Kathryn (Kate) Ackerman, MD, MPH, FACSM is the Founder and Director of the Female Athlete Program and Biennial International Female Athlete Conference at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Associate Director of the Sports Endocrine Research Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She earned her BA from Cornell University, MD from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health, and completed her residency in internal medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her sports medicine fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and endocrinology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

She chairs the US Rowing medical committee, is a member of the World Rowing medical commission, and is a Deputy Editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Her research focuses on female athlete health and the various aspects of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). She has authored/co-authored over 100 articles and book chapters related to sports medicine, endocrinology, rowing, bone health, and female athletes, including position statements with the International Olympic Committee. Athletically, Dr. Ackerman represented the US as a lightweight rower at the World Championships, having taken up rowing as a walk-on at Cornell. She has multiple National Championships titles and still competes with her teammates for life as a masters athlete. Most recently, she has become a Member of the National Leadership Council for the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, a $220mill initiative to improve health and performance globally. Dr. Ackerman is leading the Alliance’s focus on scientific advancements for women.

Dr. Joe Baker is a professor in University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education where he is the Tanenbaum Research Chair in Sport Science, Data Modelling and Sport Analytics. His research considers the varying influences on optimal human development, ranging from issues affecting athlete development and skill acquisition to barriers and facilitators of successful aging. Joe is Past President of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology and the author/editor of 13 books and over 300 scientific publications. www.bakerlab.kpe.utoronto.ca

Louise is a sports dietitian with 45 years of experience in the education and counselling of elite athletes. She worked at the Australian Institute of Sport for thirty years, first as Head of Sports Nutrition and then as Chief of Nutrition Strategy. She has attended 6 Summer Olympic Games with the Australian Olympic Team (1996-2012 and 2021). Her publications include over 400 papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, and the authorship or editorship of several textbooks on sports nutrition. Louise was a founding member of the Executive of Sports Dietitians Australia and is a Director of the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009 for her contribution to sports nutrition, and a Doctor of Science (Honoris causa) from McMaster University, Canada in 2024. Louise was appointed as Chair in Sports Nutrition in the Mary MacKillop Institute of Health Research at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne in 2014 and took up this position in a full-time capacity in 2020.

Dr. Carla Edwards is a Canadian Sports Psychiatrist whose practice focuses on the treatment of mental disorders and psychological struggles in athletes. In her clinical practice, Dr. Edwards supports athletes from many National Sport Organizations, professional sports teams, Canadian Universities, NCAA, and youth sports organizations. She is the team psychiatrist for the Hamilton Tiger Cats (Canadian Football League) and Toronto Rock (National Lacrosse League), and the company psychiatrist for the National Ballet of Canada. She is a passionate advocate for the protection of athletes and safeguarding of the sport experience. Carla is the President of the International Society for Sports Psychiatry and the Secretary-Treasurer for the Canadian Academy of Sports and Exercise Medicine (CASEM).

Dr. Edwards is active in the academic setting as an Associate Clinical Professor with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, Chair of Student Progress for the undergraduate MD Program, and Competency Committee Chair for postgraduate psychiatry. She has published and presented extensively on various topics in Sports Psychiatry and is committed to enhancing mental health literacy among sport personnel. A particular interest for Dr. Edwards is refining practices related to athlete participation in sports when mental health symptoms and disorders are present.

Nicolas has been spearheading the research & innovation activities at FIFA for more than a decade during which empirical studies and data-driven insights have become central to decision-making and new developments. Political scientist and finance graduate he is now the Head of Football Research & Standards within FIFA’s Innovation team in the Executive Office. He oversees a multi-disciplinary team working across the entire innovation value-chain interacting with start-ups, leading research & validation efforts for new technologies, getting innovations ready for use at major tournaments and setting standards for products, services and data for the football world. Goal-line technology, VAR and Automated Offside Technology are some examples of the work originating from Nicolas’ team.

