The organizing committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on Wednesday announced a series of organizational changes that the committee’s board confirmed at its virtual meeting on Tuesday.
Abby Osborne has been named vice president of impact, engagement and enterprise operations, and Darren Hughes is now vice president of games delivery. Vice President of Development and Athlete Relations Catherine Raney Norman has stepped down, and two-time Olympic short track speed skater Julie Letai has been named to the new role of athlete experience coordinator.
Osborne will join Utah 2034 on Aug. 1. She has since 2019 served as chief of staff for the Utah House of Representatives. The committee said she has been a key architect of organizational strategy and an advisor to state leadership on some of Utah’s most significant policy and operational priorities. She has nearly 25 years of leadership experience spanning government, business, infrastructure and public affairs. In accordance with the organizing committee’s bylaws, Osborne will relinquish her board membership as she joins Utah 2034 full time.
Darren Hughes has served as vice president of operations and planning for the organizing committee since its inception in early 2025. He’s now vice president of games delivery. Hughes is one of the most experienced leaders in Olympic and Paralympic sport, having worked on over 20 major international events, including every Winter Games since 2002.
“Since launching the organizing committee, we have continually evaluated how our team is structured to best support our work in preparing for the 2034 Winter Games,” said CEO Brad Wilson. “Both Abby and Darren will bring great value to our organizational structure and will each play a vital role for Utah 2034 over the next seven-and-a-half years.”
Osborne will lead Utah 2034’s impact, engagement and enterprise operations portfolio, helping shape the long-term legacy of the Games while building the organizational capacity required to deliver them. She will oversee the organizing committee’s sustainability, impact and legacy initiatives, as well as communications, government and community relations, youth and education programs, and enterprise operations. Osborne will be responsible for developing and scaling many of the functions that support the organizing committee’s day-to-day work, growing a team that will encompass thousands of staff and volunteers by the time the Games arrive in 2034. Hughes will focus his efforts on leading all aspects of Games planning and delivery.
“As we transition from a startup organization into one that will eventually support thousands of employees and volunteers, we need leaders who can build both culture and capability,” said Wilson. “Abby is uniquely qualified to help lead that growth and ensure Utah 2034 delivers an impact that extends far beyond the Games themselves.”
Osborne said the opportunity to help lead Utah 2034 is both professionally and personally meaningful.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have the power to inspire, unite communities and create lasting impact for future generations,” Osborne said. “I look forward to working alongside this incredible team to build an organization that not only delivers exceptional Games in 2034 but also strengthens Utah’s position as a winter sports capital for decades to come.”
Raney Norman, meanwhile, is stepping down from her role as vice president of development and athlete relations.
“Utah 2034 extends its sincere gratitude to Catherine for her successful leadership through the bid process and her dedication to creating the groundbreaking philanthropic program known as Podium34. Her contributions have helped set a strong foundation for the organizing committee,” said Wilson.
Raney Norman said that serving the Olympic and Paralympic movement and helping bring the Games back to Utah has been one of the greatest honors of her life.
“This work has always been deeply personal to me because at its center are the athletes, their families and the belief that sport can create hope, connection and lasting impact within our communities,” Raney Norman said. “I’m incredibly proud of what we built together, from the vision of Podium34 to creating new opportunities to support athletes and their families through an athletes’ families program.”
Letai, who has been named to the new role of athlete experience coordinator, earned a spot on the national team in 2019, competing in Beijing and Milano Cortina. A recent graduate of the University of Utah, Letai will draw on her background as an Olympian and recent academic success to support the organizing committee’s planning and ensure athlete engagement.
A Massachusetts native, Letai has been based in Utah for many years and trained as an athlete at the Utah Olympic Oval.
“Athletes are at the center of what we do as an Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee,” said Wilson. “Julie will have an opportunity to engage in our planning process now to help us best innovate on behalf of athletes for the Games in 2034.”
Letai said she is inspired by the opportunity to contribute to the Olympic Movement in a completely new way.
“I hope my previous experiences as an Olympic athlete will help shape the 2034 Winter Games into the most rewarding experience it can be for athletes, their friends and families,” Letai said. “The organization has already shown me a lot of support, and I’m excited about the goals and priorities we’ve set in these beginning stages of planning.”