Past Lists

Most of Influential Women 2003

Dr. Julia Alleyne, Toronto, ON
A Sport Medicine physician, Dr. Julia Alleyne is currently Medical Director, Sport C.A.R.E. at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre. Her academic research has been in the area of women and sport and she is dedicated to a team approach to patient care by working with fitness and health professionals. Her travels have taken her to the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics where she was a core member of the Canadian Medical Team and to many Canadian communities where she speaks on the benefits of physical activity. In 2003 she served as the President of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine and Chief Medical Officer for Skate Canada. A champion of physical activity promotion Dr. Alleyne was the founding Editor-in-Chief for Active Woman Canada, a bi-monthly publication containing inspiring and educational information about being fit and female and maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle that was launched this past January.

Canadian National Women’s Soccer Team
In two prior appearances in the Women’s World Cup Canada had not won a game, nor advanced past the first round. In the 2003 Women's World Cup, Canada was placed in Group C with Germany, Japan, and Argentina., and started the event with a 4-1 defeat to Germany in their opening game. They came back to win two spirited games, defeating Argentina 3-0 and Japan 3-1. The two wins advanced Canada to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. They scored an upset in the semi-finals, defeating China on a single goal by Charmaine Hooper. Canada's dreams of first place ended after a 2-1 loss to Sweden in the semi-final, and eventually wound up fourth after a third-place match loss to the United States. Their fourth-place finish is the highest ever men’s or women’s Canadian placing in the World Cup. This team had Canadians glued to televisions, newspapers and websites to follow its progress. They were led by veteran Charmaine Hooper, who earned her 107th cap for soccer – the most of any Canadian man or woman, and also unveiled Kara Lang and Christine Sinclair as role models and young stars on the National Team.

Pam Coburn, Ottawa, ON
Named as CEO of Skate Canada in February 2002, Pam Coburn leads one of the largest National Sport Organizations in Canada. She became the leader of the largest figure skating federation in the world at the beginning of the Salt Lake City Olympics, and then immediately had to demonstrate strong leadership during an exceptionally turbulent time in the sports history.In 2003, she was the only woman to sit on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) Grand Prix Management Commission , which oversees six international events, and a final competition. She also sits on the ISU’s Restructuring Commission, providing input to a new governance structure. On behalf of Skate Canada, she developed an Interim Judging System for International competition as a stepping stone to full implementation of the revolutionary new judging system to be implemented in 2004 and used at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Skate Canada also successfully bid to stage the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, Alberta.

Sheila Copps, Hamilton, ON
Long before being appointed as Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps was a passionate supporter of sport in Canada. She played sports successfully at the high school level, and remains active by playing tennis and squash to maintain a healthy lifestyle.In 2003, she was involved in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games bid, that was successful in seeing the games awarded to Canada. The 2003 World Cycling Championships were staged successfully in her home town of Hamilton, and she travelled to Jamaica to support Hamilton’s bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which came second in the voting. As 2003 came to a close, she was no longer a cabinet Minister, but her impact and influence will be felt throughout the sport world in Canada and beyond for many years.

Charmaine Crooks, Vancouver, BC
One of only three Canadians on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the only woman, Charmaine Crooks had an impressive track and field career that spanned more than 17 years. She is now President/Founder of NGU Consultants, a sports marketing, promotion and production company that develops and creates entertainment programming, and which provides strategic counsel for companies and athletes on a global basis. In addition to the (IOC) her commitment to sport continues as a member of the executive board of the Canadian Olympic Committee. She also sits on many boards and fulfills numerous speaking engagements both nationally and internationally.In 2003, her tireless work on behalf of the 2010 bid to stage the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver and Whistler was rewarded when the Canadian bid successfully defeated two other cities to become the host city for the games. Crooks also vice-chaired the World Weightlifting Championships in November in Vancouver. She has just been named to the Executive Board of the World Olympians Association (WOA)

Dr. Louise Humbert, Saskatoon, SK
This professor at the University of Saskatchewan, College of Kinesiology has spent her life advocating for gender equity for girls and young women in physical activity, physical education and sport. Dr. Louise Humbert is also a member of community strategy, in motion, which aims to increase physical activity levels of the population in the Saskatoon Health Region for health benefits. As a result of her role in co-chairing a committee addressing the specific needs of children and youth, 100% of catholic elementary schools and 90% of public elementary schools in Saskatoon are designated in motion. These schools are working towards the goal of providing a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity every day to every student. Now being rolled out throughout Saskatchewan, Dr. Humbert chairs the Provincial in motion school committee to share her hands-on experiences with the provincial initiative. She speaks on this topic and on her physical activity research to many diverse audiences.

