Executive Director: Ann Marie Shipstad

Ann Marie Shipstad has performed on and off the ice since the age of 3 and brings over 15 years of experience to IceReach that ranges from work as a professional skater and actor, to running various outreach programs within the non-profit sector. A member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Actors Equity Association, she has performed in regional theatres across the country. A member of the professional Skater’s Guild of America, she has skated professionally for Disney, TV and film and has coached at various training facilities throughout the U.S. Her experience working with non-profits cover both the athletics realm (United States Olympic Training Center) as well as the performing arts (The California Shakespeare Festival and the performing arts presenter Centre East). Along with being a figure skater, she is passionate about all ice sports. She loves to teach beginning hockey and in 2007, her Northwestern Curling team placed 2nd in the second event at the National Curling Championships in Chicago. Ann Marie is a graduate and past company member of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and holds a bachelors degree from the University of Kansas and a Master’s degree from Northwestern University.

 

 

President: Ed Shipstad

Ed Shipstad has spent a lifetime working within every area of all four ice sports; from show production, management and head of a national sport governing body, he adds knowledge, experience and individual contacts that are invaluable to IceReach. Ed started his career as production manager for Ice Follies, and continued his involvement with ice sports by managing the world famous training facility, The Broadmoor Ice Arena in Colorado Springs for over 25 years. There, he was one of the original producers of Christmas Pops on Ice; a Christmas ice show accompanied by a full symphony orchestra (famous conductors included Arthur Feilder and Charles Onsbarcher). He continued his father’s tradition of performances on ice by producing shows at Radio City Music Hall, Sea World (in California, Florida, and Texas), Ice Castle in Lake Arrowhead and the Dobson Ice Arena in Vail, Colorado. Skaters that Ed has worked with include Scott Hamilton, Debbie Thomas, Peggy Fleming, Paul Wylie, Dorothy Hamill and Robin Cousins. He was the past president of the United States Curling Association and serves as a board member for the Great Smokey Mountain Curling Club in Knoxville, Tennessee where he has coached two junior teams at nationals. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree from the University of San Francisco.