Dr. Jodi L. Abbott, President & CEO of the University Hospital Foundation (UHF), has positioned UHF in bringing together the right people from industry, academia, government, healthcare, and philanthropy to tackle some of the world’s biggest health and healthcare challenges. Dr. Abbott was a previous board member for Skate Canada and supports the organization by volunteering on operational committees and as a World and Olympic figure skating judge.
Jodi is passionate about governance and has assisted organizations (for profit and not-for-profit) to enhance their governance structures to ensure strong leadership at the governing and operating levels while advancing the purpose of the organization. Dr. Abbott recently received the Order of Canada for her leadership in Alberta’s health care and college systems, and for her mentorship of young athletes in the field of figure skating. She is a tenacious and passionate individual in work and in her community life.
Dr. Jodi Abott
President & CEO, University Hospital Foundation
Debra Armstrong
Skate Canada Chief Executive Officer
Simon comes from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. He is a former competitive Short Track Speed Skater and trained at the Olympic Oval in Calgary for two years. After the completion of his sporting career he worked for several years in a medical supply company in Toronto, Ontario, before transitioning back to the sports world. He obtained his MBA in Sports Management from the Universidad Europea de Madrid in June of 2023 and has since taken over the Safe Sport portfolio at Skate Canada.
Simon Austin
Skate Canada Member Services Representative / Safe Sport Coordinator
In her 25th year, Josée leads all aspects of coach education and accreditation at Skate Canada. Her responsibilities encompass oversight of five distinct NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) pathways for coaches and coach developers and various LTD (Long-Term Development) stakeholder education initiatives. Josée’s expertise extends to the conception and facilitation of diverse professional development initiatives, including coach mentorship and coach apprenticeship programs, which are delivered provincially, nationally, and internationally. She spearheads the planning and execution of in-person coach workshops for Skate Canada’s Ice Summit and is staff lead of the Coaches Committee. Josée conducted seminars for coaches and skaters in South America, notably in Gramado, Brazil in 2018 and São Paulo, Brazil in 2019, 2022, and 2023. Her contributions have been instrumental in guiding the Brazilian Ice Sports Federation in establishing a coach education system and learn-to-skate program. Additionally, Josée has provided advisory coach development support to Skate Sweden and the South Africa Figure Skating Association. Notably, she played a pivotal role as a lead contributor and project member in shaping the International Skating Union (ISU)’s Worldwide Coach Education Framework. Furthermore, Josée spearheaded the content creation and development for the ISU Level 2 Coach Education Program. In May 2023, Josée was nominated by Skate Canada and selected amongst a few emerging High Performance Technical Sport Leaders to partake in Canada Leads, an exclusive 18-month flagship leadership program offered by Own the Podium.
Josée Bourdon
Skate Canada Senior Manager – Coaching
Jessica has been involved in skating since a very young age when she watched her sisters skate. After competing, she started coaching but didn’t intend to stay involved in the sport once she got her school teaching certificate. She just intended to help out with the Special Olympics program for a couple months. 15 years later, Jessica is head coach of the Vancouver Special Olympics skating programs, training athletes from grassroots to SO world champions and being involved with Team BC and Team Canada as head coach, team coach, and training coach.
Jessica Chapelski
Head Coach – Vancouver Special Olympics skating programs
Georgia Ens is a sport psychology PhD Candidate at the University of Calgary specializing in body image in sport. Her research focusses on the education and promotion of positive body image in aesthetic sport and has partnered with Skate Canada to build and implement their Body Positive Guidelines. Georgia also works as a mental performance consultant for the Canadian Sport Institute in Calgary supporting athletes from all sport types. There, she supports athletes build a toolbox of mental skills to help them navigate their unique sport journey and perform at their best when it counts. When she’s not working in sport you can find her spending time in the mountains, at a group fitness class, or hanging out with her dog Spot.
Georgia Ens
PhD Candidate, Faculty of Kinesiology at University of Calgary
Megan has been leading individuals and organizations through energetic, interactive facilitation to generate action-based solutions for almost two decades. Now specializing in organizational culture development and strategic planning, she began her professional career in the high-energy world of revenue development where she quickly understood the importance of creative problem-solving to overcome obstacles. Megan has been described as friendly, supportive, and driven and her style of facilitation is constantly referred to as engaging, creative, and fun. She is passionate about helping leaders inspire and energize their team members. As the founder of Mosaic Engagement, she is on a mission to motivate organizations to harness expertise and creative power within their own team. Learn more at www.mosaicengagement.ca. Outside of work, Megan has a Masters in Leadership Studies from Royal Roads University. She enjoys the challenge of maintaining fresh and current content and learning from every session she leads.
