Cathy Marino-Geers

Cathy Marino-Geers paddled at both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. Marino-Geers was an 8-time National Champion in kayaking. She also competed at both the 1983 and 1992 World Championships. Even while competing Marino-Geers had a career as a firefighter. She was the first female to graduate from the Santa Ana College Fire Academy in 1981. In May 1981 she became the first female firefighter for the city of Orange, California, and became the first female firefighter for the city of Long Beach, California in December 1986. She was promoted to fire captain in 2000 but retired from injuries in 2003.

Marino-Geers was President of the SoCal Olympians, a regional chapter of the US Olympians, an alumni organization. She has also been on the board of the non-profit Olympians for Olympians Fund (OORF), which assists US Olympians who are in need of financial assistance. Marino-Geers was also vice-president of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, whose mission is to bring the Games back to Los Angeles.