Benton is the first woman of color to be named to the organization’s board of directors.
BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) has announced that Adrienne R. Benton has been named to its Board of Governors, becoming the first woman of color to hold the position in the organization’s 135-year history. Benton began his tenure in November 2021, although his connection and work with the BAA spans years.
“One of my goals is to become a better equipped ambassador for the sport of running and to support the elimination of racial disparities and many other disparities within the sport. I’m very happy to be a part of the work that the BAA is doing,” Benton said.
Benton credits her running background to her brother, who completed a 5K in 2014 when she was struggling to run a mile. Since then, Benton has run six marathons, including four Abbott World Marathon Majors, in addition to numerous 5K, 10K and half marathons. Benton also served as the Boston Marathon finish line announcer, helping to congratulate and greet thousands of athletes at the Boylston Street finish line.
A member of Black Girls Run – Boston and the National Black Marathoners Association, Benton is passionate about addressing health issues affecting the black community. She also sits on the seven-person steering committee of the Boston Running Collaborationa BAA initiative that aims to create a more diverse running community by expanding access to running and walking in Boston with a focus on communities of color.
“I hope that through the Boston Running Collaborative, the BAA can become a catalyst in addressing disparities in the Boston running community through outreach and collaboration. Specifically, the Boston Running Collaborative seeks create access to year-round training facilities, provide more health and wellness opportunities that benefit the community, and foster exposure and access to the development of career in athletics in Boston,” Benton said.
Benton is the founder of Onyx Spectrum Technology, which was recognized for its growth in the tech space in 2020 by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City’s Downtown 100 listing. Benton’s appointment to the board follows the most recent appointment in November 2020 of Keith McDermott. the the full list of boarders is available on the BAA website.
ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle through sport, especially running. The BAA’s Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon in the world, and the organization runs other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and running programs year-round. Since 1986, the main sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, as well as international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. For more information on the BAA, BAA Running Club or BAA High Performance Team, please visit www.baa.org.
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