Mary Wittenberg was the president and CEO of New York Road Runners and the race director of the TCS New York City Marathon from 2005 to 2015. Wittenberg joined NYRR in 1998 and became its first chief operating officer in 2000. In 2005, she became the first woman to lead NYRR as president and CEO. Under her leadership, NYRR developed into the world’s premier community running organization.

Wittenberg received the 2016 Abebe Bikila Award from NYRR, presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running. Under her leadership, the New York City Marathon was named the 2011 Sports Business Journal Sports Event of the Year. In 2014, the TCS New York City Marathon received the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award from the King of Spain. Wittenberg helped launch the World Marathon Majors in 2006.

A former partner with the law firm Hunton & Williams, she won the 1987 Marine Corps Marathon and competed in the 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She ran the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon as a member of Team for Kids to raise funds for NYRR youth programs.