​​Eli Lilly and Company Becomes Presenting Partner of Team USA HERoic, Amplified Across Seven National Governing Bodies Through the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

Park City, UT (Nov. 17, 2025) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard officially announces the expansion of its women’s initiative, HERoic, to include seven National Governing Bodies (NGBs), becoming the Team USA HERoic for the 2025-26 season. Lilly becomes the presenting partner of the platform, supporting seven winter NGBs. This partnership provides financial support for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization and increases visibility for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard HERoic initiative through the 2025-26 season.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s HERoic Initiative was launched in 2022, with a focus on celebrating and empowering women in skiing and snowboarding. Since the inception of HERoic, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has increased the number of women coaches under the organization's 10 teams, hosted numerous women-centered panels at various World Cup events, established the Stifel HERoic Cup, a $50,000 prize awarded to the best woman alpine World Cup racer during the 2024-25 season at U.S. World Cup races, and more. With the collaboration between Team USA and Lilly, HERoic will now be an official campaign to celebrate women athletes when they qualify for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“We are excited about partnering with Team USA and Lilly to expand HERoic to include more of the winter NGBs going into the Games,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “HERoic has been an important initiative for us, one that we are continuing to invest in, and this is a further step in broadening its impact. We are looking forward to showcasing the amazing women across Olympic & Paralympic winter sports this upcoming season. We are grateful for Team USA and Lilly’s support.” 

“Lilly is proud to support the Team USA HERoic platform that celebrates and uplifts women in sport and provides them the visibility they deserve,” said Jennifer Oleksiw, Global Chief Customer Officer and Group Vice President, Lilly. “HERoic has already made a meaningful impact, and together we can help accelerate that momentum for women skiers and snowboarders as they prepare for Milano Cortina 2026.”

Lilly will receive prominent broadcast integrations, venue signage and social media activations with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Team USA. 

ABOUT U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

ABOUT LILLY
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. The company has been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today their medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, its scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care, treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects, advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease, providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, Lilly is motivated by making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure its medicines are accessible and affordable

Statement on U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Participation in the Surfing NGB Process:

U.S. Ski & Snowboard entered this process with enthusiasm and conviction in our ability to help elevate American surfing and we continue to believe strongly that our athlete-first model, track record of success across 10 Olympic & Paralympic sports and world-class infrastructure could provide the resources that U.S. surfers deserve. 

However, after thoughtful consideration, and despite the USOPC’s invitation to participate in its open process, meaningful interest from athletes and commercial partners, and considerable time and effort on behalf of our organization, we have decided not to move forward with the USOPC’s process at this time. 

Despite U.S. Ski & Snowboard reaching out multiple times over the past 18 months, USA Surfing—the National Governing Body that relinquished its certification in 2021 for failure to meet USOPC compliance standards—chose public attacks and uninformed legal threats instead of constructive dialogue and engagement. Considering those factors, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has concluded that our energy and expertise are best used in service to our athletes as they prepare for the upcoming Winter Games.

We feel progress in sport requires partnership and trust. We remain open to opportunities in the future should the environment become more collaborative.

It’s an exciting time at U.S. Ski & Snowboard! Last night we hosted our 59th Annual NYC Gold Medal Gala presented by J. Crew, where we set a fundraising record, raising $3.2 million that will directly benefit the athletes and organization, including an exciting panel with Lindsey Vonn and Lauren Macuga. And tomorrow… the season officially begins.

Saturday marks the start of the 2025-26 season with the first World Cup in Sölden, Austria for both men’s and women’s alpine. With less than 24 hours until the season officially begins and nearly 100 days until the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, the wait is over. We’re ready to get started.

As we head into Sölden, I want to take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come in the last year. Right now, we’re in one of the strongest positions we’ve ever been in – athletically and financially – and with the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, we’re poised to capitalize on the global attention that’s coming our way.

Which brings me to my first point: saying thank you.

Many people make all of this possible. When I look at how far we’ve come the last few years, I’m reminded that our strength lies in our people – those who care deeply about our athletes, our sports and one another. It’s said often in our world, but it’s true: none of this is done alone. Every podium finish, every career best result, every milestone represents the effort of so many people. We may have 10 sports and 240 athletes, but behind them stand 200+ staff, more than 60 partners and suppliers, 32 board members, 85 trustees, 70 ambassadors, 7,178 coaches, 350 clubs, more than 35,000 U.S. Ski & Snowboard members and millions of fans. We’re one team and that’s what makes this organization extraordinary.

My next point: our impact.

Our impact is visible across every facet of the organization. Financially, we’re stronger than ever, with more than 80% of our funding directly supporting our 
athletes and a model of care that ensures our athletes have everything they need to keep going. Commercially, we’ve entered a new era, securing major multi-year partnerships.. Just this year, we’ve signed or expanded partnerships with Stifel, J.Crew, Dunkin’ and Cloudflare. And in just these last two weeks, we announced new agreements with iCapital, Db, Prevagen, Xfinity and U.S. Army’s 10th 
Mountain Division.