Megan Foster
Founder of Mosaic Engagement
Janice officially began her volunteer ‘career’ in figure skating when she became a judge at the age of 16. Volunteering went without saying in her family, so it was a natural step and a bonus to get involved in something she loved. Over the years she has been on various Section and National Boards and Committees, yet it is the joy in being rinkside that keeps her coming back.
Janice recently retired as an ISU Singles/Pairs Referee and Judge, and ISU Judge/International Referee in Ice Dance. She remains current at the Canadian level and is also Canadian Singles Technical Controller and Section level Singles Technical Specialist. She continues to officiate at STAR and Podium Pathway events at local competitions and enjoys dialogue with skaters, coaches and officials. Janice embraces Skate Canada’s Vision to inspire everyone to experience the joy of skating.
Janice Hunter
Official
Diane Knutson has been coaching for over 50 years and is currently the Learn to Skate Director at Champs International in Burnaby, BC. Diane is also a Skate Canada CanSkate Course Learning Facilitator and a CanSkate University Graduate and BC Section Club Coach Award Winner in 2022. Diane is proud to say that most of her coaching career has been at the CanSkate and grassroots level and she believes that “Coaching is not my job it is my passion”. She loves to watch the skaters grow and achieve their goals each and every day and she hopes to instill a lifetime love for figure skating in all her students.
Diane Knutson
Champs International SC Learn To Skate Director
Jackie is the CEO and visionary behind Uplifter. In 2011, she had a desire to help her daughter’s Skate Canada club improve their registration and management. So, she harnessed her years of experience as a software developer and business consultant to code the Uplifter platform. Today, that platform supports millions of participants around the world.
Jackie Kwan
Co-founder and CEO, Uplifter
Marilyn Langlois is a worldwide recognized coach and choreographer. Certified at NCCP Level 5, she is the head coach for Les Suprêmes Junior and Senior teams of Saint-Léonard. Both teams are currently Canadian and World champions. Les Suprêmes Senior are also reigning world champions for the third consecutive year. At the 2023 Sport Québec gala, Marilyn and her coaching team won a “Maurice” award for Coach of the Year for international team sports. That same evening, Marilyn was named an influential woman by Égale Action. This fall, she and her colleague received the Coaching Award of Excellence at the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Conference.
In 2020, Skate Canada recognized her talent by naming her Coach/Choreographer of the Year. She shares her expertise by participating in seminars and served as an ISU mentor for the Japanese team in 2018-2019. She was also recruited by Cirque du Soleil as a synchro designer for the first ice show Crystal.
She holds an Advanced Coaching Diploma from INS and was part of the first cohort of the accelerated learning program for elite coaches at INS. In her spare time, she participates in various programs, including one focused on athlete well-being beyond performance, overseen by the Sport Council of Montreal. In collaboration with Jodie Richardson and Alexia Demacar (Dare to Fuel Performance), she also contributed to the development of video tutorials on eating disorder prevention aired during National Coaches Week. As an expert coach, she was part of the project team that created Patinage Québec’s Athlete Development Model for synchronized skating. Marilyn founded the Passion Synchro Camp. She is highly passionate and puts a lot of effort into gaining recognition for her discipline and pushing her sport to the highest levels while prioritizing the human aspect.
Marilyn Langlois
World Coach/Choreographer
Mark is the coaching development coordinator (STAR Pathway) for Skate Canada. He is proud to have been a member of the refresh of the CanSkate and Regional Coach Courses. He is a coach developer for CanSkate, Regional and PowerSkate coaching level. He was an integral resource in the refresh of CanSkate and STAR 1-5 programs. Mark is a passionate coach and coaches CanSkate, PowerSkate and the STAR program weekly.
