Meet The Judges

The Cheerleading Worlds judges are often those nominated by member Event Producers who send bid-winning teams to Worlds and/or are judges in good standing who have previously judged the Worlds event. Applicants must confirm their ability to sit on the judging panel based upon established criteria and must undergo an approved background check, complete athlete abuse prevention education, and sign a statement of confidentiality and ethical behavior as a person serving in any Worlds judging capacity. A Judge Selection Committee comprised of Worlds officials, Event Producers and industry experts, looks for well-rounded judging panels that include diversity, geographic locations, judging backgrounds and expertise and other criteria/qualifications. Upon review of each prospective judge’s application, committee members rate and review each applicant with their qualifications to adjudicate the Worlds event. Upon selection, judges undergo virtual and onsite training and once at the event will take an oath to remain impartial, evaluating all teams fairly without prejudice or bias based on their performance at Worlds.

Official/Admin

Scott Bouchard

Scott is the former head coach of the five-time NCA Division II/III All-Girl National Champion team at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. With over 30 years of experience, he has coached, judged, and choreographed across the high school, collegiate, and All-Star levels. Since the inception of the USASF, Scott has served as a credentialing instructor in the Northeast and has contributed extensively to the organization, including serving on the rules committee and participating in numerous boards and committees. He is a USASF Certified Legality Official and has judged a wide range of local, national, and international All-Star competitions, including The Cheerleading Worlds. Currently, Scott serves as the Assistant Director of Rules, Scoring, and Education for the USASF. He believes that the most successful teams are built in environments where athletes are encouraged to pursue both individual and team goals while enjoying the journey along the way.

CeCie Chambers

Crystal’s love for cheerleading begun at age 10 on a Pop-Warner team. She eventually cheered in Jr. High, High School and briefly at Sam Houston State University, NCA staff member for 4 years and even joined an Open Division squad while working on her Masters. Crystal judged high school cheer tryouts and later began to judge for High School and All-Star cheerleading competitions. She’s currently in her 30th year of Judging (Cheer and Dance) and currently serves as a Head Judge, Panel Judge & Score Rep for multiple brands within the U.S, Mexico, London, Canada. This will be her 4th year as a judging official at The Cheerleading Worlds. Crystal is a Sr. Independent Consultant working as a Sr. Project Manager for an IT/Cybersecurity company in Houston, TX. Crystal loves to travel and learning culture along the way. She is a Green Bay Packer Fan and loves all things Disney!

Emily Ferrell

Emily is a seasoned judge with 16 years of experience and a lifelong passion for both cheer and dance. Based in Atlanta, GA, she brings more than two decades of involvement in cheerleading and 18 years of dance training to every event she supports. Her judging career includes prestigious championships such as The Cheerleading Worlds, NCA All‑Star Nationals, CHEERSPORT Nationals, and UCA All‑Stars, where she has also contributed her expertise to Score Review teams. Outside the cheer world, Emily serves as a Vice President for a logistics company, specializing in emergency support and disaster relief, where her leadership and problem‑solving skills shine. She is also a dedicated mom to her 13‑year‑old son and loves cheering him on in baseball and football. Whether on the judging panel or in the stands, Emily brings enthusiasm, professionalism, and heart to everything she does.

Dana Fielding

Dana is the Executive Director of Rules, Scoring and Education for the USASF and The Cheerleading Worlds. She has been involved in cheer for over 30 years as a coach, judge and legality official. Dana currently serves on the International Cheer Union Governing Council. She oversees all legality official training and coaches education both nationally and internationally and has been involved in The Cheerleading Worlds for the past 12 years.

Andrei Grier

Andrei was a former cheerleader at the University of South Carolina. He also served at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as the head cheerleading coach for eight years, where his team quickly became a nationally ranked teams. Andrei later went to serve as the head cheerleading coach at the University of South Carolina, where the excellence continued. He is the former owner of Cheers’ Cheerleading, where he coached many teams year after year to state and national championship titles. Andrei has been known for his award-winning choreography in cheer and dance. He brings to the table over 36 years judging experience on a national level, and is a 25 year veteran for The Cheerleading Worlds.

