AROUND THE WORLD!

Speed Skating BC’s Executive Director, Valerie Linton, is setting sail on the open seas! Valerie will be taking a one-year leave to participate in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, an incredible journey that reflects the same spirit of resilience, challenge, and personal growth we champion.

SPEED SKATING BC & SPEED SKATING CANADA UPDATE

As you may be aware, Speed Skating BC’s Executive Director, Valerie Linton, is embarking on a one-year leave of absence starting mid-August 2025 to participate in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. We are incredibly excited for Valerie to pursue this personal goal and will be following her journey closely. 

In evaluating options to fill the Executive Director role during this year SSBC looked for inspiration in their Strategic Plan, specifically in the Builder and Innovator pillars.  They were hoping to use this time for growth and development not only in their organization but for the greater speed skating community.  With this in mind, Speed Skating BC approached Speed Skating Canada to determine if a national employee would be available for a secondment to the position. 

Following extensive internal discussion, we are pleased to announce that Alicia Krywiak will be seconded from Speed Skating Canada to Speed Skating BC to fill the Executive Director role from July 7, 2025, to August 28, 2026. We have full confidence that Alicia’s eight years of experience serving the members of our Canadian speed skating community will be a valuable asset to Speed Skating BC during Valerie’s absence.  

Speed Skating Canada is currently developing a fulsome plan to ensure coverage of Alicia’s responsibilities during her secondment, including her leadership in managing the IceReg platform, overseeing software projects, and coordinating PTSO Administrator meetings. More information will be provided in the coming weeks. 

It is also important to note that Speed Skating Canada and Speed Skating BC are committed to ensuring that confidentiality, conflict of interest, and other applicable policies are fully respected by both organizations during the secondment. We will be collaborating closely throughout the year to support Alicia’s success in this new opportunity.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about this announcement.

Kari Rae
President, Speed Skating BC

Joe Morissette
CEO, Speed Skating Canada