The SSI Athlete Voice for Safe Sport Group hold a vision where athlete voices are a guiding force in safe sport across the globe
The mission of the SSI Athlete Voice for Safe Sport Group is to advise SSI and sport organisations globally by using best practices on impactful and trauma-informed athlete engagement to create safe and positive sport for former, current, and future athletes of all abilities.
Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran is a national leader within the field of the prevention and intervention of gender-based violence. She is Executive Director of The Army of Survivors (TAOS), whose mission is to bring awareness, accountability, and transparency to sexual violence against athletes at all levels. Over 20 years ago, Julie Ann began her career in the movement to end gender-based violence by providing direct services and advocacy for survivors at Alternatives for Battered Women (now the Willow Center) of Rochester, NY. Prior to TAOS, Rivers-Cochran worked for the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health and as President and Founder for Blackbird Consulting for Nonprofits, a consultancy committed to helping nonprofit organisations carry out their mission while best serving their constituency. As a survivor of childhood trauma, Rivers-Cochran is a fierce advocate, whose personal experience with the impact of sexual assault and domestic violence has translated into a lifelong goal of listening to, then advocating for survivors while holding perpetrators and the systems that support them accountable.
Julie Ann holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Florida State University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications/Journalism from St. John Fisher College, and an Executive Certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.
The Army of Survivors (TAOS) is a non-profit organisation, based in the United States, that was formed in 2018 after a group of 40 athletes came together to advocate for and give support to athlete survivors of sexual abuse. As survivors of sexual abuse themselves, the founders stand beside other survivors to end the culture of abuse among athletes of all ages, at all levels, and from all sports. Its mission is to bring awareness, accountability, and transparency to sexual violence against athletes.
The Army of Survivors and its mission is supported by three pillars:
- Resource creation: creating resources for survivors of sexual violence
- Advocacy: advocating for culture change and legislation that gives survivors better access to justice
- Education: educating the community on prevention, intervention, and response to sexual violence in sports
Grace French
Norris Ferguson has been involved in Sports Administration since 1989. For his dedicated service to Sport, in 2022 he was awarded the National Hummingbird Medal Bronze in the sphere of Sport and was also the recipient of many awards from institutions such as Central Football Association, Southern Football Association, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, P&B Coaching School, TT Pro League, FC Santa Rosa, T&T Players Association of the USA and the Caribbean Stars and Stars Soccer Review magazine. Norris also received the SEPOS Alumni Distinguished Awardee 2014.
As part of Norris Ferguson professional development, he completed the Certificate and Diploma in Security Administration and Management at Cipriani Labour College, FIFA Hygiene Implementation Officer Diploma, and FIFA Guardians Safeguarding in Sport Diploma. In 2016 he completed the UWI/FIFA/CIES Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management. Norris currently serves as a FIFA Freelancer in Safety and Security and as a result attended the U20 WC in Whangeri, New Zealand 2015, U17 WC in Guwahati, India 2017, Men’s WC 2018 in Kazan, Russia, U20 WC 2019 in Tychy, Poland and Women’s WC 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Grace Hull
Julia Lowis
Kim Shore is a certified Corporate Leadership Coach, workshop facilitator and safe sport advocate. She has served on both Provincial and National Sport Organization Boards of Directors. As a former gymnast herself, Kim co-founded the first survivor-led advocacy organization for Canadian gymnasts after over 500 gymnasts signed an open letter to the government declaring they were abused in sport. To broaden the reach, Kim speaks at international conferences, guest lectures at universities and is a founding member of the Canadian Collective for Human Rights and Sport. Additionally, she is a member of the Safe Sport International Athletes’ Voice Committee and the Canadian Child Rights in Sport Advisory.
Recognized internationally as a lead advocate and change agent in sport, Kim’s courageous activism is predicated on preventing future abuse and fueled by her love of sport. She has testified before two parliamentary committees, appeared in multiple documentary films and media engagements and met with 75+ Members of Canadian Parliament, Senators, Policy Directors, the Federal Ombudsperson for Victims of Crime, and the Canadian Human Rights Commission to raise awareness about systemic child abuse and human rights violations in sport. Kim has worked tirelessly to speak truth to power and is deeply committed to radically improving the delivery, governance, and culture of youth sport.
Rose Mae Lanticse
Trinea Gonczar
Zachary Shattuck