Marcy Kuzemchak

Marcy, the director of the IASF, offers two decades of experience in the international All Star industry. She previously served as the chair of the Cheer Canada Officials Development Committee and was the scoring director for an international event producer, bringing 15 years of expertise in comparative scoring systems. Since 2022, Marcy has been a lead scoring official at The Cheerleading Worlds and enjoys adjudicating and speaking at events worldwide. Beyond adjudication, Marcy has an extensive coaching background, having spent 20 years as an All Star coach. She also dedicated a decade to coaching a national team program, developing elite athletes on the international stage.

Katie Morgan

Katie is originally from Plymouth, Michigan, and now resides in Deatsville, Alabama. She cheered for Plymouth-Salem High School from 2000-2004, where her team finished in the top 10 at the UCA High School National Championship all four years. In addition to team success, Katie competed and qualified for partner stunts throughout high school. After high school, Katie continued her cheerleading career at the University of Alabama from 2004-2008. In 2009, she began coaching and judging, sharing her passion and experience with athletes and programs. Since then, she has judged at both the High School and All-Star levels for UCA and NCA.

Tyler Phillips

Tyler serves as the Assistant Director of Rules, Scoring & Education for the USASF. He started his career in 2010 as the director of scoring and the Midwest customer service representative for CHEERSPORT and Universal Spirit. Tyler was the camp director for multiple years and oversaw camp operations for CHEERSPORT’s Skills and Choreography Camps. You will often find him serving as the scoring official at many in-season All Star events, which utilize the USASF scoring system. He is a USASF certified legality official and has had the pleasure of judging multiple international Worlds bid events throughout his tenure.

Stand Directors

Mike Burgess

Mike Burgess

Former President/Brand Manager of the United Spirit Association, Mike is a graduate of UCLA with a Masters in Education, and is a former member of the Bruin Cheerleading Squad. Production credits include halftime shows for NFL, NBA and collegiate games. Mike spent over 35 years helping to develop instructor training programs and advisor’s/director’s workshops for the United Spirit Association. He has presented at numerous state, national and international association conferences in addition to being a Head Instructor/Event Director for hundreds of camps, competitions and clinics. He is a former Board member for the United States All Star Federation (USASF) and for USA Cheer. Mike has been in the cheerleading/dance/band industry for 40 years.

Lisa Hemmie

Lisa has spent more than three decades shaping the spirit industry as an athlete, coach, gym owner, international judge, and speaker. Her work has taken her around the world collaborating and contributing to conversations that advance standards, education, and the athlete experience within cheer and dance. Known for blending performance excellence with thoughtful leadership, Lisa has served on national advisory boards and remains an active advocate for athlete wellness, coach development, and sustainable growth in youth sports. Beyond the competition floor, she is the founder of American Sports & Entertainment, supporting military families through youth programs designed to build confidence, character, and community. Based in California, Lisa continues to champion environments where athletes feel safe, inspired, and empowered to thrive.

Scott Williams

Scott is the Varsity Southeast Region Supervisor over Production and Logistics and has been involved in cheerleading for 44 years. A graduate of Appalachian State University, he holds a Master of Arts degree in Child and Adolescent Psychology. At ASU, he was captain, four-year varsity letter cheerleader, and national championship squad member. He is recognized internationally as a coach, choreographer, judge, and speaker.

Venue Scoring Manager

Tiffany Releford

Tiffany is a native of Columbia, Maryland with over 20 years of cheerleading experience. She was a three-time NCA All-American in high school and cheered for three years at the University of Maryland College Park. She cheered for NFL Europe in Barcelona, Spain and performed in the opening ceremony of the 1999 Olympics. Tiffany also cheered for the Baltimore Ravens, a National Football League team, for four years and was the Ravens 1999 Pro-Bowl Cheerleader (the team’s first probowl cheerleader) as well as part of the Superbowl XXXV cheerleading team. While with the Ravens, Tiffany traveled to the Middle East on a USO tour and visited other local military bases to entertain our troops. Tiffany judges international, local, regional and national competitions a year, including having served as a Head Judge at the Cheerleading Worlds. When not cheering, Tiffany is a Partner at the firm Ice Miller, LLP.

Allison Stallings

Allison is a former competitive cheerleader at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she earned her degree in Psychology and Communications. Her love for the sport began on the mat and continued to grow as she spent years coaching recreational, All-Star, and collegiate cheerleading programs. Along the way, Allison discovered her true passion behind the scenes in judging and scoring. With more than 20 years in the cheerleading industry, she has played key roles as a judge coordinator, scoring director, and customer service representative-helping ensure the integrity and excellence of competitions across the sport. Allison is proud and honored to be celebrating her 19th year as part of The Cheerleading Worlds, and she continues to bring devotion, experience, and a deep love for cheerleading to the world’s biggest stage.

