OTTAWA, ON (May 27, 2026) — Skate Canada is proud to announce the appointment of Therese Brisson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 27, 2026.  She succeeds Debra Armstrong, whose decade of exceptional leadership has positioned the organization for continued success.  

Brisson brings a unique combination of leadership experience across Canadian sport and global business.  A two-time Olympic medallist and accomplished sport and marketing executive, she is widely recognized for building high-performance cultures, leading transformational change, and delivering meaningful, lasting strategic impact.   

In addition to her extensive leadership within the Canadian sport system, including board roles with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Own the Podium, and most recently as President and CEO of Alpine Canada, Brisson brings deep commercial expertise. Through senior marketing and sales leadership roles with Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark, she led transformational growth in revenue, profit, and market share across billion-dollar brands. 

As CEO, Brisson will lead the development of Skate Canada’s next strategic plan in close collaboration with the Board, staff, athletes, coaches, clubs, volunteers, partners, and funders across the country. At a defining moment for sport in Canada – supported by renewed national momentum and generational investment – this work will be guided by a bold and shared ambition to grow participation at all levels, achieve sustained high-performance excellence, and expand and diversify revenues to strengthen the sport’s long-term impact.   

“We are thrilled to welcome Therese to the organization,” said Skate Canada President, Karen Butcher. “She is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the Canadian sport system and a passion for excellence.  We are excited for her to bring a fresh perspective and skillset to Skate Canada as we continue to build on our Strategic Plan heading into the next quadrennial.” 

“Sport has a unique ability to bring people together, strengthen communities, and inspire Canadian pride from grassroots participation to the Olympic podium,” stated Brisson. “Skate Canada has an extraordinary legacy and an engaged passionate community that plays a leadership role in that nation-building effort. I am energized by the opportunity ahead and look forward to working closely with our stakeholders and funding partners to co-create a bold new strategy as we write the next chapter in Skate Canada’s history – one that grows participation, elevates performance excellence and builds a stronger, more sustainable foundation for our sport that delivers impact for Canadians.”