Judy Kent, Picton, ON
A well-known author, speaker, trainer, and facilitator, Judy Kent works with sport organizations both nationally and internationally. As an author, Ms. Kent is best known for her Applied Strategic Planning manual; as a speaker, she has made keynote presentations on all continents. As a trainer she has conducted hundreds of sessions on topics such as conflict resolution, effective communication, managing change, facilitation skills, and volunteer management. In 2003 she was a member of the Board of Directors for Hamilton’s bid to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and was a co-chair of its Sports Programme Committee. She serves as the moderator of the 2003 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Women’s Forum and will serve as an advisor to this group aiming to make the sport more equitable for girls and women. The former President of the Canadian Commonwealth Games Foundation, she was elected as a member of the international Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to the Sports Committee in December.

Silken Laumann, Victoria, BC
Four-time Olympian, Silken Laumann is one of Canada’s most recognizable female athletes. She is also a dynamic speaker who empowers people with the courage to transform their lives with her ability to motivate and inspire audiences of all ages. She sits on numerous boards and works with a wide variety of organizations. She is the Canadian Ambassador for Right To Play, an athlete-driven charitable organization dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance to children around the world.During 2003 Silken presented over 30 keynote presentations to a diverse selection of Corporations, Associations, Charities and Governmental Agencies. Her talks give insight into excellence, triumph over adversity and the importance of physical activity. In November of 2003, she announced the creation of the Silken Laumann Foundation to promote the health benefits of physical activity and nutrition, through education, advocacy and programming. It hopes to reintroduce play and creating positive experiences around physical activity and sport within the family unit.

Marion Lay, Vancouver, BC
As an athlete she won an Olympic medal and set a world record as a swimmer, but Marion Lay’s broad contribution to sport includes coaching, commentating and policy development. A part of the Vancouver bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games almost from the inception, Lay Co-Chaired the bid committee for two years, and then became President and CEO of the 2010 LegaciesNow Society. It is the province-wide sport development program introduced by the province as a public-private partnership with the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corp. The program supports sport legacies in the years leading up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Marion’s influence will be continue to be felt for many years to come. She pushed for the first-ever inclusion of a gender-equity clause in the Olympic Bid Book, and she was named in September 2003 by The City of Vancouver as one of its two representatives to the board of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG). OCOG will be responsible for all aspects of planning and organizing the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Nancy Lee, Toronto, ON
The first woman to run the most important sports production and broadcasting operation in Canada, Nancy Lee has an unmatched commitment to amateur sport and its coverage in the media. She is considered a leader in promoting women in sport, doing it quietly, and without fanfare. She has increased CBC Sports’ programming of sports involving women and of sports that traditionally appeal to women. She has also actively promoted the development of women on the air and behind-the-scenes at CBC Sports. Through her achievements, she has changed corporate culture to foster the advancement and recognition of women in the traditionally male-dominated worlds of professional and amateur sport and sports broadcasting.In 2003, she introduced women broadcasters to the flagship sports program in Canada, Hockey Night in Canada. In typical style, she did it with little fanfare, choosing to bring the right women into the positions at the right time, as part of her business as usual approach.

Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic, Vancouver, BC
A five-time Paralympic competitor, Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic, is a blind athlete who since 1984 has successfully represented Canada in national team handball and athletics. She is a world class discus and shot put thrower with 19 international podium finishes including a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. After nearly two decades of competing in Paralympic Sport, Lilo has developed a lifetime commitment to and passion for sport for athletes with a disability. She devotes time to her sport as Chair of the International Paralympic Committee's Athletes Council, as a long standing AthletesCan Board Member and with the 2010LegaciesNow Society. She also serves on the Esteem Team, which inspires and empowers youth to reach their full potential through educational and interactive presentations by athlete role models, and has just joined the Board of CAAWS.While continuing to train to compete at the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games in Athens Greece, Lilo is a motivational speaker, travelling around British Columbia, Canada and throughout the world entertaining, inspiring and motivating people of all ages.

