Biography
A California native, Anne Warner Cribbs moved to Palo Alto in 1965. Anne was a member of the 1960 USA Olympic swim team. She “retired” from competitive swimming, just after the 1960 Olympic Games, along with most of her teammates, as there were no opportunities for girls to swim in college – before Title IX became the law.
After years of teaching and coaching swimming, Anne Cribbs served as the Superintendent of the City of Palo Alto Recreation Department, creating and managing city special events and programs designed to provide community events and experiences like the inaugural Black and White Ball, the Moonlight Run, the Chili Cook-off, the May Fete Parade, Leave Your Car at Home Campaign and the Masters Games. Anne Cribbs professional career has been dedicated to serving sport and the community.
In 1991, Cribbs left the City Recreation Department to join Cavalli and Cribbs, an advertising and public relations firm in Palo Alto. As part of the San Francisco World Cup 1994 Host Committee, Cribbs was instrumental in raising over $1.5 million dollars for the 1994 Bay Area Host Committee Soccer Legacy Fund.
In 1995, Anne, Gary Cavalli and Steve Hams co-founded the American Basketball League (ABL), the first women’s professional basketball league in the United States – there were no opportunities for women to play professional basketball in the United States. The ABL is now recognized as the precursor (forerunner) to the WNBA. During its existence, the ABL set the standard for what women’s professional sports could and should become, creating a permanent legacy and forever changing the paradigm of women’s sports. As a 1960 Olympian (swimming) she remains committed to the value of sports, fitness and wellness for all ages and the importance of opportunities for all.
Cribbs became President and CEO of the San Francisco Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) in 1999, and led the San Francisco Bay Area 2012 Olympic Bid. San Francisco won the silver medal to New York City in the United States Olympic Committee voting for the 2012 U.S. Candidate City. She also headed up the 2016 and 2024 San Francisco Bay Area Olympic Bids.
BASOC, under Cribbs’ leadership, organized the 2006 FINA World Masters Championships – 7,800 competitors from 75 countries and the 2007 World Junior Table Tennis Championships, held at Stanford University featuring 196 competitors from 36 countries. Anne served as the President and CEO of the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, 10,000 competitors over age fifty in 25 sports, the largest multi-sport event in the United States and continues to produce the annual Bay Area Senior Games (2006 –2024 and the Encore Senior Games)
Cribbs served as the Chair of the 40th Anniversary of San Francisco’s Three-Day Celebration of Ping Pong Diplomacy (June 2011). This historic event showcased the Chinese and United States Table Tennis Players and their participation in opening United States and China relations – due to the importance and influence of sport.
Other national and international events Cribbs produced include the 2011 USA Swimming National and Junior National Championships at Stanford, the 2014, 2016, 2018 Continental Cups of Curling in Las Vegas, and the 2019 and 2022 World Championships of Curling in Las Vegas.
Cribbs received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University. Cribbs was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, the Northern California Jewish Hall of Fame, the Menlo Atherton High School Hall of Fame and the San Mateo County Hall of Fame. She is a Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Tall Tree Award winner, the 2013 Athena Award Winner presented by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, the 2012 America SCORES –2012 Legacy Award, the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee Torch Award (the highest honor awarded to a volunteer by the USOPC), the 2023 Avenidas Lifetimes of Achievement Award. She is in her final term on Palo Alto’s Park and Recreation Commission.
She currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Recreation Wellness Center of Palo Alto – their vision is to build a recreation wellness center for all the Palo Alto community that, through programs and services, supports and furthers the health, physical and social well – being of the residents of the City of Palo Alto.
Since 2007, as the Director of the Rich May Foundation, www.richmayfoundation.org, Anne works with a small group of dedicated board members to raise funds, build and operate the Rich May Field – the first full size turf lighted sports field in East Palo Alto in honor of East Palo Alto Police officer Rich May, who was killed in the line of duty on January 7, 2006.
Currently President and CEO of BASOC, Chair of the California Senior Games Association, Director of Rich May Foundation, the San Jose Earthquakes Community Foundation, the Director of San Jose Sport Authority, and continues as President of Anne Cribbs and Company, a public relations and events firm.
Anne and her late husband Ian Cribbs, raised their family in Palo Alto – living in rental homes and finally purchasing her current home in 1999. Her children, daughter Kindel – now a Palo Alto High School educator (teacher) – son John, daughters Christina and Alexandria – attended Palo Alto schools –Greenmeadow Nursery school, Buttons and Bows Montessori School, Ohlone Elementary School, JLS Middle School, Gunn High School and private schools including St. Josephs, Sacred Heart and Pinewood.
We are truly fortunate to live in such an extraordinary area and I am dedicated to provide opportunity and access for all – to own a home, get an education and serve the community in any capacity.
