Tom Farrey

Founder and Executive Director, Sports & Society Program at The Aspen Institute

San Clemente, California, United States Contact Info
5K followers 500+ connections

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About

I create innovative content, strategies and initiatives that help the sport sector serve the public interest. Projects launched have won dozens of national and international awards in journalism, marketing, advertising and social good. My book, "Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children," led me in 2013 to create Project Play, an Aspen Institute initiative and movement now comprised of 20,000+ leaders building healthy communities through sports. Partners have included the most influential entities in sports, media, technology, health care, retail, philanthropy and government. My work has reshaped public policies and unlocked or shaped $100 million+ in investments.

For more, see my website: www.tomfarrey.me

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Experience

  • The Aspen Institute

    The Aspen Institute

    13 years 10 months

    • The Aspen Institute Graphic

      Executive Director, Sports & Society Program

      The Aspen Institute

      - Present 11 years 4 months

      Washington D.C.

      I guide the Sports & Society Program, the mission of which is to convene leaders, foster dialogue, and inspire solutions that help sport serve the public interest. The program offers a venue where thought leadership and breakthrough strategies can be developed on a range of opportunities, from building healthy communities through sports to rethinking the model for college athlete pay.

      We serve as an honest broker of ideas, sourced from the thousands of leaders, organizations and athletes…

      I guide the Sports & Society Program, the mission of which is to convene leaders, foster dialogue, and inspire solutions that help sport serve the public interest. The program offers a venue where thought leadership and breakthrough strategies can be developed on a range of opportunities, from building healthy communities through sports to rethinking the model for college athlete pay.

      We serve as an honest broker of ideas, sourced from the thousands of leaders, organizations and athletes who have engaged with our work. We produce events, reports and research that shape important conversations and help mobilize stakeholders for action, in the U.S. and other countries. Our signature initiatives is Project Play, one of the most prominent initiatives at the Aspen Institute and the winner of 37 international awards for social good, marketing and advertising.

      My work in developing strategies to improve the design and delivery of sports for youth in America has been featured in HBO Real Sports and other major media outlets. I also have continued to write and report on occasion, with my pieces appearing in the New York Times, Newsweek and the BBC.

    • The Aspen Institute Graphic

      Director, Sports & Society Program

      The Aspen Institute

      - 2 years 6 months

      Washington D.C. Metro Area

      Founded Sports & Society Program, donating my time, while working with ESPN.

  • ESPN Graphic

    Reporter, Enterprise Unit

    ESPN

    - 19 years 5 months

    Bristol CT

    For nearly two decades, my reporting for Outside the Lines, E:60 and other platforms explored the connections between sports and the largest themes in society, helping ESPN establish a reputation for investigative and enterprise journalism. I also served as senior writer at ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, where I was the first reporter to create cross-platform packages with television.

    My television, magazine, online, documentary and radio work earned two Emmys for sports journalism and…

    For nearly two decades, my reporting for Outside the Lines, E:60 and other platforms explored the connections between sports and the largest themes in society, helping ESPN establish a reputation for investigative and enterprise journalism. I also served as senior writer at ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, where I was the first reporter to create cross-platform packages with television.

    My television, magazine, online, documentary and radio work earned two Emmys for sports journalism and more than a dozen other national awards, including an Edward R. Murrow Award and top honors from Sigma Delta Chi/Society of Professional, the National Association of Black Journalists, and Asian American Journalists Association. In 2014, my reporting on youth football issues earned the Columbia University-Alfred I. duPont Award -- ESPN's first.

    My 2008 book, "Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children," published by ESPN, became required reading at universities across the country. Today, it continues to influence the public's understanding of our sport ecosystem and its impact on children and communities.

  • Starwave Graphic

    Deputy Editor/Interactive for ESPNET SportsZone

    Starwave

    - 2 years

    Greater Seattle Area

    Oversaw the editorial development of community features on the website that would later be bought by The Walt Disney Co. and renamed ESPN.com. Introduced the first online user polls and other user-participation tools and innovations that prompted AOL users to recognize ESPNET SportsZone as the Top Community Website in their annual Member's Choice Awards.

  • The Seattle Times Graphic

    Reporter

    The Seattle Times

    - 8 years 6 months

    NBA and Seattle SuperSonics beat reporter; NFL and Seattle Seahawks beat reporter; first-ever enterprise and investigative reporter within sports department

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