The fastest growing area of Nicolas’ work is undoubtedly in the data value chain in football. As such pre-empting the technology trends, ensuring regulatory compliance for data and technology use as well as dissipating knowledge in form of scientific publications is a major objective in the team’s work.

Vicky is one the few sport scientists that continues to provide applied sport science while maintaining a full-time academic position at Loughborough University as a Professor in Applied Disability Sport. Vicky has attended/been involved in the Paralympic Games (Atlanta 1996 – present). Highlights include, working in the ParalympicsGB Performance Centre in London (2012) and leading the applied sport science project for the GB Wheelchair Rugby (GBWR) heading into Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, where they became gold medalists. She is currently involved in applied projects with the wheelchair sports of basketball, tennis and rugby leading into LA 2028.

Vicky received a BASES Award for Good Practice in Applied Sport Science (2005), and was awarded BASES Fellowship (2011). Vicky served as a member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Sport Science and Medicine Group 2005-2010. In 2017, Vicky received the prestigious IPC Paralympic Scientific Award and was named one of Loughborough Universities Inspirational Women in Sport. Vicky is editor of one of the few scientific international handbooks on sport physiology and biomechanics in adapted sports ‘Wheelchair Sport’ (Human Kinetics) and has over 200 peer reviewed publications in this field. She has many on-going international studies spanning Asia, Canada, USA and Europe.

Vicky is the Director of the Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport (PHC) which has attracted over £4M of funding. This research centre has an international reputation that was recently awarded the Loughborough University VCs 2022 and 2024 award for research and innovation that has delivered significant and sustained impact on society and she was awarded East Midlands Women STEM in 2024.

Sandra Hunter, PhD is the Francie Kraker Goodridge Collegiate Professor of Kinesiology and Chair of Movement Science in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Michigan USA.

Professor Hunter received her PhD in Exercise Physiology at the University of Sydney, Australia studying the muscle function with aging and the effects of strength training in young and older women. She then trained as a postdoctoral research associate (1999-2003) at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA in the Neural Control of Movement laboratory. In 2003, she became faculty at Marquette University, Wisconsin, USA for 21 years before moving to the School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan in 2024 where she is a named professor and chair of the Movement Science Program.

Professor Hunter has been funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2004 to study the effects of sex, age and diabetes on exercise performance and the protective effects of exercise and strength training. She is an international leader on the neuromuscular physiology of human movement across the lifespan in males and females, and the age and sex differences in athletic performance. Professor Hunter has authored over 170 journal publications, and she serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Exercise and Sport Science Reviews. Professor Hunter is the first author on a consensus statement published in 2023 by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) on the Biological Basis of the Sex Differences in Athletic Performance. In May 2025 she received the ACSM Citation award, one of ACSM’s highest honors for an outstanding career in research, and scholarly recognition in contributing to the mission of ACSM. Professor Hunter regularly appears in the media on the sex and age differences in athletic performance.

Michael Koehle, MD, PhD is a physician practicing academic sport and exercise medicine at the University of British Columbia, a Professor in the School of Kinesiology, and the Director of the Division of Sport and Exercise Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. His research focuses on the interaction between exercise, the environment and health.

Alex McKechnie joined the Raptors in July 2011 to oversee all aspects of player health and performance for the franchise, including rehabilitation, strength training and sports science. He has won six NBA championships – five with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Raptors - and is regarded as an industry leader in core training and movement integration. Prior to coming to Toronto, McKechnie worked for 13 seasons with the Lakers, including eight as the Athletic Performance Coordinator.

A native of Glasgow, Scotland, McKechnie graduated from the Leeds School of Physiotherapy and came to Canada in 1974 to be the head physiotherapist to the Varsity Athletic Program at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. During his time at Simon Fraser, McKechnie also served as the team physiotherapist for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the North American Soccer League (1974-82) and for the 1976 Canadian Olympic Soccer Team.

