Back to News USA Climbing, the National Governing Body for the sport of climbing, is thrilled to announce the addition of Brian McAndrews as an Independent Director on its Board of Directors. While new to climbing, McAndrews has a longstanding passion for sports. He competed as a varsity track and field athlete in college, enjoys playing tennis in his free time, and he and his wife are minority owners of the Seattle Sounders FC. McAndrews brings extensive leadership experience, currently serving on the boards of Xero and The Wine Group, as Lead Director of FrontDoor and The New York Times, and as a Senior Advisor to Spectrum Equity. McAndrews’ distinguished career includes serving as Chairman and CEO of Pandora Media and as a Managing Director with Madrona Venture Group. He was CEO of aQuantive, a leading digital marketing services and technology company acquired by Microsoft, where he became Senior Vice President of the Advertising business. Prior to aQuantive, McAndrews worked with Disney/ABC, holding executive positions at ABC Sports, ABC Entertainment, and ABC Television Network. “My most fulfilling experiences as an executive and board member have been rooted in contributing to something new, evolving, and full of potential,” McAndrews shared upon accepting the role. “USA Climbing’s remarkable growth makes serving on the Board especially exciting, as it offers the chance to help shape our future strategy, unlock tremendous opportunities, and be part of building what can be an extraordinary future for the organization.” “Independent board members play a vital role in bringing objective perspectives and diverse expertise to the table,” said Marc Norman, President and CEO of USA Climbing. “Brian’s expertise and professional acumen will be invaluable in strengthening our Board’s efforts to promote and elevate the growth of climbing to new heights.” McAndrews holds an A.B. in Economics from Harvard College, where he competed on the varsity track team, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has also demonstrated a deep commitment to service in the community, serving for ten years on the board of United Way of King County, including as chairman, and currently volunteering as a CASA. McAndrews’ appointment coincides with the addition of Sophie Curcio and Nekaia Sanders, USA Climbing’s newly-elected Team USA Athlete Representative and Alternate, respectively, to the Board of Directors in 2025. With these appointments, all open seats on the USA Climbing Board of Directors are now filled. Click here to learn more about the USA Climbing Board of Directors.