National Teams: Speakers' Bureau

Welcome to the Skate Canada's Speakers Bureau! This feature is a useful tool for meeting planners, corporations, associations and educational institutions alike, as it acts as a guide to the various members of Skate Canada's National Team, as well as past Skate Canada National Team athletes, who are available for speaking appearances.

Athletes will be available to speak on a range of topics, including goal setting, physical fitness, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles.

An athlete sanction must be granted for any engagement.

Athlete Sanction Fees
Date of request	Member	Non-Member
31 days or more prior to event	$15	$40
7-30 days prior to event	$20	$45
6 days or less prior to event	$50	$75
Note: A penalty of $100.00 will apply should a sanction be requested after the appearance date. Such a request will be granted only once per athlete and club or organization.

If you are interested in having a Skate Canada athlete speak at one of your organization's functions, please fill out the form. If you have any questions about the Skate Canada Speakers Bureau, please contact Celina Stipanic, Athlete Services Coordinator, at cstipanic@skatecanada.ca, or by phone at 1-888-747-2372, extension 2617.

	Michelle Currie was a member of Skate Canada’s 2003-2004 National Team. She finished in fourth-place in the Senior Ladies event at the 2003 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships, and her best placing at the Canadian Championships came in 2000 in Calgary, where she finished second. She has also travelled to compete in various international events. Michelle is interested in speaking on various motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, members of the 2004-2005 Skate Canada National Team, have had much success on both the national and international ice dance scene. The 2004 Canadian Ice Dance Champions have competed at a number of international events, including both the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Dubreuil and Lauzon competed at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, in which they finished 12th. The duo has also travelled to a number of World Championships, finishing eighth in 2004, 10th in 2000, 2002 and 2003, and 11th in 2001. Marie-France and Patrice are interested in speaking on various motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Ben Ferreira is a member of the 2004-2005 Skate Canada National Team. He had his best-ever finish at a national championship last year when he won the silver medal in the Senior Men’s event at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships. Ben has significant experience speaking at a number of events, including appearances at Eva’s Initiatives, which is an organization that works with homeless youth, the Hallwent Region Skating Council’s award gala banquet, and Skate Canada – Northern Ontario and Skate Canada – Eastern Ontario Youth Camps. He has competed at a number of international events, including the 2000, 2002 and 2004 World Championships. Ben enjoys speaking on a variety of topics, and is particularly interested in speaking on his personal skating story, how to plan and maximize personal performance, and how to seek opportunities through challenges and adversities. [Athlete bio]
	Leah Hepner was a member of the 2003-2004 National Team. She finished fifth in the Senior Ladies event at the 2003 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships, and competed internationally at the 2003 World University Games. Leah has experience in public speaking, mainly to groups of skaters. Leah is particularly interested in speaking on the importance of education while training as an elite athlete. She has much personal experience with this topic, as she recently earned a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary. [Athlete bio]
	Anabelle Langlois and Patrice Archetto, members of the 2004-2005 Skate Canada National Team, bring both national and international competitive experience to their speaking appearances. Anabelle and Patrice competed at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, where they finished 12th. They have also competed at the World Championships, finishing 10th in 2002, fifth in 2003 and eighth in 2004. The duo has previous speaking experience, and Anabelle and Patrice like to speak on a number of motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Jennifer Robinson is a six-time Canadian Ladies Champion. She has competed in a variety of international competitions, including the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, in which she placed seventh, and a total of seven World Championships. Jennifer possesses previous public speaking experience, including appearances at Toronto area schools, Special Olympics fund-raisers, Business Award dinners and Rotary Club meetings. She was also the co-host for both the 2003 and 2004 Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala. Jennifer will travel to Africa in August 2004 with World Vision to help the organization promote sponsorship of its programs. This upcoming skating season, Jennifer will be coaching and doing choreography at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. She will also be skating professionally in shows and tours this season. Jennifer is interested in a number of motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe, members of the 2004-2005 Skate Canada National Team, have an impressive public speaking resume. They have been medallists in the Senior Dance event at the Canadian Championships from 1997-2004. Megan and Aaron have also competed at a number of international events, and most recently placed third at the 2004 ISU Four Continents Championships and 11th at the 2004 ISU World Championships. In June of 2003, both Megan and Aaron graduated from the University of Windsor, Megan with a bachelor of arts in psychology, and Aaron with a bachelor of human kinetics. Aaron is currently in his second year of the master’s program in human kinetics, majoring in sports management, with completion set for April 2005. Megan will begin her master’s degree in psychology in September 2004. They have spoken at various Skate Canada sponsor functions, volunteer banquets, elementary schools, Annual General Meetings and seminars. Megan and Aaron were the 2001 World Athlete Ambassadors. Both Megan and Aaron have also had individual speaking experience. Megan was the 2001 Girls in Motion (Windsor) spokesperson, and is an Athlete Representative on Skate Canada Board of Directors. She is also on the Skate Canada National Teams Committee. Aaron is the National Team captain, and he also serves as an Athlete Representative for AthletesCAN and Skate Canada’s Athlete Trust. Megan and Aaron speak on a variety of motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Nicholas Young is a member of the 2004-2005 Skate Canada National Team. This is his second year on the National Team. Nicholas has competed internationally and was a member of the Canadian team for the 2003 World University Games, an event in which he placed fourth. Nicholas is currently a student in the political science program at Concordia University. He is interested in speaking on a variety of motivational topics. [Athlete bio]
	Shae Zukiwsky, along with his ice dance partner, Judith Longpre, is a member of the 2004-2005 National Team. The duo placed sixth in the Senior Ice Dance event at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships, and has competed internationally. Shae has significant experience in the public speaking field, and currently tends to focus on the individual and their relationship with the performing arts. Shae’s particular interest lies in speaking on individual self-awareness and self-empowerment through the arts. He earned a bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University, and he is interested in obtaining his masters degree in Fine Arts in the future. [Athlete bio]