VANCOUVER (March 11, 2025) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has named Olympic champion Jennifer Heil as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to be entrusted with this honor. The Olympics are about grit, heart, and redefining what’s possible—not just for medals, but for opening doors for future generations in sport and beyond,” said Heil. “Now, more than ever, I feel immense pride in being Canadian. We rise to challenges, push boundaries and lead by example. I can’t wait to champion our athletes on the road to Milano Cortina 2026 and share their stories with Canada and the world.”
Heil made her Olympic debut with a fourth-place finish in moguls freestyle skiing at Salt Lake City as an 18-year-old. Four years later, she made history at Turin 2006, capturing Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in any women’s freestyle skiing event with her victory in women’s moguls. She would go on to win silver at Vancouver 2010. At both Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010, Heil was the first Canadian athlete to win a medal.
As Chef de Mission, she will provide leadership and support and act as a mentor and spokesperson for the team in the lead up to and during Milano Cortina 2026.
Heil was chosen for the role not only for her athletic accomplishments, but for her work as a community builder in Canadian sport. While she was still an active athlete, she co-founded B2Ten, a private sector initiative that assists Canadian athletes with training and preparation resources. While working with viaSport British Columbia, Heil led the design and development of B.C.’s Safe Sport program, as well as health and public safety policy. The 41-year-old is most recently the founder and CEO of RYA health, a women’s healthtech start-up.
“Some leaders are chosen for their experience, others for their heart. Jenn brings both to this role as our Chef de Mission,” said Eric Myles, COC’s Chief Sport Officer. “She will be a perfect mentor for Canadian athletes who will benefit greatly from all that she learned from her own inspiring journey. It’s also fitting that Jenn is Canada’s Chef in the return of the Winter Games to Italy, exactly 20 years from when she won gold at Turin 2006.”
Heil won her first world title at the 2005 FIS Freestyle World Championships in dual moguls, an event that will make its Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026. She successfully defended that title at the subsequent FIS World Championships in 2007. Throughout her ten-year career on the FIS World Cup circuit, Heil earned 58 podium finishes, including 25 victories.
“A trailblazer both on and off the snow, Jennifer has not only broken barriers but has found ways to do so while lifting up others and giving back to her community,” added Tricia Smith, four-time Olympian and COC President. “Jennifer truly understands what it means to wear the maple leaf and to live the Olympic values every day. We are extremely fortunate and excited that she will be our Chef for Milano Cortina 2026.”
Heil is a recipient of the Canadian Order of Sport, the Meritorious Service Decorations awarded by the Governor General of Canada, and the AthletesCAN Leadership Award in recognition of her distinguished service to Canadian sport. Heil has been a member of CBC’s broadcast team as a freestyle skiing commentator since 2012.
Taking place from February 6 to 22, the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will feature 116 medal events across 16 sport disciplines. The sport of ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut, along with the new Olympic events of dual moguls, women’s doubles luge, skeleton mixed team and women’s large hill ski jumping. Milano Cortina 2026 will be the most gender-balanced edition of the Olympic Winter Games to date, with 47 per cent female participation, and will take place across five different clusters spanning northern Italy.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Samantha Sokol
Specialist, Communications, Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-385-7107
E: ssokol@olympic.ca
Justine Leblanc
Program Manager, Public Relations
C: 438 304-7900
E: jleblanc@olympic.ca