By Dana Peck
Special to the AFRO
My tenure with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) extended from November 1995 through August 1996 and beyond. This period was not only professionally enriching but also personally rewarding, as it allowed me to forge lasting friendships and gain two godparents for my children. The experience significantly enhanced my skills in language, negotiation, administration and supervision, and undoubtedly advanced my career.
Joining the ACOG National Olympic Committee (NOC) accreditation team under the guidance of senior policy advisor Claire Potvin marked a pivotal moment in my career. After graduating from graduate school and managing NOC accreditation for the 1993 World University Games (WUG) in Buffalo, N.Y., I relocated to Atlanta with aspirations of eventually working for President Carter at his center. The fast-paced, international environment of the WUG had ignited my passion for special international events, where I could leverage my language and program management skills.
As the NOC accreditation project coordinator, I served as the primary liaison between ACOG’s Accreditation Department and the 197 participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs). My responsibilities included managing the distribution, receipt and verification of registration materials in three languages for over 20,000 constituents. I was tasked with hiring, training and overseeing a team of eight paid staff members and more than 300 volunteers. Additionally, I prepared and delivered presentations on NOC accreditation procedures. The long hours often meant working around the clock during peak times, grabbing brief naps at our desks or in the conference room. But our team’s efforts led to the implementation of policies and procedures that set a new record for the highest accreditation form receipt in Olympic history up to the 1996 Games.
One of my fondest memories is reconnecting with NOC leaders and athletes from the WUG in Buffalo. We stayed in touch over the holidays, and I was thrilled to see them again in Atlanta. Many of these relationships continued as pen pal connections long after the Games.
This experience taught me a valuable life lesson: the importance of listening and building rapport. Negotiating with delegation heads required a deep understanding of their needs while firmly managing what we could deliver. This role honed my skills as an active listener, which is crucial for effective negotiation and mediation.
As a person of color, I often felt a sense of representation on the global stage of the Olympics. In my role, I interacted directly with chefs de mission (heads of delegations) to negotiate their rights, accreditation levels, and access to the Olympic Village. I took pride in representing the competence of people of color and showcasing our capabilities to international leadership.
Transitioning to a traditional 9-to-5 role was challenging. After my time with ACOG, I worked with a temp agency for several months before securing a position at The Carter Center. The shift was difficult as employers were hesitant to match the “inflated” salaries from the Olympics, and the job market in Atlanta was flooded with unemployed individuals. Many of us had to start over, but despite this obstacle, I would gladly re-live my Olympic experience.
I cherished working with a dynamic team of young, talented individuals and utilizing my communication and technical skills. Over the years, I have celebrated weddings, births, and mourned losses with the many friends I made during my time with ACOG. Staying in Atlanta allowed me to continue working with some of these incredibly talented individuals in other organizations. The camaraderie, energy, and fast-paced environment I experienced with ACOG continue to inspire my approach to all my subsequent roles.
I am grateful to the “Just Us Friends” group for their commitment to keeping the ACOG staff of color connected and engaged. Thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences from the 1996 Games.
Dana Trammell Peck is The AFRO’s digital solutions director. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
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