Deirdre Abrahamsson
At-Large Representative

I first started playing Ultimate in the Philadelphia Summer League in 1995, and I was hooked. Ultimate has taken me all over the US and Europe, allowing me the good fortune to experience new places and to make new friends along the way. I have played in three World Championships (Vancouver 1997, Germany 2000, and Hawaii 2002). Currently I am living in Salt Lake City, playing with the mixed team Persuader.

Professionally, I have worked extensively in the sports and events industries, focusing on program planning and implementation, event operations and logistics. I have worked for non-profit groups such as the American AIDS Rides, New York City Parks & Recreation and the Women's Sports Foundation. On the corporate side, I helped organize a nationwide driving program for BMW. For the past two years, I worked for the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, serving as General Manager for the Team 2002 Processing Center. This past summer, I worked as business director for the World Ultimate Club Championships in Hawaii, overseeing budget, event finances, awards and player registration. At the WFDF conference held in conjunction with the WUCC in Hawaii, I was appointed to the Ultimate Committee.

I would like to contribute to the success and growth of the UPA by sharing my experience and administrative skills with the rest of the board and the administration. I would like to help elevate our sport's profile by increasing our public relation and sponsorship efforts. I would like to see improvements made to our newsletter and web site, allowing for more timely coverage of news and events in our community as well as tournament results. I would also like to work on creative ways to increase our revenues, so as to increase our resources and expand the UPA's scope of work and its ability to serve its constituents. I would like to represent members of the UPA at all levels of play and to adequately address and meet their needs. I feel that I am an ideal candidate to help grow and develop the UPA, making it one of the premiere amateur sports organizations in the country.

Committees Serving On in 2005:
Finance