These partnerships aren’t just signed contracts – they’re affirmations of our credibility as a sports team. In the last year, our commercial sales have grown, with 10 partners added. Zooming out, since 2021, we’ve increased commercial revenue by 150% and our overall revenue has increased by more than 75%. On the digital side, from 2023-24 to the 2024-25 season, our digital impact reached new heights. Social media impressions grew by 140%, while earned media impressions skyrocketed from 31 billion to 700 billion. These numbers reflect the incredible momentum behind our athletes, our teams and the growing excitement for snow sports across the world.

And as we prepare for the next decade, we know our impact off the snow is just as important as what we achieve on it. Through initiatives like HERoic, which champions women in sport, and Easy Green, our sustainability program focused on preserving winter for generations to come.

My third point: the future.

Looking ahead, Milano Cortina is just 100 days away and the preparation period going into the Games has been going very well for our athletes and teams. Throughout this summer, we have been busy gearing up, whether it's on snow, in the gym or in the media, with many of our athletes traveling around the world for media summits and commercial shoots, and several publications traveling to Park City to capture our athletes in their element. It’s been exciting and busy getting ready for the season, but the wait is over, and now we’re counting down 100 days until we head to Italy. 

But Milano Cortina is not the only Games we’re preparing for – Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 is less than nine years away. That may seem distant, but in reality, it’s right around the corner. We have a rare opportunity to help shape not just the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but the future of American skiing and snowboarding. 

On the heels of the Paris Games, the Olympic and Paralympic movements are more popular than ever, and we are redefining what it means to be the future of sports excellence. Today, we’re one of the most substantial National Governing Bodies in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic system. Our mission remains clear: to champion competitive snowsports, develop U.S. champions and make the United States the best in the world at skiing and snowboarding. We’re setting a gold standard in how an NGB can operate, but we’re not complacent. We know there’s always more we can do and that drive propels us into this season and beyond.

My last point: the exciting season ahead.

We’ll host 10 World Cup events across the United States this season - including the Stifel Copper Cup presented by United Airlines, an Audi FIS Alpine World Cup at Copper Mountain and the Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a COOP FIS Cross Country World Cup, in March. Our athletes make us proud on a daily basis… We have the winningest skier of all time, Mikaela Shiffrin, looking to build on her already historic career. She’s joined by an incredible group of teammates across all our teams - like Nick Goepper from the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team, aiming for his fourth Olympic medal in an entirely new discipline; Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team athlete and two-time Olympic champion Chloe Kim; the winningest American cross country skier in history, Jessie Diggins; Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn aiming to complete her comeback in Milano Cortina; 2022 Beijing Olympic medalist Alex Hall; the world’s top-ranked moguls skier Jaelin Kauf; and the most decorated Para snowboarder in history Brenna Huckaby, and there are so many more athletes I could mention. 

All that said, to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard family, which includes our athletes, their families, our members, donors, partners, suppliers, fans and more – thank you for your continued support, dedication and excitement around our sports. The season starts tomorrow, and we’re ready. 

Let’s go!

Best,
Sophie 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard hosted the 59th annual Gold Medal Gala, presented by J.Crew, in New York City to celebrate the spirit of the “team behind the team.” In its 59th year, the Gala raised a record-breaking $3.2 million – the largest single night of fundraising in the organization’s history – to directly support U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes on their road to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games this winter.

The Zeigfeld Ballroom welcomed back more than 500 guests for the event, including more than 20 athletes representing all sports, alumni, donors, partners, board members and more to celebrate the upcoming season, which begins Saturday with the men’s and women’s World Cup in Sölden, Austria. 

The highlight of the evening featured an inspiring on-stage conversation between Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes Lindsey Vonn and Lauren Macuga. The discussion centered around the power of mentorship and full-circle moments. Vonn was Macuga’s hero growing up and now they’re teammates. 

“Lindsey Vonn knows what it takes to win and I want to learn that,” said Macuga, when asked about being a teammate with her childhood hero. Vonn responded, “I was a little intimidated coming back, but I love being around Lauren and the whole team. Lauren will be a leader for a long time.”

The evening also included the presentation of the annual Transcendence Award to Stifel Financial and CEO Ron Kruszewski. This award honors a person, business or organization that transcends snow sports. Stifel’s expanded partnership through 2034 marks the longest deal in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s history, enabling the organization to invest deeply in the long-term success of its athletes and programs.

Throughout the evening, guests contributed through table purchases, a live auction hosted by Harry Santa-Ollala and a paddle raise – all proceeds made from the evening directly benefit U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s 240 athletes across 10 sports.

“We’re deeply grateful to our supporters, partners, and donors who make nights like this possible,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Our athletes’ success on the world stage reflects the incredible team behind them, and last night was proof of how strong that team truly is. A special thank you to our partners – especially J.Crew, our first-ever presenting partner – and to all of the athletes, donors, trustees, board members and long-time supporters who helped make this our most successful Gala yet.”

Thank you to the Gold Medal Gala chairs, Karen and John Arnold, Jeanne and Sasha Leviant, Alexa and Fernando Maddock and Kathryn and Bill Tyree for their support in putting together this annual event.