McKechnie left Simon Fraser in 1977 to open his own private practice specializing in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Three years later, he began working on a consultant basis with the Vancouver Canucks (1980-2000). McKechnie worked as a physiotherapist for the Canadian Men’s Soccer program for 24 years and his career with the national team culminated in winning the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

In 2001, after two years of work and research, McKechnie was issued a United States patent on the Torsion Board which he subsequently licensed with Reebok to produce the Reebok Core Board, a device widely used in the NBA, NFL, NHL and gyms in North America. He also developed the Core X system which has been widely adopted in the NBA, NFL, NHL, Premier League and European soccer.

McKechnie was inducted into the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. He was also honoured in the Basketball BC Hall of Fame in 2023. McKechnie is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and Canadian Physiotherapy Association.in April 2025 I was presented with the Brian Budd Award by the Canadian Soccer Association. In 2025, McKechnie was presented the Brian Budd Award which recognises outstanding athletes who have excelled both in soccer and in another endeavour, be it in sport or public life. The individual must exemplify good character, accomplishments, dedication and provide inspiration to present and future generations.

Dave Nutt has been involved in soccer administration in Canada for nearly 25 years, holding roles in professional soccer as well as at Provincial and National levels. Originally from Kitchener, Ontario, Dave grew up playing soccer at local and regional levels and played varsity soccer at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University while earning a Bachelor of Science – Kinesiology and Master of Business Administration, respectively. Dave began his career in 2003 as the Operations and Media Relations Coordinator for the Toronto Lynx of the North American A-League, the highest level of professional soccer in Canada at the time. From there, he joined Canada Soccer as National Teams Administrative Manager in 2005, overseeing the logistics and administration for the Men’s National Youth Teams. After serving on the team staff for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 and CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Beijing 2008, Dave travelled west to Saskatoon in 2008, where he served as Director of Soccer Operations for the Saskatchewan Soccer Association before returning to Canada Soccer in February of 2017 to take on the newly created role of Manager of Development – Operations. In this role, Dave was responsible for system building and organizational development, including the development and implementation of the Canada Soccer Club Licensing Program. Dave served as the Interim Director of Development at Canada Soccer from April 2023 through November 2024 when the interim status was removed. As the Director of Development at Canada Soccer, Dave is responsible for Canada Soccer’s grassroots programs and services, including coach and referee education, club licensing, and the overall direction of the Canada Soccer Development Department.

Dr. Madeleine Orr is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at University of Toronto. She is the founder and co-director of The Sport Ecology Group, an international consortium of academics who drive climate action in the sport sector through research and public education initiatives. Orr’s research examines the impacts of climate change on sport, with a focus on resilience and adaptation, and she's authored more than 30 peer-reviewed articles on the topic. She recently led the authorship team on the ‘Sport for Nature Report’ for UNEP, served as an expert reviewer on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report, and Expert Technical Lead on the UNFCCC's Sports for Climate Action learning program. Orr's research has been covered in global news outlets including ESPN, BBC, Reuters, and Time Magazine, and her first book, Warming Up, was named a 'Top 5 Sports Book of 2024' by The Guardian, shortlisted for the Vicky Orvice Women's Sports Writing Award, and longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. Orr has been named to the Environmental Educators 30 Under 30 list by NAAEE (2020), the 30 Under 30 in Sustainability list by Corporate Knights Magazine (2020), and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list (2021). In 2023, she was named a Future of Canada Fellow by McMaster University and was a finalist for the Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership.

Dr. Putukian board certified in Internal Medicine and has subspecialty certification in Sports Medicine. She is the former Director of Athletic Medicine/Head Team Physician at Princeton University (2004-2021). She started with MLS in 2015, and in 2018 took the role as Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Putukian is a charter member of the AMSSM serving as President in 2004-2005. She serves on the Board for the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) and serves on several committees: NFL General Medical, NFL Head Neck & Spine, FA Research Task Force, IOC Mental Health (MH) Working Group and USOPC MH Task Force. She has previously chaired the USA Lacrosse Sports Science/Safety as well as the ACSM Clinical Sports Medicine Leadership Committees.

