San Diego Wave FC refutes former employee’s claim of a toxic work environment

A lengthy social media post written by a former San Diego Wave FC employee describing a toxic work environment under President Jill Ellis that was “devastating to our mental health” elicited a statement from the club a few hours later calling the allegations “inaccurate and defamatory … and categorically false.”

By Wednesday night, three other former employees had posted similar allegations.

“I am disappointed to hear about the allegations made by multiple former Wave FC employees today,” star forward Alex Morgan said in her own social media post later in the day. “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.”

Brittany Alvarado, who resigned from the women’s professional soccer team in June after 10 months as its videographer, posted her statement at 9:47 a.m. Wednesday. It quickly generated more than 1 million views as it circulated through the soccer community.

“San Diego Wave was ostensibly founded on principles of equity, championing women and minorities in leadership, and prioritizing mental health and well-being,” Alvarado wrote. “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 complete disregard for their long-term mental health.”

Alvarado said more than 30 employees have been fired or quit since the club was founded in 2021. That number could not be independently verified, but numerous people have left the organization, including General Manager Molly Downtain as well as others in marketing, operations and media relations. Coach Casey Stoney was fired last week after a seven-game winless streak, just months after signing a contract extension through 2027.

“Sadly, many of these employees are hesitant to speak publicly about their experiences, reflecting the widespread fear surrounding these issues,” Alvarado wrote. “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.

“The NWSL must take immediate action to remove Jill 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.”

Alvarado also posted a screenshot of an email in which she claims a “senior leadership member” called her “pathetic” after she resigned. She did not identify the employee by name.

The Wave responded with a three-sentence statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) and emailed to the Union-Tribune:

“San Diego Wave FC has been made aware of a recent social media post by a former employee that contains inaccurate and defamatory statements about the club. Not only does the post contain a fabricated email, but the claims made therein are categorically false, including the ones directed at our president Jill Ellis. San Diego Wave FC currently is reviewing this situation and it intends to pursue all legal avenues to appropriately address this matter.”

A league source said the email was not sent from an official club account but a Hotmail account with a lifted Wave logo that also had been used to harass the team in recent weeks. The Union-Tribune viewed two screenshots of emails sent from the account, including a fake resignation letter from a current club employee.

A National Women’s Soccer League spokesperson would not discuss whether the league has launched an investigation into Alvarado’s particular allegations. Instead, the league issued its own statement.

“We take serious any and every report of potential misconduct, hire qualified independent investigators to review those allegations thoroughly, and act when allegations are supported by the facts uncovered,” the league statement said. “We have mandated corrective action in every instance where reports have been corroborated, up to and including the removal of individuals who do not live up to our values and standards.”

Shortly after Alvarado’s post, former Wave photographer Jenny Chuang replied: “I was placed on suicide watch during my tenure with the Wave in 2022. I begged for help while my mental health declined rapidly but was pressured to resign instead. … It breaks my heart that nothing has changed in the past two years.”

Chuang added later that the “individuals who made me suffer” are no longer with the Wave. She works as a freelance photographer now, occasionally for the Wave.

“I’ve stayed silent after I got a taste of retaliation and I’m still fearful since I still work in women’s soccer,” Chuang wrote, “but my silence has contributed to more people enduring the same abuse. We need to protect people on AND off the field.”

Later in the day, former Wave communications manager Bernadette O’Donnell told a similar story via X.

“Like many other former staff, I moved my life across the country for this ‘dream job,’” said O’Donnell, who now works outside of sports. “By the end, I had no hope for my life and didn’t want to be alive anymore most of the time. All of this was communicated to my boss (multiple times) and HR.

“After opening up to my boss about my mental health as well as the unhealthy work environment, plus alerting her to an ongoing investigation at the time, I was put on forced leave the next day ‘to address my personal issues & work performance.’ I was terminated from the my job three days later.”

Late Wednesday night, a former community relations coordinator for the Wave made similar claims via X.

Abigail Lozano, who left last November after 16 months with the club, posted: “I can attest to these allegations. After experiencing the toxic work environment enabled by leadership, my mental health quickly deteriorated. This resulted in my resignation, to protect myself.”

After more former employees came forward, the Wave issued a second statement to the U-T on Wednesday night, this one from Ellis.

It outlines the club’s Employee Assistance Program to address mental health needs and a commitment to investigating “thoroughly” allegations of mistreatment.

“In addition, when appropriate, independent third parties have assisted us in evaluating our workplace,” Ellis said in the statement. “At no time have those evaluations uncovered any wrongdoing by the club. …

“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 was the U.S. women’s national coach from 2014 to 2019, twice winning World Cups. She wasn’t popular among some players, and forward Sydney Leroux told a podcast in 2020: “I think people, and I, can say that we won in spite of her. She’s not good for people’s mental health, that’s for sure. The best thing was for her to go.”

Ellis spoke about criticism in a 2019 interview with Pro Soccer USA.

“That’s the nature of coaching, and all jobs, really,” Ellis said. “I don’t see it as unusual, because I see it as it’s kind of part of the job. It’s like a parent. You’re never going to be popular all the time as a parent because you have to make decisions that are not going to be received well, that are gonna upset someone.”