Jodi Sweet

Jodi is a graduate and former cheerleader of the University of San Diego and has been actively involved in competitive cheerleading for over 40 years. She has judged and managed competitions at the high school, collegiate, and All Star levels both nationally and internationally. Her experience includes direct involvement with The Cheerleading Worlds from 2004 through 2026, along with national events for organizations such as USA, NCA, ALOHA, PacWest, All Star Challenge, All Things Cheer, CHEERSPORT, and Organización Nacional de Porristas (ONP). Currently, Jodi serves as the Judge Staffing Director and Manager for Varsity All Star, where she plays a key role in judges education and support, as well as, providing leadership to the regional judge staffing directors.

Building

Tracy Bonyad

Tracy, from Montreal, Canada, has been involved in cheerleading for more than 30 years, including 17 years as a judge. Throughout her career, she has worked with a wide range of competitions across Canada, the United States, and the UK, bringing consistency, knowledge, and professionalism to every panel she serves on. Tracy’s wealth of experience reflects her unwavering dedication to fostering excellence in cheer on both national and international stages.

Yvonne Charron

Yvonne brings more than 30 years of experience in the cheerleading industry, serving as an athlete, coach, All Star program owner, and judge. A former Eastern Michigan University cheerleader and head coach/spirit coordinator, she also held leadership roles with Universal Cheerleaders Association as a head instructor and state director for Michigan. Yvonne’s credentials spans across recreational cheerleading, all star, school, and collegiate levels. She’s had the privilege of judging prestigious national events including The Majors, JAMfest, CHEERSPORT, UCA, NCA, USA, International/Summit/D2 Summit, and The Cheerleading Worlds. Yvonne also has international experience with Canadian Cheer Evolution, the Ontario Cheer Federation, and the Quebec Cheerleading Federation. In recognition of her longstanding contributions, Yvonne was honored and named Varsity All Star’s 2022-2023 Top Veteran Judge of the Year for the Midwest Region.

Marco Daniels

Marco has extensive experience in judging for the past 20+ years with both national federations and the All Star community in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, France, the USA and Australia. As an athlete and coach, he has competed in and won numerous national and international events. Outside of judging, Marco works to further promote the sport of Cheerleading in Germany and Europe..

Jeannette DeGraffenried

Jeannette has over 30 years’ experience in judging. She taught cheer for 21 years, tumbling for over 23 years and dance for 23 years. She has judged The Cheerleading World’s for the past eight years. She has judged for USA, NCA, UCA, ACA, PacWest, American Championships, CHEERSPORT, Winners’ Choice and JAMZ. Jeannette has had the opportunity to go to Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Mexico to judge their cheer nationals. She cheered at Weber State University and at Utah Valley State College, where she was captain her second year. She was also a member of ACT – Athletes Coming Together. Jeannette graduated from Utah Valley State College with a degree in business. She was the cheer advisor/coach for Utah Valley State College for eight years where she took her team to USA and NCA’s nationals and placed in the top 10 three times. Jeannette has choreographed for high school and college teams. She has also worked with the United Spirit Association for over 25 yrs. She was a cheer head instructor and has helped choreograph for NFL half-time shows. Jeannette also received USA’s “Rookie of the Year”!

Lance Emery

Lance brings over 30 years of judging experience in All Star, college and high school cheerleading. Since 2006, he has been a judge at The Cheerleading Worlds. Lance has officiated Worlds qualifying events across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, for organizations such as GMCE, a brand of TCLM (US), Nfinity Champions League (US), Canadian Cheer Evolution, Canadian Cheer for the Cure, Future Cheer (UK), ICC British Open (UK), and the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation. Lance continues to contribute to the sport of cheerleading in the state of Illinois, where he serves as Vice President of the Competitive Cheerleading Officials of Illinois, and was recently inducted into the Illinois High School Cheerleading Coaches Organization Hall of Fame. He is also a head official for the Illinois High School State Championships. A former Purdue University cheerleader and International Cheerleading Foundation head instructor, Lance is currently a Chief People Officer for Aon, leading Human Resources for several of their global businesses. He resides in the suburbs of Chicago.

