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Stephanie Bigelow

Topic: “Give to Gain” in Women’s High-Performance Sport: Resilience, Investment, and Mentorship.

Major Stephanie Bigelow has served in the Canadian Armed Forces since 2004. A Royal Military College graduate, she began as an Air Navigator (now Air Combat Systems Officer) and became a flight instructor. In 2013, she transitioned to Tactical Navigator on the CP-140 Aurora. After the birth of her son, Eric, she pursued medicine, graduating from Dalhousie in 2020. She became a Family Physician in 2022 and now serves as Base Surgeon of Kingston, commanding the RMC Detachment. 

At 14, Stephanie qualified for the Sydney 2000 Olympic trials, and four years later, she was seriously aiming for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Ultimately, she chose the military path, continuing to compete internationally. She represented CAF and Canada at two World Military Games and multiple championships, holding 19 CAF swimming records. During medical school, she swam varsity for three years, earning Academic All-Canadian each year. 

In 2025, she swam the English Channel. A dedicated athlete, she’s completed a half-Ironman, a marathon, and swam 21 km for Solider On. As CISM Team Manager for swimming and lifesaving, and a mentor to many athletes, she gives back to help others gain. Balancing sport, family, and leadership, she’s a mother of two and a leader in military medicine. 

Beth Barz

Topic: "From Participation to Performance to Purpose: Keeping Women in Sport"

Based in Kingston, Ontario, Beth Barz is the founder of The Coach Developer and works as a coach developer and performance consultant helping experienced coaches grow in the places workshops and books can’t reach: real practices, real games, real conversations. She partners in-context to strengthen decision-making, evidence-based leadership, relationships, well-being and coaches’ ability to thrive. 

A former high school teacher, rugby coach with the men’s program at RMC, and part-time PhD student, Beth was named Coaching Association of Canada’s 2022 National NCCP Coach Developer Award recipient. 

Beth brings more than 30 years of coaching experience, alongside decades of supporting coaches through structured reflection and in-context feedback. She earned her Master’s in Leadership at Royal Roads University, holds World Rugby Master Trainer and NCCP Master Coach Developer certifications and her contributions were recognized nationally when she received the 2022 National NCCP Coach Developer Award from the Coaching Association of Canada. 

And yes, she genuinely believes the best coaching legacy is being remembered not just for wins, but for the humans we help shape.

Blaire Coffey

Lt(N) Blaire Coffey enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 2012 where she attended the Royal Military College (RMC). While at RMC, she was a member of the Women’s Varsity Soccer team. 

Lt(N) Coffey graduated in 2017 with a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering. After graduation, Lt(N) Coffey transferred to HMCS CATARAQUI in Kingston, Ontario to work as a Class A reservist while pursuing a post graduate education. In 2020, Lt(N) Coffey transitioned to work as a full-time reservist to support Operation Laser. Since then, she has continued work as a Class B reservist serving as the Head of the Logistics Department at HMCS CATARAQUI from 2021-2025. 

Currently, Lt(N) Coffey is working as a Subsidized Education Manager at the Canadian Defence Academy Head Quarters. She is also completing a part-time Doctorate in Chemistry at RMC. During her career, Lt(N) Coffey has been an active member in all levels of the CAF Sports program. She has played a variety of sports at the local, regional, national, and international levels while also helping to coach and manage unit and base level teams. Most notably, she has been a member of the Women’s CISM Basketball team since 2016; participating in two World Championships, two International Basketball Tournaments at SHAPE in Mons, Belgium and the World CISM Games held in Wuhan, China. Lt(N) Coffey prides herself in her continued participation as a CAF athlete.

Agenda of Events:

1230-1240: Welcome Remarks from Col John Scott & MC 

1240-1255: Talk from Blaire Coffey

1255-1300: Remarks by MC  

1300-1345: Talk from Stephanie Bigelow

1345-1355: Break  

1355-1400: Remarks by MC  

1400-1500: Talk from Beth Barz

1500-1530: Q/A moderated by MC