AnnMaria De Mars  AnnMaria De Mars (born August 15, 1958) is an American technology executive, author and judoka. She is the first American to win a gold medal at the World Judo Championships, competing in the -56 kg weight class, for the 1984 World Judo Tournament. De Mars is the chief executive officer of 7 Generation Games and The Julia Group, as well as a statistical consultant and Native American activist, having authored grants for various Native American programs. Before she launched 7 Generation Games as its CEO, De Mars was Vice President of Spirit Lake Consulting Inc., a tribal institute based on the Spirit Lake Tribe Indian Reservation and was actively involved in the Tribe's Education and Vocational Rehabilitation programs. In 2013, De Mars was named in "Forbes" annual list of the "40 Women to Watch Over 40" recognizing the accomplishments and backgrounds of women who are making major professional contributions after the age of 40, in the fields of innovation and disruption. De Mars is the mother of Ronda Rousey, an Olympic bronze medalist judoka and former UFC Bantamweight world champion. She is also the mother of María Burns Ortiz, a sports journalist who serves as the social media columnist for ESPN.com and as a contributor to Fox News Latino. De Mars was born on Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Illinois to Marcella Ann ("née" Austin) and Joseph Arthur Waddell (1927–2011). De Mars is the granddaughter of Dr. Alfred E. Waddell, one of the first Black physicians in North America. She was raised in the small community of Alton, Illinois. De Mars began her judo career at the age of 12 at a local YMCA. De Mars won her division at the USJA Junior Nationals at the age of 16 – her first major competition. The same year, she entered college at Washington University in St. Louis as a Business major. At the age of 18, as a college junior, De Mars was an exchange student at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. While there, she trained under Sensei Osawa. She graduated from college with a degree in business in 1978. She also won the US Senior Nationals, US Collegiate Nationals and the US Open. In the absence of women's judo world championships, she quit competitive judo and studied for an MBA at the University of Minnesota. De Mars earned her MBA in 1980. She missed the first women's world championships while in grad school, but in 1981 won bronze in the British Open and Tournoi d'Orleans.