Jeri Francis

Jeri is a highly respected authority in All-Star Cheerleading, bringing more than two decades of leadership and elite competitive experience to the sport. Based in Jacksonville, she has been a pivotal member of USASF since its inception, serving as consultant, coach, choreographer, judge, and scoring director. Jeri has officiated at the highest levels of recreational, school, and All-Star cheerleading, including multiple Cheerleading Worlds Championships. Internationally, she is recognized for her expertise judging across diverse scoring systems in Japan, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, France, Canada, The Bahamas and the United Kingdom. As a trusted partner of Swedish Cheerleading Federation, she has contributed to the advancement of global judges’ education and scoring alignment, solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in the international cheerleading community. Her dedication to the sport, depth of knowledge, and commitment to excellence have made her a respected authority within the global cheerleading community.

Suzanne Garrett

Suzie has over 30 years of cheerleading experience. In New Jersey, where she grew up, she cheered and competed at the recreational, high school, and college level. Her coaching career started in Maryland where she coached a nationally ranked high school team, at three different All-Star gyms, and coached and choreographed routines for her local recreation program. As a Southwest Florida resident, Suzie works full time as a middle school instructional coach at a K-8 school for the arts, is the Athletic Director for her school, and coaches the school cheerleading and track/field teams. She has been judging for over 20 years for many Event Producers, high schools in Maryland, Delaware, and Florida, and for YCADA Pop Warner. She has judged numerous National and International Events, as well as The Cheerleading Worlds, The Summit, The D2 Summit, and The One.

Tracy Gatlin

Tracy has over 25 years experience in the cheer industry as an athlete, coach and judge. Tracy has experience as a high school, All Star, and collegiate cheerleader. She has 13 years of coaching experience in the All Star and high school communities. Some of her favorite high school coaching memories include winning the Maryland regional championship in a division of 20 teams and two runner-up state championship titles. Tracy has also coached All Star teams to national ranked titles. She has 23 years of judging experience. She also event and floor manages several local, regional and national cheerleading competitions. Tracy holds an master’s in leadership in education: administration and supervision and is currently an assistant principal in Anne Arundel County, MD. She lives in Pasadena, MD, with her husband, two sons and daughter.

Courtney Hansen

Courtney has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 30 years following her transition from competitive gymnastics. She is a former Brigham Young University cheerleader and has coached and choreographed for teams across the Western United States, including a national championship coed high school squad. She has worked for the United Spirit Association as an instructor, judge and head judge for over 25 years. Additionally, she has judged many prestigious all star events for NCA, UCA, ACA, JAMZ, as well as The Summit. Her experience extends internationally, having judged events in England, Australia, Canada, Mexico and Japan. Courtney has had the honor of judging The Cheerleading Worlds since 2015.

Britney Holder

Britney has been involved within the cheer and dance industry for over 20+ years having coaching and choreography experience. Her passion for the sport and art began at a young age as a competitive gymnast and dancer. Upon graduating high school, Britney was recognized in a publication entitled “Who’s Who Among Student Athletes,” and cheered collegiately on a coed team for The Tennessee State University. In the previous years, Britney has trained with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and has worked with several competitive all-star cheerleading teams within Tennessee. Britney has been granted the opportunity to travel abroad to the United Kingdom for the past 8 years (omitting Covid-19 year), where she served as a judge for Future Cheer Internationals. As an AACCA certified coach, Britney has coached The Tennessee State University Cheerleading team for the past 10 years and currently serves as a satellite coach. Currently, Britney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Post-Masters in School Counseling, and is currently in pursuit of her PhD in Developmental Psychology specializing in Childhood and Adolescent Development. As a licensed Professional School Counselor, Britney loves building relationships, nurturing, and challenging the young minds of our youth to ensure they become positive inclusive adults within society.

Amy Howe

Amy is a Tulsa, Oklahoma native with more than 35 years of experience in the Cheerleading Industry as an athlete, coach, and judge. She was a collegiate cheerleader at Oklahoma State University, where she earned back-to-back titles at the NCA Collegiate National Championships. Following her competitive career, Amy became a successful coach in Oklahoma, leading teams to numerous State and National Championships. She has judged cheerleading compeitions for the past 17 years and was honored as the Top Veteran Judge in the Southwest Region by Varsity All-Star in 2022. Amy judges events nationwide and internationally each season and is currently in her 9th year judging The Cheerleading Worlds.

