Lee Barkell is a world-renowned figure skating coach and a 2022 Skate Canada Hall of Fame inductee. With over three decades of experience, he has coached Olympic and World Champions, including Gabrielle Daleman, Jeffrey Buttle, and Satoko Miyahara. A recipient of multiple coaching excellence awards, Lee has contributed significantly to the sport, coaching at four Olympic Games and mentoring athletes to over 140 national and international medals.

Dr. Beth McCharles is a mental performance consultant with extensive experience working with Olympic and professional athletes, professional artists and top-tier organizations. She is currently the MPC for the Toronto Sceptres in the PWHL. Beth specializes in developing strategies to enhance focus, resilience, and confidence in high-pressure environments. Passionate about fostering growth, Beth combines evidence-based practices with a practical and experiential approach to help individuals unlock their full potential.

Heather is one of Canada’s leading experts at the intersection of mental health and high-performance sport. Recognized for her deep knowledge and skill as a Clinical Psychologist with expertise in performance psychology, alongside her passion and enthusiasm for creating change, Heather’s impact is system-wide; including support for athletes, coaches, sport leaders and organizations across all levels of the Canadian sport system. She has been on the leading edge of the evolution of mental health prioritization in sport in recent years, helping build awareness of the unique challenges related to “mental injuries,” including eating disorders. She is adept at driving high-performance cultures through a series of steps and processes that develop the right conditions for people and organizations to grow to their full potential. As Mental Health Lead for Athletics Canada, Swimming Canada and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Heather leads the path for early intervention and treatment of athletes and coaches. She is also the psychologist for the High- Performance Centre – Ontario (HPC-ON), working with the national swim team athletes and coaches and creating a psychologically-informed environment. She has been supporting high-performance and world-class athletes and coaches on their journey up to and including the Olympics and Paralympics since 2008 and is a provider for Game Plan’s Mental Health Network. Heather has over two decades of experience providing psychological assessment and evidence-based treatment to diverse populations, in both private practice and the public healthcare system. As Clinical Lead at Humber River Hospital, she helped reinvent the model of care in the outpatient mental health program, boosting effectiveness and reducing wait times from two years to less than two months. Beyond clinical practice and leadership roles, Heather is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, known for creating engaging, transformative experiences and workshops related to mental health for high-performers.

Karen has been an active and dedicated volunteer with Skate Canada for many years, contributing to the sport in various official capacities. She is a qualified ISU Championship Referee and Judge in both Singles and Pairs, bringing extensive experience and expertise to her roles. In addition, Karen is trained as an ISU Seminar Program Components Facilitator, further enhancing her ability to support and educate the skating community. Over the years, she has contributed to numerous committees at both the Sectional and National levels, shaping the development of the sport in Canada. Karen holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Educational Administration from the University of Regina, blending her passion for education with her commitment to figure skating.

Kevin Dawe is a Nationally certified figure skating coach with over 18 years of experience, coaching athletes from grassroots to high-performance levels. A recipient of the 2023 Petro Canada FACE Award and Manitoba Coach Award of Excellence, Kevin has coached at national and international championships. He holds a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, a Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies, and is a Skate Canada Certified Coach Evaluator and Learning Facilitator. Kevin also completed the Skate Canada National High-Performance Coach Mentorship Program (2022-2024). With a strong academic foundation and extensive experience in coaching, Kevin Dawe brings a blend of technical expertise and innovative coaching strategies to the world of figure skating.

Asher Hill is a coach, choreographer, and former Canadian World and National Team Member. Skating since the age of 4, he showed a passion for artistry, performance, skating skills and excelled at both free skate and ice dance, competing at the national level for both. He eventually turned his focus solely to ice dance winning 3 consecutive national titles (Pre-Novice, Novice, Junior) international medals in both Junior and Senior, representing Canada at the 2012 World Championships with long time partner Kharis Ralph. With his vast experience as an international competitive ice dancer his coaching focus is educating our athletes on proper skating techniques such as power, flow, turns, edge quality, and performance. In his short years as a choreographer, he has created programs for National and International medalists and competitors in both single and ice dance, including Canadian national champion and Olympian Madeline Schizas. Asher is also the host of CBC Sports’ “That Figure Skating Show” and was runner up on Season 6 of Battle of the Blades. OR Asher Hill is a former Canadian World and National Team ice dancer, with three consecutive national titles (Pre-Novice, Novice, and Junior) and international medals. He represented Canada at the 2012 World Championships alongside his partner, Kharis Ralph. Asher now focuses on coaching and choreographing, specializing in skating techniques, edge quality, and performance. He has worked with National and International medalists in both singles and ice dance, including Canadian Olympian Madeline Schizas. Additionally, Asher is the host of That Figure Skating Show on CBC Sports and was a runner-up on Battle of the Blades.

Raoul is an ISU technical specialist in singles and pairs, with extensive officiating experience at events ranging from the invitational level to ISU Championships. While he is also a National level coach and Skate Canada facilitator, he has contributed to numerous committees and conducted seminars and workshops to support the development of technical officials and coaches.

Andrea Derby is a distinguished figure skating official, and former competitor with a career spanning over 40 years. As an athlete, she competed in five National Championships across Novice, Junior, and Senior Pair categories. After retiring from competition, Andrea began judging at the age of 16, eventually serving as an official at two Olympic Games, four World Championships, and numerous Senior and Junior Grand Prix events. Her extensive qualifications include ISU Judge and Referee (Singles and Pairs), ISU Technical Controller (Pairs), and International Technical Controller (Singles). Andrea’s lifelong commitment to figure skating has left an indelible mark on the sport.