Peter Ciaccia, NYRR’s President, Events and TCS New York City Marathon Race Director, has been a key player at NYRR for the past 15 years. Under his leadership, NYRR’s impact in each of the city’s boroughs has deepened with the development of free community-based runs and walks and the creation of more opportunities for the inclusion of young runners in the calendar of NYRR races.
Ciaccia has been instrumental in the redesign and production of NYRR’s events, with a focus on raising the logistical integrity and overall race-day experience. Under his guidance, NYRR’s signature events, including the United Airlines NYC Half and the Airbnb Brooklyn Half, have grown significantly, and the TCS New York City Marathon has become the most popular and largest marathon in the world, broadcast live nationally on ABC/ESPN and in 21 countries with close to one billion households around the globe. As Race Director, Ciaccia oversees the recruitment of all professional athletes in NYRR’s major races, and is actively directing a “Clean Sport” educational initiative to address the issues of doping in the sport.
Ciaccia, who previously held the titles of Chief Production Officer and Technical Director of the TCS New York City Marathon, now oversees areas including Event Development and Production, Broadcasting, Media Relations and Public Affairs, Professional Athletes, Volunteer and Community Engagement, Youth Events, and the Athletes with Disabilities programs.
Prior to joining NYRR, Ciaccia held executive positions in the music industry for CBS Records, Inc., and Sony Music Entertainment. For 10 years, Ciaccia was the owner, president, and CEO of PC Management, Inc., a firm that specialized in artist development and international touring.
Ciaccia maintains close working relationships with city, state, and federal officials on all matters pertaining to NYRR event planning. He holds certifications in FEMA and ICS planning, and is a certified USAT Race Director and USATF official. He is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Center for Spectator Sports Security, and was instrumental in developing the safety and security council for marathoning and road racing in the United States. Ciaccia was a key contributor to NYRR being awarded the SBJ Sports Event of the Year for the 2010 New York City Marathon and was featured in the SBJ Game Day profile “A Day In The Life." He was named one of New York City’s “Responsible 100” and one of Runner’s World’s “50 Most Influential People in Running."
Ciaccia was raised in the Bronx and attended the City University of New York-Herbert H. Lehman College, where he received a degree in musicology and education and was awarded the Charles H. Hughes Award for Theory and Musicology. He also has an SCPS Certification in Sports, Entertainment & Events Marketing from New York University. Ciaccia has a lifetime passion for fitness; he has completed numerous half-marathons and ultramarathons all over the world.