Tricia Howe-Schramm

Tricia’s passion for cheer started early with highlights including captain at Western Illinois University, Camp Director for Dynamic Cheerleaders Association and as coach/choreographer. Since 2006 Tricia has dedicated herself to adjudicating, sharing her knowledge and expertise in Canada, England, New Zealand, Australia, and the US including NCA College Nationals, The Cheerleading Worlds, The Summit, The Majors, US Finals, ACP, NCA, UCA, USA, ACA, Canadian Cheer, AASCF, Cheer Sports NZ, Future Cheer, Jamfest Europe, ICC and virtual cheer judging. Since 2014, Tricia has judged The Cheerleading Worlds. She has also officiated Illinois High School Competitive Cheerleading since 2019 and served as a State Cheerleading Official since 2024.

Hannah Jones

Hannah brings over 25 years of dedicated cheerleading experience to the judging panel, reflecting a lifelong passion for the sport. Her journey has included roles as an athlete, coach, program director, and trainer. She began judging at smaller regional events in the UK and has since expanded to both national and international stages. Hannah has had the honour of judging some of the most prestigious events such as The Summit, NCA, CHEERSPORT, Jamfest Super Nationals, and The Cheerleading Worlds

Lisa Knipp

Lisa, a former member of the Indiana University dance team, has been coaching and judging in the cheerleading industry for over 35 years. Her esteemed coaching accomplishments include receiving the Indiana Coach of the Year Award, securing numerous Indiana State Championships, and achieving high national rankings. It has been Lisa’s honor and privilege to judge for The Cheerleading Worlds and various school brands, including NCA, UCA, and USA. Her experience also extends to All Star Brands such as ACA, CHEERSPORT, Coastal Cheer and Dance, Jamfest, One Up, Sea to Sky, Spirit Sports, NCA, UCA, USA, The Majors, and The Summit Championship. Additionally, she has judged for international brands including the British Cheerleading Association, the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation and CheerSports New Zealand.

Dana Kravitz

Dana Kravitz has been involved with cheerleading for 26 years as an athlete, coach, and judge. For the past decade, she has judged in the Northeast, Southwest, Midwest, and West regions. She has coached and choreographed for recreational, All Star, and high school teams and currently coaches in her hometown of Gig Harbor, WA. She is passionate about providing constructive, kind feedback to help coaches and athletes reach their full potential. Outside of judging, Dana works in neuropsychology, providing traumatic brain injury and mental health care. She is honored to have been selected for The Cheerleading Worlds!

Charles Leathers III

Charles is a seasoned cheerleading professional with over 26 years of elite industry experience. His journey began on the blue mats of North Carolina, where he competed as both an All-Star and high school athlete before collegiate cheerleading at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Formerly the Director of Choreography and Curriculum for a premier NC-based company, Charles has spearheaded championship campaigns for programs ranging from Junior High to the University level. Today, he operates as a premier full-time choreographer and the coach for the North Carolina All-State team. When he isn’t crafting winning routines, Charles is a sought-after judge for major domestic and international brands, dedicated to shaping the global future of competitive cheer.

Fred Loertscher

Fred was a head cheerleader and Assistant Coach for Washington State University. He was part of the United Spirit Association instructional staff for 15 years. He has performed and co-directed several half-time shows from college bowl games to the NFL and NBA. Fred has judged high school, collegiate and All-Star nationals for ACA, NCA, USA, UCA , ASC, Spirit Cheer and American Championships. Internationally he judges for ONP’s Mexico Nationals, England’s Future Cheer Nationals, New Zealand Nationals and AASCF Australian Nationals. Fred has judged The Cheerleading worlds since 2007.

Randy Lyons

Randy has been involved with competitive cheerleading for over 25 years as an athlete, coach, choreographer, and judge. He judges competitions across the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe for organizations such as British Cheerleading Association, Celtic Spirit – Ireland, Varsity All Star, Varsity Europe, International Cheer Union, Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation, and Canadian Cheer. He has been honored to be selected as a judge for The Cheerleading World’s for the past 15 years as a panel judge and was a panel judge for the ICU Cheerleading World Championships in 2025. Randy was captain of the cheer teams at the University of Central Arkansas and the University of North Texas, and was named a Collegiate All-American cheerleader. Randy has coached and choreographed routines for high schools, universities, and all-stars winning multiple choreography awards at national level competitions in the USA and was a head instructor for the National Cheerleaders Association.