Dr. Putukian serves as a Team Physician for US Soccer (WNT, U-20’s). She has been a Team Physician for the US Men’s National Lacrosse team (2010-2018), and the USOPC at the Beijing (2022) and Paris (2024) Olympics.

She has been an invited participant for the CISG and IOC Advanced Team Physician Conferences and IOC MH Diploma course. Her areas of interest in sports medicine include concussion, cardiovascular health, mental healthand soccer/football medicine. She is a co-author on several Team Physician Consensus Statements, active in clinical research, and has >175 peer-reviewed publications, >60 book chapters and >270 presentations on a variety of sports medicine topics.

Catherine Sabiston is a Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto and holds a Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Mental Health. Catherine is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and is an international leader in sport and exercise psychology research. Prof. Sabiston has secured over $32 Million in funding for her multidisciplinary and mixed-methods research and has published nearly 400 research articles and book chapters with a specific enduring interest in girls’ and women's sport, exercise, and health. Her work is often featured in the media and has impacted programs, policies, and participation locally, nationally, and globally.

Dr Trent Stellingwerff serves as Chief Performance Officer (CPO) at the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (Victoria, Canada), joining CSI Pacific in 2011. In this role, he directs the health & performance staff, and has oversite of CSI Pacific R&D and all special projects. He directs several different research projects across different sport performance discipline areas, with Master’s, Phd and Post-Doctorate students involved. He has also provided physiology expertise to Canada’s National Athletics (Track and Field), Rowing, Triathlon and Mountain bike teams. His primary sport and research focuses are in the field of physiology and nutrition interactions, as well as environmental (altitude and heat) expertise and more recently, into research on female health and performance. He co-chairs the Own The Podium Canadian National Sport Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) working group. Prior to 2011, Trent was a Senior Scientist in Performance Nutrition for PowerBar at the Nestle Research Center (Lausanne Switzerland). Trent has more than 150 peer-reviewed scientific publications, and authored 10-book chapters, in the areas of exercise physiology, skeletal muscle metabolism, sports nutrition and performance. Trent has been an invited expert presenter and author for many international nutrition consensus statement meetings with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), FINA (Swimming), UCI (Cycling) and World Athletics, and is a member of the International Advisory Board for the IOC Diploma Program in Sports Nutrition and S&C programs. Over the years, Trent has attended and/or serviced athletes and sports over 4 Olympic/Paralympic Games, 4 Commonwealth Games and >15 World Championships across several sports.

Dr. Andy Van Neutegem is currently the Vice President of Performances Sciences, Research & Innovation with Own the Podium. His responsibilities include overseeing research and innovation for Canadian high performance sport as well as contributing national leadership in the areas of data analytics, return to performance, injury surveillance, athlete and coach well-being, mental health, and building sport cultures of excellence. He is also currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia in their High Performance Coaching & Technical Leadership Master’s degree program.

From the period 1996-2006, Dr. Andy Van Neutegem worked in the UK in a number of sport leadership roles, And received his Doctorate in 2007 in athlete career transitions and athlete maladaptive behaviours from the University of Southampton, England.

He returned to Canada in 2008 to work for Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific as a High Performance Director, undertaking the Lead role in the Performance Readiness Division (Psychology, Research and Medical Services) of the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific.

Andy served as the High Performance Director of the National Wheelchair Rugby Team which he has held since 2008, and led the team to a bronze medal in Beijing 2008 and a silver medal in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, a silver medal at the World Championships in August 2014, and a fourth place finish in Rio 2016. In 2014-15, Andy also served in the role of General Manager with Hockey Canada responsible for the National Sledge Hockey Program, winning a silver medal at the Para-Ice Hockey World Championships.

Dr. Wasserstein is a knee surgeon at Sunnybrook Hospital. He performs knee reconstructive surgeries in children and adults. He has an academic interest in the responsible use of medications from the class of ‘performance enhancing drugs’ to be repurposed for the benefit of patients suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. His academic experience in this area includes active research on synthetic androgens, human growth hormone and peptides.