Nancy McKay, Bathurst, NB
Bringing the work ethic and professionalism of her full-time career to her volunteer commitment, Nancy McKay was instrumental in bidding for, and then staging the extremely successful 2003 Winter Games in Bathurst, NB. Although a volunteer, she made a five-year full-time commitment to this project, and served as Vice-Chair & Vice-President Administration and Technology for the 2003 Canada Winter Games Host Society.

Nancy assisted in pulling together the cities of Bathurst, Campbellton and 13 communities in-between., making the games a truly a regional effort. She also surrounded created a strong team of volunteers, using her special ability to influence decision-makers. Her leadership skills, consensus-building skills and human resource background were all an asset to building a strong volunteer team, and encouraging other woman to become involved.

Carla Qualtrough, Ottawa, ON
A former Paralymipc Athlete, Carla Qualtrough has been instrumental in sport policy in Canada during this past year. A lawyer by profession, she served as the Senior Policy Advisor to Paul DeViller, Secretary of State (Physical Activity and Spor)t. Her impact was felt on a wide range of projects throughout 2003. They include: the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) being established in Montreal; the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Bid Committee; the creation of the Working Group for Persons with a disability in sport; and the Alternate Disputes Resolution Implementation Committee.Her work was also not just been limited to Canada, as she had involvement with the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees as well as WADA, and the Commonwealth Games Association. She also conducted numerous workshops and presentations, and influenced the next generation as an instructor in the Legal and Ethical Issues in Sport Course at Algonquin College.

Thérèse Quigley, Hamilton, ON
Well respected within the Hamilton community and known as a caring and compassionate individual and administrator. Thérèse Quigley first came to McMaster University in 1984 as Head Coach of the Women's Varsity Volleyball team and lecturer in the School of Physical Education and Athletics. She became the first woman Director of Athletics and Recreation in Ontario when she took over the McMaster post in 1990. In 1993, The Sports Network (TSN) established a National award in Quigley's name recognizing the three-time Ontario women's Interuniversity Athletic Association coach of the year's Leadership and contribution to sport.In 2003 Thérèse was chosen by North American Association of Athletic Directors as Athletic Director of the year. She also served as a board member for the 2003 World Cycling Championships and a member of the bid committee for the Commonwealth Games 2010. Her McMaster teams also had an outstanding year, as she guided the Marauder's 30 teams to 16 Provincial podium finishes including 6 Provincial Championships, while placing 25% of the Student-Athletes on the Dean's Honour Role.

Jane Roos, Toronto, ON
A promising track athlete before a devastating car accident ended her athletic career at age of 19, Jane Roos has turned her passion for sport into helping amateur athletes. As Founder and Executive Director of See You In Athens Canadian Athletes Fund, Jane's driving force is to support Canadian amateur athletes between Olympic games so they can properly prepare, have the basics and not have to juggle training with a part-time job. In 2003 the See You in Athens Fund dispersed funding to 107 athletes and successfully encouraged involvement from the corporate community. Under Jane’s leadership it secured $500,000 in sponsorship from Mastercard . A corporate fundraising gala in August raised over $35K for Canadian athletes and over 30 corporate leaders attended a brainstorming event to help define Canadian Pride.

Danièle Sauvageau, Deux-Montagnes, Québec
Arguably the most well-known female coach in Canada, remaining cool under intense pressure, to lead Team Canada to its emotional gold-medal win over the USA at the Salt Lake City Olympics, Danièle Sauvageau has created a successful life outside the coaching ranks. She remains a sergeant in the Montreal police force, and is now also a colour commentator on SRC’s French Hockey broadcasts and travels constantly to give speeches to a variety of audiences. In 2003, she continued to inspire others though her speaking engagements, and took her coaching skills to a new sport. She became a coaching consultant with Canada’s national women’s water polo team, and travelled with them to Barcelona, Spain (for the aquatic world championships) and to the Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic. She also was the subject of a book, authored by Sally Manning called A Golden Tear - Danièle Sauvageau's Journey to Olympic Gold which will be sure to inspire other young girls to pursue their passion for coaching.

