Olympic Champion Arlene Limas Retires from Martial Arts and Coaching, Serves as CEO of PAVE.

Following a groundbreaking athletic and coaching career, Arlene Limas announces her retirement from traditional martial arts and sport, pursuing a new endeavor as CEO of PAVE Prevention, Inc as of March 16, 2021. PAVE Prevention, Inc is a global organization whose purpose is to ignite change on the corporate and institutional level by providing access, process, and culture change. Arlene has spent her career advocating for athlete safety on and off the field of play. This commitment to safety advocacy ties in well to her new role as the CEO of PAVE Prevention, Inc where she will continue to fulfill her lifelong commitment to personal safety for individuals worldwide.

Deemed one of the greatest Taekwondo athletes of the 20th century, Arlene Limas joins PAVE Prevention, Inc, with a mission to empower entire corporations to change their culture by assessing their processes to ensure that they are PAVE Prevention, Inc compliant.

"In my mind, I'm still doing the same thing by trying to empower people to change their lives through martial arts or sport martial arts. I'm hoping to ignite change at the corporate and institutional level. It is the right time to seek to make those changes", shares Arlene.

Arlene Limas made history on September 17, 1988, when she became the first American, the first female to win a Gold Medal at the 24th Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea in the sport of TaeKwon Do. Reflecting on her incredible journey, Arlene says: "The opportunity to work with amazing people at a student to teacher level and amazing athletes from an athlete to coach level, has been incredible, I cannot imagine having done anything else." Arlene's passion and commitment to USOC and the Olympic Movement has led to her involvement with the Olympic Movement on several levels, from Olympic Day activities to Executive Committee responsibilities on the Bid process.

One of the pioneers of martial arts in the US, Arlene Limas used her knowledge, skills and accomplishments to enrich the lives of many others by promoting the sport as a teacher and business owner. In May of 1993, Arlene opened her own school, Power Kix Martial Arts, located in Stafford, breaking the glass ceiling for other women. After several expansions, her current 12,500 sq ft facility has been kicking, literally, for 30 years. "The transition from athlete to instructor and coach was such a blessing. I'm appreciative to my instructors and coaches along the way and I'm appreciative to all the students and athletes that crossed my path", says Arlene.

Arlene is excited for the opportunities that her new role will bring and looks forward to expanding high level ESD programing from local areas of success to worldwide mainstream programming.