Gia Cillizza

Former College Coach and Administrator

Local Board Member

Gia Cillizza has held various positions in athletics and the media. She started her career in 1998 as a reporter and production assistant at National Journal magazine in Washington, DC., and later moved to the business side as Marketing Manager for Atlantic Media. On the side, Gia served as an assistant coach and later head coach for Catholic University of America Field Hockey -- ultimately leaving the media world to become the full-time head coach in 2004.
She was the Head Field Hockey Coach at Catholic University for 14 years -- making five NCAA tournament appearances (two Elite Eight finishes) and winning six regular season and four conference tournament championships. The winningest field hockey coach in CUA history, Gia was recognized seven times in two conferences as coach of the year. During her tenure at CUA, Gia also served as associate athletic director for four years, held various university, NCAA and National Field Hockey Coaches Association committee roles, and ran a U.S. Field Hockey Futures site as well as Revolution Field Hockey camps.
Gia hung up her whistle in 2016 to be with her family and has taken on volunteer roles at her sons' school (raising $1.4 million for its annual auction) and with Rakers Travel Baseball and McLean Youth Soccer.
Gia played DI field hockey at Miami University where she was a three-year starter and two-year captain. Her degree is in English literature and journalism and she completed coursework toward a master's in psychology while at CUA. She and her husband, Chris, have two boys who love soccer, baseball and basketball. Gia hopes to keep that love alive for her boys and other kids by working with PCA to help adults foster positive youth experiences on and off the field.