Mark Lauzon
Skate Canada Coaching Development Coordinator
With over 30 years of coaching experience in Milton, Nancy is NCCP National Coach and had the honor of being a member of the Skate Canada Olympic Team in 2022. Additionally, Nancy served as a four-time Skate Canada World Team coach and currently hold the position of Technical Director at the Milton Skating Club. In this role, Nancy is also the national program convener. Throughout her career, Nancy has coached numerous medalists, guiding them from CanSkate to provincial and national podiums. Furthermore, Nancy has contributed to the development of skating programs as a former member of the Skate Canada Technical Coordinating Committee and acted as a mentor coach for Skate Ontario.
Nancy Lemaire
World/Olympic Coach
Sheilagh McCaskill is a Skate Canada NCCP master coach developer, learning facilitator and coach evaluator. She believes providing opportunities for growth to all Skate Canada coaches is imperative in assisting clubs and skaters to be the best they can be. Sheilagh has over 45 years of experience as a coach with the Gloucester Skating Club where she has shared her passion for skating with all levels of athletes. Her time at GSC also included the role of Director of CanSkate where she helped develop and deliver the club’s CanSkate program for over 30 years. A firm believer in grassroots programming, Sheilagh has been involved in many Skate Canada initiatives and committees and has had the opportunity to work with club volunteers and coaches in large and small clubs in urban and rural settings across Canada. She looks forward to sharing her ideas and experiences in the “CanSkate: Exceeding Standards” workshop.
Sheilagh McCaskill
Skate Canada NCCP Master Coach Developer
Heather is the current Senior Manager Skating Programs with Skate Canada. She is proud to have been a member of the team to develop the current CanSkate, STAR 1-5, and PowerSkate programs. Within the skating programs portfolio there is work being done to create and expand the opportunities for Adaptive skaters and Adult skating participants. In addition to the work within the Skate Canada office, she is an NCCP national coach and have been coaching for nearly 35 years, a learning facilitator and coach evaluator for both CanSkate and Regional levels.
Heather McMahon
Skate Canada Senior Manager – Skating Programs
Yebin is an accomplished figure skater and coach, excelling in both competitive and performance aspects of our sport. As a two-time US Junior National champion, a member of the World Junior and US international teams at the senior level, and a 2002 Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist, she has established herself as a top talent in the sport. Transitioning from competitive skating to performance, Yebin became a Principal Skater in productions by renowned companies such as Holiday on Ice, Beitak Productions, Wheeler Productions, Dancing on Ice UK, and BIFF LTD. Known for her grace and flowing lines, she earned a reputation as one of the most beautiful skaters in the industry. Yebin’s talents extend beyond performance; she was a top-3 finalist in the Young Artist Showcase and won the industry’s Virtual Skate Off competition. Additionally, she showcased her creativity as the co-creative choreographer for “The Creative Spirit of John Curry” by BIFF LTD. Currently, Yebin impacts the skating world as an international-level coach, sharing her passion through the innovative Off-Ice Edge class, which combines ballet, dance, and skating skills. With expertise in figure skating, performance, choreography, and coaching, Yebin continues to inspire with her talent, creativity, and dedication to excellence.
Yebin Mok
International Coach/Performance Specialist
Clifford Mushquash (he/him) is Anishinaabe from Pawgwasheeng (Pays Plat First Nation) on the northshore of Gichigami (Lake Superior). He is a dynamic leader with a proven ability to guide individuals and groups through difficult conversations in a safe and affirming way. He currently operates Bimijiwan Nibi Mental Wellness, a private practice offering mental health and addictions counseling, education, and community development consultation. Clifford has worked for over fifteen years in health and human services, focusing on homelessness, First Nations health, community mental health and addictions, and post-secondary education.
He is a dedicated community volunteer with 20 years of experience in community development, governance, event planning, and fundraising. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Lakehead University.
Clifford’s work and education locate him at the nexus of service provision and the realities of Indigenous people in Canada. He is committed to advancing social justice for Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ persons in Canada by facilitating opportunities for conversation, learning, relationship building, and service.
Clifford Mushsquash
Kairos Blanket Exercise Facilitator
Alison Purkiss
World/Olympic Coach, Choreographer
Tyler Smith is a 21-year-old survivor of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash, which claimed the lives of 16 of his teammates, staff members, and coaches. After physically recovering, he returned to the Broncos for ten games but realized that he needed to prioritize his mental health and take a step back from the game. Tyler has since made progress with his mental health recovery, including utilizing self-care tools like counselling.
Tyler Smith
Keynote Speaker