship portfolio, including the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF), the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

In recognition of her achievements, Flannery was named SportsWoman of the Year by Sporting Goods Business in 1998.

Before joining Spalding, Flannery spent five years with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as Associate Executive Director, directing all of the organization’s marketing and communication programs.

Flannery holds an M.S. in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Syracuse University, where she was a Regional Academic All-American and captain of the women’s basketball team.