As the World Chess Federation (FIDE) pushes for greater inclusion of women to the sport, the Chess Confederation of America (CCA) has created a Women’s Chess Commission which saw Woman International Master (WIM) Deborah Richards Porter appointed as one of the new members.

Even as chess has grown by several milestones, the participation of women has been slower, especially in the Americas region which has seen an explosion of participation. This growth in chess took off even more with Netflix‘s critically acclaimed The Queen’s Gambit which drove the interest in chess to all-time highs.

WIM Richards Porter is Jamaica’s most decorated women’s player and currently serves as a vice-president for Surrey on the Jamaica Chess Federation’s executive council. Her achievements have been numerous and include being a 10-time women’s champion, winning several open tournaments and being a many-time chess Olympian. Her efforts were recognised with a chess festival being named after her, as well.

The other members of the commission include International Master (IM) Martha Fierro and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Nadya Ortiz. IM Fierro is a FIDE vice-president and chairs the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, while WGM Ortiz is a senior Apple software engineer. The CCA stated in its release that it is proud of the level of its new members who promise to be key to the evolution of women’s chess in America.