Stephanie Maciaszek

Stephanie is from Augusta, GA and is the Director of Outreach at Wellstar MCG. She has close to 30 years of experience in the cheerleading industry. Stephanie cheered at the collegiate level at Georgia Southern University where she received a degree in Exercise Physiology. During her summers in college she worked with both NCA and CCA where she received leadership and dedication awards. Stephanie has judged for multiple companies over the years that include: NCA, UCA, Spirit Cheer, All-star Challenge, Cheersport, Jams, Summit and The Cheerleading Worlds. Stephanie has two children and a supportive husband and weekends she is not judging, they are busy traveling to visit their children that are now in college.

David McCoy

David has devoted over 30 years to the cheerleading industry, excelling as an athlete, coach, choreographer and judge. He graduated from Purdue University where he was a member of the NCA College National Team. In the All Star cheerleading circuit, David has coached teams at all levels, leading them to numerous national titles at prestigious events. Over the past 20 years, he has judged for multiple cheerleading brands across the United States and Canada, contributing his expertise to the sport’s growth. David is a USASF certified legality official and is certified in all judging categories. Currently residing in Pennsylvania, David also works as a nursing administrator, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to excellence in both cheerleading and healthcare.

Melissa Moisan

Melissa has over 30 years of experience in the cheerleading industry. She spent 15 years as a coach and instructor and the last 23 years judging throughout Canada, USA and Europe, having judged internationally since 2013. Melissa spent 9 years as the Technical Director with the Quebec Cheerleading Federation. In this role she had various mandates to insure the safe practice of cheerleading. She oversaw the creation of judges and coaches training and certifications, coordinated judges and staff, implemented security and safety guidelines for practicing cheerleading and for event sanctioning. She was involved in the creation of the Cheer Canada Federation, she also participated in its development of their scoring system, the judges methodology and tools. Melissa is a legality and panel certified judge. She is also one of the Cheer Quebec judge trainers.

Andrew Morgan

After watching The Cheerleading Worlds for the first time on ESPN in 2004, Andrew Morgan knew that he wanted to be involved in the sport. Cheerleading has shaped his involvement and commitment over the past several years at many levels as a former athlete and now as a coach and scoring official. With over ten years at the high school level, he has helped coach and help guide athletes to win multiple state and national titles in the state of Kentucky. In his seventh season, Andrew has adjudicated both all-star and school events for many brands such as NCA, UCA, USA, CHEERSPORT, The Summit, The D2 Summit, and The Cheerleading Worlds. This past season, he began judging internationally for Cheerbrandz in Australia. Outside of cheerleading, Andrew is an inclusive educator who is passionate about helping students meet and exceed their potential.

Joe Murphy

Joe has been involved with cheerleading for over 27 years. Joe is a former University of North Carolina At Charlotte cheerleader & captain. He has been judging competitive cheerleading for over 24 years at various levels including all star, collegiate, school & recreational cheer. He has coached gymnastics for over 15 years and has judged many events on both the regional, national and international levels including: The Cheerleading Worlds, British Cheerleading Association, Chiliean Cheer Association, NCA, UCA, CHEERSPORT, Universal Spirit Association, Spirit Festival, The American Championships, ECA, All-Star Challenge, Cheer LTD., Pac West, Spirit Express, NCA, Aloha, American Super Starz, Jamfest and Spirit Unlimited.

Angela Olshefski

Angela brings over 30 years of experience to the cheerleading community as an athlete, coach, and judge. In her 15 years as an official, she has judged elite events including The Majors, NCA All-Star Nationals, CHEERSPORT, Jamfest SuperNationals, The International Summit, The Summit, and The D2 Summit. She has also had the privilege of judging in the UK. As both a high school and former collegiate coach, Angela holds numerous state and national accolades. Recently named Varsity’s 2024-2025 Top Building Judge of the Year, she is honored to adjudicate The Cheerleading Worlds for the second time. Professionally, she serves as a Manager of Sales Operations and Enablement for a global life sciences organization.

Lauren Peetz

Lauren has been involved in the cheerleading industry for 32 years as an instructor, coach, speaker, choreographer, gym owner and judge. She cheered competitively at Florida International University, was the head cheerleading coach and spirit coordinator at Georgia Tech, and has been a contributing writer for both American Cheerleader Magazine and Cheer Biz News. In addition to judging for various brands across the US including The Cheerleading Worlds, the Summit, the D2 Summit and NCA College Nationals, Lauren has also judged internationally in Australia, Germany, Costa Rica and Canada. She has been a choreographer and show director for the Hula Bowl halftime show and has appeared on the David Letterman Show and MTV’s Real World Road Rules Challenge. Lauren has a Masters degree in exercise physiology.

