Karyn Garossino, BA, M. Ed.

Olympian Karyn Garossino brings a combination of insight and grit from 50-plus years of being coached and coaching others. Her experience at the highest levels of elite sport, a master’s degree in psychology and adult education, and experience working with thousands of leaders in business and government give her a deep understanding of what it takes to thrive under pressure and to lead others to do the same.

Karyn’s career as a competitive figure skater spanned 10 years of international competition, including five World Championships, a trip to the 1988 Olympic Games, and a spot at the top of the podium at the Canadian championships in 1989. Karyn attributes much of her success to her ability to master the inner skills required to transform pressure into growth and to communicate with impact — concepts and skills she now teaches in programs at Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and to corporate clients across a range of geographies and industries. As an affiliate faculty member at Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina, Karyn’s expertise in coaching as a leadership style and in building resilience is leveraged to increase commitment and optimize performance in large organizations.

Karyn is an articulate and effective communicator who conveys the course material with conviction, credibility and humour. Participants appreciate her animated teaching style and responsiveness to group dynamics. As she draws on personal experiences to bring leadership development and the course concepts to life, Karyn’s presentations are thought-provoking and inspiring.