Tom Farrey

Tom Farrey is the founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program, a role in which he convenes leaders, facilitates dialogue, and inspires solutions that help sports serve the public interest. Since 2011, the program has provided thought leadership on topics including the future of college sports, athlete advocacy, the legacy of Title IX, and the role of sports in addressing climate change. Notably, he has been a keynote speaker and moderator at several major conferences, including the Aspen Ideas Festival, the World Summit on Ethics & Leadership in Sports, the TAFISA World Congress, and the first White House Conference on Health, Hunger, and Nutrition in 50 years. In addition to his work at the Aspen Institute, Farrey is known for his journalistic contributions at ESPN, where he was the first reporter to deliver cross-platform enterprise reports and previously served as deputy editor at the startup that would create ESPN.com.

Farrey's journalistic work, particularly his reports on football safety, the torture of Iraqi athletes, and the ethics of drug testing, has been recognized with many national honors, including two Sports Journalism Emmys, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a 2014 Alfred I. duPont/Columbia University Award. He is also widely recognized for his insights on the professionalization of youth sports, a topic which he explored in detail in his book "Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children." The book, which investigates contemporary youth sports, is still used as a text on university campuses, and its insights led to the 2013 launch of Project Play, the Institute’s effort to build healthy communities through sports.

Farrey graduated from the University of Florida and currently resides in Southern California, where he continues his dedication to improving the world through sports.