Tam Pham

Tam has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 20 years as an athlete, instructor and judge. Her experience as a judge has lead her to opportunities not only in the United States but also in Australia, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom. She has judged at multiple world qualifying events, within the U.S. and internationally and has been a part of the prestigious panel at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2016. She travels to Australia on a regular to join their expert panel of judges throughout the season. Outside of cheerleading Tam works as a registered dental hygienist and enjoys spending time with her husband, son and dog.

Jodi Powell

Jodi is a South Florida native with over 30 years of judging experience, including Chile’, England, Scotland, Canada and all over the United States. She is a former All Star coach and program administrator. Jodi has had the honor of judging some of the most prestigious events, include JAMZ, NCA Nationals, CHEERSPORT, UCA, USA, The Summit, The One and The Cheerleading Worlds. She works as a Paralegal and loves to travel the world.

Christina Rheault

Christina has been a Cheerleading Worlds Official for 10 years. She has over 25 years of cheer experience and has been judging for over 20 years. In 2013, after 16 years as a coach for high school and All Star, she retired from coaching and shifted her focus towards judging. Christina has judged for multiple event producers under the Varsity All Star brand, Cheer & Dance Extreme, JAMZ, and many others. She has also had the opportunity to judge in 6 countries; for brands such as Future Cheer in England, Varsity Europe, and the Australian All Star Cheer Federation. Christina is certified annually as an IASF Legality Official, and has the pleasure of judging 25-35 events each year.

Heather Robert

Heather, from Toronto, Canada, brings over 32 years of experience in cheerleading, dance, coaching, teaching, and judging. She spent eight years as an instructor and senior staff member with Power Cheerleading Athletics. Heather holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Exeter. She has held key leadership roles, including serving as a conference speaker and as a member of Cheer Canada’s Performance Cheer, Officials, and International Opportunities subcommittees, and the OFSAA Sport Advisory Committee. Heather has taught within the secondary school curriculum for 24 years and brings over 15 years of international judging experience with organizations including Canadian Cheer Evolution, Cheer Challenge, Power Cheerleading Athletics, the Ontario Cheerleading Federation, and the British Cheerleading Association.

Kyle Leigh Schmitt

Kyle has 24 years of knowledge and experience in All Star Cheerleading. She is a former All Star coach, and current veteran judge since 2012. Kyle has had the honor of judging the most prestigious events in the industry including The MAJORS, CHEERSPORT Nationals, NCA, UCA All-Star Nationals, ATC International, The Summit, The D2 Summit, and The Cheerleading Worlds. In addition to panel judging, Kyle has extensive experience serving as an Accuscore representative and served as the Scoring Director for CheerMatch. Throughout her career Kyle has received national praise as one of the highest rated judges in the industry, including awards for Varsity’s Best All Around Judge of the Year in 2018 and 2019. In her spare time, she practices law in Jacksonville, Florida.

Shawn Simmons

Shawn brings more than 20 years of experience to the cheerleading industry, serving as a judge for the The Cheerleading Worlds and other premier events including ONP Nationals, Federación Colombiana de Porrismo, Legacy Cheer and Dance, and Canadian Cheer. A former championship athlete, coach, and choreographer, Shawn has led teams to multiple national titles, including the prestigious NCA Collegiate Nationals championship. His service to the sport includes time as a former USASF Connection Leader and past member of the USASF National Advisory Board. Off the mat, Shawn is a seasoned Marketing Communications executive and proud graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned his Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, he now resides in Massachusetts with his dog, Penny.

Suzi Stavas

Suzi is from Oregon brings over 30 years of experience coaching and judging at the high school and all-star levels. Her judging career has taken her across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, including respected events such as The Summit, D2 Summit, and The Cheerleading Worlds. Throughout her career, Suzi has been honored by the Oregon Cheerleading Coaches Association as Coach of the Year, Member of the Year, and a Hall of Fame inductee. She has also been recognized nationally as the NFHS Region 8 Coach of the Year. Before pursuing cheerleading full-time, Suzi spent several years as a high school English teacher and holds a Master’s Degree in Education. Today, she co-owns and operates a cheer company with her daughter, offering camps, clinics, and choreography for high school teams across the Northwest. Her choreography has helped many teams achieve success at the state and national levels, earning recognition for creativity and excellence.

