Varsity Brands appointed veteran law enforcement officer and security expert Lisa Olivieri as chief security officer (CSO), responsible for managing the company’s integrated security and safety efforts, events, competitions, offices, and facilities.
Olivieri will report to Varsity Brands’ general counsel and chief legal officer, Burton Brillhart. Varsity Brands includes BSN Sports and Varsity Spirit.
Olivieri joins Varsity Brands from Wayfair, the online home goods and furniture retailer, where she has been the global head of safety and security since 2021. At Wayfair, Olivieri reportedly “spearheaded the development and execution of a safety and security program, including operational policy development, crisis management, global security operations, physical security, and leading key investigations. Olivieri also created and led a global team of over 55 professionals, providing risk advisory services to business leaders and implementing cost-effective risk mitigation strategies within a collaborative framework.”
Before Wayfair, Olivieri was a special agent for the U.S. Secret Service, overseeing investigations and protective operations. She joined the Secret Service in 1999 and held several positions during her tenure, including leading the Secret Service’s Tampa Field Office as the special agent in charge.
“We are proud to bring Lisa on as Varsity Brands’ first Chief Security Officer,” said Varsity Brands CEO Adam Blumenfeld. “There is nothing more important to us than the safety and security of our employees, athletes, participants, and customers, and Lisa will bring her career in security and law enforcement to our mission-critical commitment to safety.”
Olivieri’s leadership and experience in complex physical security operations include her appointment by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the DHS Federal Coordinator for NFL Super Bowl LV in Tampa, FL, in 2021. In this capacity, she and federal, state, local, and private partners worked to create and execute a comprehensive security plan, leveraging risk analysis, strategic event scheduling, and available resources to ensure a safe and secure environment.
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Varsity Brands,” said Olivieri. “Varsity is a recognized leader in safety that has demonstrated a continued commitment to evolve as the company grows. I am excited to help Varsity Brands continue to grow and enhance its leadership.”
In addition to Olivieri’s appointment, Varsity Brands also announced safety and security advancements in its spirit division, Varsity Spirit, to include safety and security roles and the formation of committees dedicated to athlete safety.
Over the past year, Varsity Brands reported it hired personnel responsible for “enhancing the company’s safety and security practices,” including Kristen Meeks, associate general counsel of compliance. Her background includes compliance roles at Target Corp. and enterprise risk management at public universities. Meeks is also a former child abuse and neglect prosecutor and oversaw a minors protection program when she worked in higher education.
To further enhance event security, Varsity Brands engaged external security consultants, including Mark Sullivan, former director of the United States Secret Service, and Joe Ford, former chief security officer at Bank of the West and 30-year veteran of the FBI. Their teams assist with the physical security and safety at Varsity Brands and Varsity Spirit events.
The company also created two committees to advance safety initiatives across the organization, including forming a Varsity Brands board-level safety committee alongside a Varsity Spirit Participant Protection Committee for athlete safety that reports to the board committee.
“These initiatives are crucial to our mission of ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone involved with Varsity Brands,” said Burton Brillhart. “By elevating our safety and security practices, we are not only protecting our people and participants but also setting a new benchmark for excellence in our industry.”
The company also introduced several initiatives to reinforce best practices in the sport, including requiring USA Cheer membership for school coaches participating in camps and ensuring adherence to its member code of conduct, complying with USASF requirements for athletes and coaches participating in All-Star competitions, conducting annual background checks for staff and volunteers, and mandating staff to complete a training course in recognizing and reporting child maltreatment, and requiring comprehensive athlete safety education for all employees, which includes addressing issues from cyberbullying to hazing.
Image courtesy Varsity Brands/Varsity Cheer
