Kyla Pavlina returns as CrossFit CPO

Kyla Pavlina is returning to CrossFit as chief people officer, according to a May 21 report by The Barbell Spin and a LinkedIn post cited in that report. Pavlina previously served as CrossFit’s head of human resources from 2013 through 2019, The Barbell Spin said. (thebarbellspin.com) Her return adds another senior executive with prior ties to the company after CrossFit announced Bruce Edwards would return as chief executive officer starting May 4. Pavlina said in the LinkedIn post that she made the decision to come back to CrossFit “with a very full heart.” She said the past “6+ years” had been spent helping organizations deliver “life-saving tests, tools, and medicine to society,” according to the excerpt published by The Barbell Spin. (games.crossfit.com) ### What did Pavlina say about returning? Pavlina said her time away from CrossFit “expanded me as a leader and deepened my understanding of health, humanity, and what becomes possible when talented people align around meaningful work,” according to The Barbell Spin’s account of her LinkedIn announcement. The report said she would begin in the chief people officer role immediately. (thebarbellspin.com) The Barbell Spin described the move as a return rather than a first-time appointment. Its report said Pavlina had already held CrossFit’s top human-resources post in an earlier stretch at the company. (thebarbellspin.com) ### What has she done since leaving CrossFit? Hyperfine said in a 2021 announcement that it had appointed Pavlina as chief people officer and described her as having more than 15 years of human-resources experience in medical technology and healthcare. The company said she had previously been chief people officer at Mesa Biotech, later part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, and before that vice president of human resources at SeaSpine. (thebarbellspin.com) The same Hyperfine announcement said Pavlina had also worked as an attorney before moving into human resources. A conference speaker page for LEAP HR: Life Sciences West listed her in May 2026 as a speaker on people metrics, indicating she remained active in life-sciences leadership circles before the CrossFit return. (thebarbellspin.com) ### Why does this matter inside CrossFit now? CrossFit said on April 28 that Bruce Edwards would return as chief executive officer, with a May 4 start date. Edwards previously served as CrossFit’s chief operating officer from 2013 to 2019, according to both CrossFit and The Barbell Spin. Pavlina’s return means two senior leaders from that earlier period are now back in the company’s top ranks. (hyperfinemri.com) The available reporting on May 21 centered on personnel rather than competition. The source material reviewed for this story did not provide new semifinal standings or athlete results, and official CrossFit competition pages remained the clearest place to track those developments. (hyperfinemri.com) ### Was this tied to a Games-season announcement? The Barbell Spin’s report was about staffing, not the competition field. CrossFit’s official Games pages separately list 2026 semifinal leaderboards and qualifier information, but those pages do not frame Pavlina’s appointment as part of a competition update. (crossfit.com) CrossFit’s next public updates are likely to appear across its announcements page and Games competition pages, where the company has been posting executive news and 2026 season information. Bruce Edwards’ return was published there on April 28, and semifinal and qualifier materials are already live for the current season. (crossfit.com) (games.crossfit.com)