AmericanShort-track speed skaterOlympic medalistSportswoman

Allison Baver

Allison Baver is an American retired short track speed skater and Olympic bronze medalist who later became a film producer and actress before being convicted of COVID-19 relief fund fraud in 2023.

1. Overview

Allison Baver (born August 11, 1980) is an American retired short track speed skater and a former member of the U.S. national short track speed skating team. She notably competed in three Winter Olympic Games: Salt Lake City in 2002, Turin in 2006, and Vancouver in 2010, where she earned a bronze medal in the 3000 meter relay. After retiring from competitive sports in 2014, Baver transitioned into the film industry, establishing a production company and taking on roles as a producer and actress. Her career, however, later became overshadowed by legal challenges, culminating in her conviction for fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds in 2023.

2. Early life and education

Allison Baver's early life was marked by her introduction to sports, specifically roller skating, before she transitioned to speed skating. Her academic pursuits culminated in multiple university degrees.

2.1. Childhood and adolescence

Baver was born on August 11, 1980, in Reading, Pennsylvania. At the age of eleven, she participated in the National Roller Skating Championships held in Philadelphia. During her time at Wilson High School, Baver was active in sports, playing soccer and serving as a cheerleader. She did not begin her short track speed skating career until her junior year of high school.

2.2. Education

In 2003, Baver graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in both marketing and management. She further pursued her education, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the New York Institute of Technology.

3. Athletic career

Allison Baver's athletic career as a short track speed skater saw her compete at the highest international levels, including multiple Olympic Games, despite facing a significant injury. Standing 5.2 ft (1.6 m) and weighing 126 lb (57 kg), she typically competed in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and 3000m relay events. Her personal bests include 44.535 seconds in the 500m, 1 minute 31.151 seconds in the 1000m, and 2 minutes 20.015 seconds in the 1500m, all set in 2008.

3.1. Early career and world rankings

Baver became a member of the U.S. short track speed skating squad in 2002, marking the beginning of her international competitive career. Throughout her career, she secured multiple medals in ISU World Cup competitions. Her dedication and performance led to her achieving a third-place overall ranking in the world during the 2005-2006 season. In 2007, Baver claimed her first U.S. National Championship title. From 2008 to 2010, she was professionally represented by Wilhelmina Sports.

3.2. Major Olympic participations and injury

Baver made her Olympic debut at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the U.S. permanent winter sports Olympic team also trained. She later competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics held in Turin, Italy. In Turin, she finished seventh in the Women's 500 meter event, after placing third in Semifinal A and then being involved in a collision with the Czech Republic's Kateřina Novotná during Final B, which prevented her from competing for fifth place.

On February 8, 2009, Baver suffered a serious injury during a 1500 meter race in Sofia, Bulgaria, when she collided with her teammate Katherine Reutter. The collision resulted in multiple fractures to Baver's leg. Despite the severity of the injury, she underwent a rigorous recovery process to prepare for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

3.3. 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

Baver participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, competing in three events. In the 1500 meter event, she did not advance past the semifinals. In the 1000 meter race, Baver was disqualified in the heats.

Her most significant achievement at the Vancouver Games came in the 3000 meter relay. The U.S. team, with Baver participating in the heats, initially finished fourth in the final. However, they were subsequently awarded the bronze medal after the first-place team, South Korea, was disqualified for an infraction. This marked Baver's first and only Olympic medal.

3.4. Post-retirement activities

Allison Baver officially retired from competitive speed skating in 2014. After her retirement, she remained involved in the sports community. In 2016, she was elected to serve a four-year term as one of seven vice presidents for the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Association.

4. Film industry activities

After concluding her athletic career, Allison Baver transitioned into the film industry, taking on various roles in production and acting.

4.1. Production company establishment and role

In 2019, Allison Baver established her own production company, Allison Baver Entertainment. On December 1, 2020, Variety reported that her company announced an upcoming slate of films, television shows, and documentaries. In her capacity within the company, Baver took on multiple roles, including serving as an executive producer, an actress, and a series creator.

4.2. Acting career

Baver's acting career began to take shape with appearances in several productions. In 2020, she appeared in Season 3 of the television series Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, where she played the role of a nurse and also served as a stand-in actress.

Also in 2020, Baver featured in the film Six Feet Apart, portraying a reporter named Summer Sanders. The film was notable for being set and filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Baver appeared in No Man of God in an uncredited role as Marsha Tanner. This film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2021, and was later released in the United States on August 27, 2021, by RLJE Films. Allison Baver Entertainment also served as an executive producer for No Man of God.