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.”
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.
Alvarado also posted a screenshot of an email in which she claims a “senior leadership member” called her “pathetic” after she resigned.“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.
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.”