Special Olympics PEI athlete, Heidi Mallett, has been named Chair of the Global Athlete Leadership Council (GALC). Heidi has been a member of the GALC since December 2020. In fact, Heidi was the first ever Canadian athlete selected to the GALC. Heidi now steps into the role of Chair, a 3-year term.

Shortly after being named to the GALC Heidi had a conversation with the outgoing Chair, "I was chatting with the outgoing Chair, and he encouraged me to put my name forward for the position of Chair, " Heidi recalls. Heidi was confident that she could take on this role based on her extensive past experiences, especially with chairing meetings.  Heidi says it's a "huge honour, and a big job" to take on this leading role.  Always mindful of others, Heidi has made it a priority to listen to the voices all of athletes. "As Chair I look forward most to giving other athletes the chance to speak and be heard," Heidi says.  One of Heidi's primary goals through Athlete Leadership, and her position on the GALC, has been a focus on plain language (writing in a way that helps readers understand the content in a document the first time they read it). Heidi makes it a point to share documents and communications in plain language herself. In an effort to be inclusive of all athletes Heidi actively works to update any communications to plain language.

Reflecting on her first meeting of the GALC as Chair, Heidi was happy with how things went, saying "it was a learning experience. The biggest learning being the added layer of translations (required as the GALC is made up of athlete representatives from the 7 Special Olympics International regions across the world). This is new for me, so I have learned to be patient with the translation process."

Special Olympics PEI's Executive Director, Charity Sheehan expressed a great deal of pride when hearing of Heidi's most recent accomplishment, "Heidi is a tremendous leader, here in PEI, across Canada, and now on the Global Stage. Having had the opportunity to work with Heidi closely as the Athlete Representative on the Special Olympics PEI Board of Director, I have seen firsthand Heidi's leadership qualities." Charity also credits Special Olympics PEI's strong Athlete Leadership program with helping to set Heidi up to take on this type of role, saying "for years we have witnessed the abilities of our athletes through sport. More recently it has been so rewarding to see these successes extend off the fields of play. Locally here in PEI our Athlete Leadership Academy, on which Heidi is a Leader, gives our athletes the skills they need to take on any challenge, in sport, and in life." 

Heidi is mentored by Genna Phelan, Special Olympics PEI's Manager of Sport & Competition. Upon hearing the news of Heidi's appointment, Genna had the following to say, "I am very proud of Heidi! She is extremely deserving of this new role. Heidi represents the North America Region, including Canada, very well. Heidi's background and experiences have led her to this point. Her appointment as Chair of the Global Athlete Leadership Council is the culmination of years of hard work as an athlete leader."

Heidi is most excited about the opportunity to help plan the 2023 Athlete Global Congress, happening alongside the 2023 World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany.  Heidi says that overseeing the program has been a fantastic learning experience. Heidi will have the opportunity to travel to Berlin in 2023 to attend the Athlete Global Congress as well. As with anything new, Heidi sees this as a wonderful experience, and "takes it as it comes". 

More About Heidi

Heidi Mallett has been a Special Olympics PEI athlete for 14 years. Heidi is an active participant in a variety of Special Olympics sports, including Golf, Snowshoe, Bocce, and 5-Pin Bowling. Heidi is no stranger to competition, having been a member of Team PEI as a member of both the Golf and 5-Pin Bowling teams. Most recently, Heidi was a member of Team PEI 2020's 5-Pin Bowling team at the Special Olympics National Winter Games in Thunder Bay, ON. Off the fields of play, Heidi is the Athlete Representative on Special Olympics PEI's Board of Directors, a Health Messenger, and Special Olympics PEI's representative on the Canadian Athlete Leadership Council. Heidi is a strong advocate of the People First movement. She is the Chair / President of People First PEI. Additionally, Heidi has been Co-Chair of the Board of Community Inclusions.