CHARMAINE CROOKS

Five Time Olympian

Chosen as one of the “Top 50 Women of Power” in the country, Five-time Olympian and 1984 Olympic silver medallist Charmaine Crooks has represented Canadian athletics for almost 20 years. As the first Canadian woman to run under two minutes over 800 metres, Crooks won gold medals at the Pan American, Commonwealth, World Cup and World Student Games. She had the honour of being named Flag Bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games.

Since 1994, Crooks has been President/Founder of NGU Consultants, a sports marketing, management and consulting company, which provides strategic counsel and growth strategies to major corporations on a national and global basis.

Crooks is actively involved in numerous Olympic committees both on a national and international scale. As an elected member of the International Olympic Committee, Crooks was instrumental in developing the IOC’s Code of Ethics. In 2006, the committee awarded her the “IOC Women in Sport Trophy” for her longstanding contributions to promoting women in sport. As a current elected member of the Executive Board of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) she played an integral role in Toronto's 2008 Olympic Bid in the areas of International Relations and Communications, and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Her latest project is consulting with Bell Canada to develop and implement their 2010 Olympic Athlete Programs as part of their commitment as Premier National Partner of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In 2007 she was elected vice-president of the executive committee of the World Olympians Association.

She is also a tireless supporter of various local and global charities focusing on youth, women and health related matters. These include the Athlete driven “Right to Play” and other humanitarian initiatives, special projects or events. In 2007, she was chosen to be the national spokesperson for the Pfizer sponsored educational campaign NepKNowMore, to raise public awareness for neuropathic pain.

A Television personality for over 15 years, Crooks has worked with CBC, TSN, CTV, Fox Sportsnet and European TV as an analyst, host or commentator on a number of sports and variety programs. She was the host of CBC's '"Cycle", the first Canadian TV show on recreational cycling, and also co-hosted the nation wide show, "In the Company of Women". She continues to host the annual internationally televised award winning "World Athletics" Gala from Monaco. As a producer, in 1995, she created the ‘comic relief’ style TV special, "No Laughing Matter" which raised awareness for Breast Cancer and aired on the Comedy Network, and was consulting producer on the Award winning “Champions Zone”. Her company is currently consulting with several other production companies with works in progress.

A sought after Keynote speaker, she appears at national and international conferences and corporate meetings/retreats for a variety of major organizations. Her topics range from goal setting, team building and the Olympic Movement.

Request More Information

COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCES

"I have had many comments from our people of how they enjoyed your talk and what a passionate and articulate speaker you are."

Deloitte & Touche