MICHELLE STRAUSS STEPS UP AS EARLY INVESTOR TO ADVANCE USA FOOTBALL’S MISSION & ROAD TO THE 2028 OLYMPICS
Strauss joins USA Football’s Champions Circle to support the growth and development of USA Football’s pathway and programs
Michelle Strauss, CEO of the Strauss Family Office located in Kirkland, Wash., has joined USA Football’s Champions Circle with a philanthropic commitment to support the programs and pathways USA Football oversees at every level, from youth and school-based football to the international stage. As a member of USA Football's Champions Circle, Strauss is part of a group of philanthropist leaders that help grow the game, develop champions and expand access to football nationwide.
"Michelle understands the unique role sport can play in shaping lives and communities," said Scott Hallenbeck, CEO of USA Football. "Her leadership and generosity are helping us build toward a historic Olympic moment while staying grounded in the values that define our game."
Strauss’s support comes at a pivotal time for the sport. USA Football, the sport’s National Governing Body in the United States, plays a central role in expanding access and opportunities nationwide. Since 2006, the organization has awarded more than 22 million dollars in grants to youth and school-based football programs, reaching athletes across more than 16,000 programs in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. It now turns its focus to the 2028 Olympic Games, where flag football will make its historic debut, marking a defining moment for the sport’s global growth.
In anticipation of flag football’s Olympic debut, youth participation in flag football is skyrocketing. In the decade from 2015 through 2024, the number of girls ages six to 12 playing flag football increased 283%. During the same time frame, there was a 47% increase in participation in flag football among all youth ages 6-12.
Strauss is a founder and the producer of the Remembrance Bowl, an annual game played in Normandy during D-Day Commemoration Week. Active-duty members of the U.S. Army's 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions take part each year, honoring soldiers who planned but never played a game during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. The Remembrance Bowl is part of the broader Remembrance Project, which pairs the game with civic education focused on sacrifice, service and national memory.
To learn more about supporting USA Football's mission, visit usafootball.com/donate or contact Brandon McCladdie, Chief Development Officer.
About USA Football: USA Football is the National Governing Body (NGB) for American Football in the United States and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), the international governing body for the sport of American football. USA Football selects, trains and leads Team USA Football® in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways. For more information, visit usafootball.com.