Beckie Scott, Vermillion, Alberta
Already a trailblazer for women's nordic sport in Canada, Beckie Scott put the cross-country skiing into the headlines at the 2002 Games when she became the first North American to medal in Olympic competition.In addition to her superb athletic accomplishments, Scott is equally well known for her outspoken stand on anti-doping and drug-free competition. She relentlessly challenged the International Ski Federation (ISF) to be more aggressive in its efforts to catch cheats. She expressed her views long before the 2002 Olympics, however along with other Canadian and Norwegian skiers Scott, pressured the ISF and the International Olympic Committee to crack down on doping infractions. She never dreamed she would be a direct benefactor of those efforts. However, in 2003, the Olympic bronze medal she won in Salt Lake was upgraded because of doping infractions by the one of the medalists. Her silver medal was presented in an inspiring ceremony in Calgary, and it was just announced in late December that she will now receive the gold medal for the 5-kilometre pursuit race.

Sandra Stevenson, Vancouver, BC
From athlete, educator, coach, and technical director to volunteer, and currently as the President & CEO of Sport BC, Sandra Stevenson has been a driving force of sport in British Columbia for over 25 years. She epitomizes the philosophy of Sport BC, which is to build strong health communities through leadership, direction and support to the amateur sport system in British Columbia. It is her loyal commitment to the organization for the past 12 years that has lead Sport BC to the forefront of all sports issues: funding, harassment, policy, advocacy, and the Olympics. She oversees the operations of 82 member organizations with a collective membership of 800,000.Sandra was instrumental in British Columbia's initial bid for the Olympics seven years ago and in 2003, she was pivotal in the success of the Vancouver City plebiscite by creating Sport BC as the store front and headquarters for the "Yes" Campaign. This positive vote by the residents of Vancouver to host the games was a significant indicator to the International Olympic Committee of the grassroots desire to host the games – which were subsequently awarded to Vancouver as the host city.

Dr. Gene Sutton, Hamilton, ON
Active in a wide-range of sport organizations, Dr. Gene Sutton provides high-level leadership to each one of them, while also continuing to be an instructor in Sport and Recreation at Mohawk College, Hamilton. An Executive member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, she is the current chair of the Canadian Olympic Academy. In an exceptionally busy 2003, she served as the Chef de Mission for the Canadian team at the 2003 Pan American Games in August. She was on the 2010 Commonwealth Games Bid Team and helped to organize the bid to bring the Games to Hamilton. She continues to be a Director-At-Large on the Board of Directors of Gymnastics Canada. She is the Gymnastics Ontario Judging Chair where this year she has been instrumental in developing a new model for judging in Ontario making it more equitable. And, she has continued to judge as a Level 6 Gymnastics Judge.This year, she was asked to chair of the hosting committee for Artistic Gymnastics National Championships for 2004 being hosted in Ontario and has spent much of 2003 in the planning and development stages of the competition. She was most recently selected as Ontario’s Chef de Mission for the 2005 Canada Winter Games.

Hayley Wickenheiser , Shaunavon, Saskatchewan
One of only three Canadian athletes--male or female--who have competed in two Olympic sports, Hayley Wickenheiser is a very special athlete. She is both the dominant and the pre-eminent female hockey player in the world, and was an integral part of Canada’s inspiring Olympic gold-medal National Women’s Hockey Team from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Hayley was a member of the women's softball team, playing third base and batting clean-up. She won a silver medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games with the hockey team and before that, three gold medals at the World Hockey Championships. In a bid to improve her hockey skills, and to challenge herself, she spent last winter, and part of the fall of 2003 playing in Men’s leagues in Finland – a move that focused attention on her sport, and her accomplishments in unprecedented ways. She continues to be an inspiration to young female athletes, who look up to her as a role model.