The San Diego Wave’s front office is pushing back against allegations of a toxic work environment after at least four former employees called out the NWSL club and team president Jill Ellis.
No players are being criticized or launching attacks.
The heated exchange began Wednesday with social media posts by Brittany Alvarado, a former videographer. They continued with statements by freelance photographer Jenny Chuang and Bernadette O’Donnell, the club’s former chief spokeswoman.
O’Donnell said she had “no hope for my life and didn’t want to be alive anymore most of the time.”
Chuang, coming to the defense of Alvarado, said she was on “suicide watch” throughout her time with the Wave in 2022 due to a decline in mental health.
Abigail Lozano, a former Wave community relations coordinator, reacted to Alvarado’s post.
“I can attest to these allegations,” she said on X. “After experiencing the toxic work environment enabled by leadership, my mental health quickly deteriorated. This resulted in my resignation, to protect myself.”
She left in November 2023, according to her LinkedIn account.
The Wave responded at first to Alvarado’s postings on X and Instagram — but not to the three others. Later, the club issued a 186-word statement from Ellis.
The Wave called Alvarado’s allegations “categorically false, including the ones directed at our president Jill Ellis.”
The Wave posting said it is reviewing the matter and “intends to pursue all legal avenues available.”
On X, team superstar Alex Morgan said she was disappointed to hear about the allegations made by multiple former Wave FC employees.
“As players, we have worked hard to build a team that is surrounded by an inclusive, positive and safe environment,” she wrote.
“But it’s important to me that we are creating that environment for both players AND staff throughout the entire organization. Equity in the workplace is something I have and will continue to advocate for.”
She concluded: “I want to be proud of what we are building at the Wave, but it is clear that there is so much work to be done.”
In a long post, Alvarado praised former head coach Casey Stoney — fired after a poor start this season.
“Casey was an influential leader who always looked out for others, commanding the locker room and inspiring me as an LGBTQ+ member. The team embraced me wholeheartedly, forging a deep bond of trust as we navigated the triumphs and challenges of the 2023 season together,” Alvarado said, adding.
“San Diego Wave was ostensibly founded on principles of equity, championing women and minorities in leadership, and prioritizing mental health and well-being. Yet, the reality for myself and many others working for this club starkly contradicts these claims. Despite its public proclamations, the organization often perpetuated discrimination against women and demonstrated a complete disregard for their long-term mental health.
“Since the team’s inception, over 30 employees have been fired or quit, with nearly 75% of them being women, underscoring the deep issues within the club. Sadly, many of these employees are hesitant to speak publicly about their experiences, reflecting the widespread fear surrounding these issues.
“Regardless of repeatedly highlighting these pervasive issues to the NWSL, the league has consistently failed to take meaningful action and has instead turned a blind eye to a pattern of profoundly damaging behaviors. Their investigations into these matters were notably negligent, further exacerbating the disregard for the well-being of those affected.
“On behalf of myself and my former colleagues, the treatment we endured under club President Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health. She has compromised countless lives to advance her narcissistic personal agenda, fostering an environment where abusive behaviors among her subordinates are allowed to flourish.”
Alvarado urged the National Women’s Soccer League to remove Ellis from both the San Diego Wave and the league entirely “to finally protect the staff and players they have neglected and ignored for far too long.”
In response to questions from Times of San Diego, the Wave issued a statement from Ellis:
“Mental health is a priority at our club for everyone, and we have support measures in place to help those in need. Our staff and I will always honor how someone feels. Over time, we have actively responded to employees who have shown or expressed needs related to their mental health. I want to reinforce that Wave FC has a robust Employee Assistance Program that is promoted regularly to employees.
“I will continue to protect former and current employee confidentiality. When allegations of mistreatment have been made, we have taken them seriously and investigated them thoroughly. In addition, when appropriate, independent third parties have assisted us in evaluating our workplace. At no time have those evaluations uncovered any wrongdoing by the club.
“What we do is all about fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and excellence. The false accusations in today’s post are not only personally damaging but also take away from the incredible work and progress we’ve achieved together as a team. It’s important to address this information promptly and effectively.”
Ellis’ statement concluded:
“Our focus remains on moving forward and continuing to build a strong, unified club.”
In her original post, Alvarado said the league has “failed to fully address and implement recommendations from the Sally Yates Report and the NWLSPA Joint Investigation from 2022.”
“Every day of inaction further validates the dangerous illusion that the NWSL has properly addressed the pervasive issue of abusive leadership. Jill Ellis has no place in this game, and she has been excused for far too long.”
Alvarado added:
“Despite my unwavering dedication to my job and the sport of women’s soccer, I found myself trapped in an environment where my mental health was relentlessly compromised.
“It became agonizingly clear that to protect my well-being, I had no choice but to walk away from my dream job with Wave FC. Resigning wasn’t merely a professional decision; it was a gut-wrenching personal sacrifice, to prioritize my mental health over the career path I had poured my heart and soul into.
“Now, from the outside, I am resolute in my mission to spearhead a movement ensuring that mental health is unequivocally prioritized in the NWSL and beyond.”
The Wave’s support group — the Sirens — also weighed in about “recent allegations of unprofessional and abusive behavior within the front office.”
It said it backs transparency and integrity from the club in its investigation of “these serious allegations.”
“Sirens leadership has requested a meeting with the Wave front office to discuss this matter,” the group said on X. “Abuse in any form is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Updated at 12:15 a.m. July 4, 2024
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