Ethan Lievense was the Lifetime Fitness Teacher of the Year during his time earning his master’s degree in sport administration at UNC-Chapel Hill. Now he works with the Athlete Development and Engagement team for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Lievense has worked with the US OPC for the past three and a half years. In his position, he is expanding the menu of resources offered to Team USA athletes. The main areas he targets are personal development, financial wellness, professional development and continuing education. In a nutshell, he ensures the athletes' experience in sport is transferred appropriately in terms of work, education and identity.
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“So that once they are done competing, they feel like they’re not behind there,” Lievense said. “They’re ready to roll.”
At the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, he is based in Livigno, working as the Athlete Resource Center (ARC) lead, a position that he tells everyone is the best job at the Olympics.
The ARC is a space dedicated specifically for Team USA athletes, where they can build community with their teammates, talk to dieticians, watch other competitions and find programs and resources available to athletes, such as flagbearing opportunities.
“It's like this one-stop shop for athletes to just be able to decompress and feel as though they’re surrounded by community and those who are having their best interest in mind,” Lievense said.
Part of Lievense’s job leading up to the Games was to curate the space for the athletes. He ensured every beanbag chair and La-Z-Boy recliner was comfortable, every game was fun and every snack was nutritious and delicious, crafting a positive, welcoming environment.
At the Olympics, his role differs depending on what athletes ask of him, and navigating these different needs is an aspect of his job that Lievense prides himself on. He knows that some athletes in the ARC want to eat their mac and cheese and leave, but others want something more.
For some, he is an information guru, answering or directing questions on logistics, performance, programs and more.
For others, he is a friend. Some athletes come to the ARC looking for community, and Lievense can count on seeing them every night. With these athletes, he has forged a close friendship. He loves this communal aspect of his job.
“It kinda has that feel of a big gathering watch party somewhere like a Super Bowl when people just wanna cheer on their teammates,” he said, explaining the feeling of getting to watch competitions in the ARC.
Lievense’s favorite part of his role at the Olympics is how it intersects with his everyday job. He gets to know the personalities of athletes behind the medal and the media. He enjoys getting to see their aspirations and goals and working to help them on their journey.
Lievense’s own journey to his current role began as a middle school basketball player. He also played baseball, but eventually realized he was really shining in the conditioning aspect of these sports, so, in his sophomore year of high school, he started running. Although he started relatively late, he stuck with the sport, and was a cross-country and track athlete at Central Michigan University.
Being involved in a sport that is washed in the limelight during the Olympics and Paralympics, as well as his experiences with great mentors, coaches and support staff, led him to his current career path.
“I wanted to directly work with athletes to help impact their opportunity to succeed,” he said.
Now, he is doing just that.
A major contributor to getting Lievense to his current position, and working at his fifth Olympics, was his time spent earning his master’s degree at UNC.
The UNC sport administration program, he said, was ready-made to create opportunities for participants. A highlight for him was teaching Ultimate Frisbee and soccer, and getting to work for, as he put it, “one of the best athletic departments in the nation,” during his second year.
“I'm so grateful for my time at UNC,” he said. “[I] have nothing but great things to say.”
