Sierra Romero Brings Fresh Athlete Perspective to the Athletes Unlimited Board of Directors
Sierra Romero has seen many phases of professional women’s sports throughout her nine-year career. She’s witnessed leagues’ failures, triumphs, setbacks, and breakthroughs, especially in her sport, as she floated somewhere between driver and passenger in what was previously an unstable softball landscape.
When she began playing in the early iterations of Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball, she found the chance to take a more active role in her sport. She continued to build on the leadership foundation that took shape at Michigan, serving as a Player Executive Committee member and now the newest sitting member in one of the organization’s two athlete board seats.
Romero is set to fill the Board of Directors seat that Amber McKenzie served in for three years and join AU Pro Volleyball athlete representative Molly McCage. The timing couldn’t be more fitting. Following the successful launch of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), the Texas Volts infielder now assumes the position as the league enters a pivotal second season.
“I’ve seen so many different versions of professional softball, and this is by far my favorite,” Romero said.
Having witnessed the evolution of professional softball firsthand, Romero sees the board seat as an opportunity to help shape what comes next.
I'm excited to be at this early beginning stage, because I know the potential. I see the future in this...I'm really excited to be that stepping stone, but then also to now be on the board side, where I can hopefully have even more of an impact off the field.Sierra Romero
While Romero joins the board during a significant moment for softball, her responsibilities extend beyond representing her sport alone. Athletes Unlimited’s athlete board members are elected by their peers and tasked with helping represent athletes across the organization.
Cassidy Lichtman became the first active athlete to join the Board of Directors in 2021. Following her retirement from volleyball, she remained on the board and now serves as Director of Volleyball. According to Lichtman, that broader perspective is what makes the role unique.
AU athletes receive a share of company profits for up to 20 years following their playing careers, meaning board representatives help advocate for both current and former athletes.
“On the board, as an athlete, you’re representing all of the athletes that have ever played in AU,” Lichtman said.
That mindset was something McKenzie embodied throughout her three years on the board.
The former lacrosse defender was the first athlete to sign with AU Pro Lacrosse and remained involved with the organization after retiring from competition. During her tenure, she participated in the Harvard Business School Crossover Into Business program and EY’s Emerging Leaders Program while serving as an athlete representative on the board.
Even after Lacrosse was discontinued following the 2024 season, McKenzie continued in the role and helped guide conversations that impacted athletes across the organization.
“I was elected to represent all the athletes, not just the athletes in my sport, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve on the board,” McKenzie said. “I feel like I learned so much about the business and about Athletes Unlimited and about who (founders) Jon [Patricof] and Jonathan [Soros] are at their core.”
Lichtman said that McKenzie’s consideration of all AU athletes, past and present, was one of her greatest strengths.
“She’s really open-minded, has a good, kind of broad perspective on not only her sport, but women’s sports, the organization as a whole,” Lichtman said.
McCage, who served alongside McKenzie, saw that approach firsthand.
“She had a really good awareness of the other sports and thinking about us in our different roles and different communities,” McCage said.
McCage, who is also chairperson of the AU Pro Volleyball Player Executive Committee, said serving on the board has also shown her just how much influence athletes can have within the organization.
“I didn’t ever realize that my voice would ever matter this much,” McCage said. “I’m proud of the fact that what we’ve represented is an athlete-forward model, so it is by nature a market disrupter in a way that puts athletes at the forefront of the conversation.”
As Romero steps into the role, she hopes to carry that same athlete-first mentality forward.
The responsibility comes at a time when pro softball continues to gain momentum across the nation. What began as AUX and Championship Seasons has evolved into the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, creating new opportunities for professional softball players and increasing the visibility of the sport.
“Obviously, softball has grown so much,” Lichtman said. “The decisions that are made over the next couple of years are going to be big and have a huge impact on the sport.”
For Romero, those critical decisions are part of what makes the opportunity so meaningful. After spending years watching professional softball evolve, she now has the opportunity to help shape the future of softball and set a standard for all women’s sports.
When you have athletes on the board, this is where real change happens, and really good conversation happens, because it becomes more real... It's a great opportunity to hear what the athletes need and what would be beneficial for women and women's sports. I think it's the right way to go.Sierra Romero
As she steps into the new role and takes the field for the 2026 AUSL season, Romero wants to send a message to young softball players and fans across the country.
“Softball is in good hands,” she said. “I think for a long time, pro softball was a little bit all over the place, to the point where people didn’t really know we existed. And now we are stable. We’re not going anywhere, and I think that that’s the most important piece, that we’re here to stay.”
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