Tumbling

Candi Childers

Candi, based in Lincoln, Alabama, brings over four decades of expertise in judging cheerleading competitions. She has worked with more than forty event producers across the United States and internationally, including events in Chile’, Australia, Canada, England and Scotland. Candi has served as a judge at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2006, both as a regular panel judge and a mini head judge. She has also judged at the Summit since its inception. She and her husband Tom have been married for 45 years.

Adam Denison

Originally from Kentucky, Adam has spent more than 20 years in the All Star cheerleading industry as an athlete, coach, camp instructor, choreographer, tumbling director, and judge. As a coach, his all-star teams earned more than 50 national titles at many of the sport’s largest events. Since 2015, he has judged Worlds divisions at premier competitions including NCA Nationals, The Majors, UCA Nationals, CHEERSPORT Nationals, The All Out Grand Nationals, and Jamfest Super Nationals. He has adjudicated for more than 20 event producers across North America, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom, and was named Varsity All Star’s Best All-Around Tumbling Judge for the 2022-2023 season. Now based in Nashville, Adam works full-time as an Agent-Manager for over 25 internationally touring music artists. In his fourth year as a Cheerleading Worlds panel judge, he is honored to be surrounded by such exceptional talent on the mat and on the judges’ stand.

Erin Gardner

Erin has been involved in the cheerleading and dance industry for more than thirty-five years. She started as an all-star cheerleader and continued her career into the professional level, while also being a technically trained dancer starting at the age of 2 and performing with a semi-professional company throughout high school. Upon graduation, Erin coached and choreographed for national champion rec, school, and all-star teams all over the country and continued her passion by becoming a judge. She judges for various companies including Cheer and Dance Extreme, Future Cheer-UK, The One, and Varsity, as well as being a judge at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2016. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering and Program Management. Erin currently works as a Civilian for the U.S. Army, and has two beautiful children and a crazy pup.

Genee’ Glascoe

Genee’, PhD, has over 21 years of experience as an athlete, coach, consultant, and judge in the cheerleading industry. She has officiated at premier events including CHEERSPORT, JAMfest Super Nationals, The Summit, The D2 Summit, and The Youth Summit. She has been nominated as an all-around tumbling judge and as the best veteran judge in the Southeast by Varsity Brands. She is grateful to be returning for her second year with The Cheerleading Worlds. Outside of Cheer, Dr. Glascoe currently serves as an assistant professor, training future mental health counselors, and is a licensed professional counselor committed to excellence, mentorship, and inspiring the next generation.

Tanner Griffith

Tanner brings a wealth of experience as a former gymnast and Division 1 collegiate cheerleader, having dedicated 12 years to gymnastics before transitioning to collegiate cheerleading at Texas Tech University and Southern Methodist University. With over a decade of judging experience, Tanner brings a blend of athleticism and technical expertise to the forefront. His judging resume includes prominent events such as NCA All Star Nationals, UCA All Star Nationals, Cheer Sport, and Jamz Nationals, alongside international competitions in the UK, Colombia and Costa Rica.

Jordawn Howard

Jordawn is a four-time NCA All-American, two-time NCA Collegiate National Champion, and Cheerleading World Champion. Jordawn was an NCA instructor and head instructor for three years before transitioning to the judging world. In her 16 years an industry judge, Jordawn has traveled nationally and internationally for events in the U.S., Canada, England, Japan, Chile, and Australia. She has also had the honor of being voted “Best Panel Judge” by her peers at the JAM Brands as well as “Best All-Around Tumbling Judge” by her peers at the Varsity Brands. Jordawn has been a panel judge at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2017 and is thrilled to be back for 2026! When not on the judging stand, you can usually find her performing on stage or on the track working on setting future pole vault records.

Destani Jameson

Destani is a cheerleading professional with over 20 years of industry experience, including 15+ years dedicated to All Star cheerleading. Her background spans the roles of athlete, coach, and judge, offering a well-rounded perspective on the sport at every level. Destani has judged prestigious events including NCA All Star Nationals, CHEERSPORT National Championship, Jamfest Super Nationals, The International Summit, The Summit, and D2 Summit. She also serves as an Accuscore official for Varsity All Star. Throughout her career, she has earned accolades including Most Valuable Cheerleader, Best All Around, and Leadership awards. Destani holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Communication Arts and a Master’s in Public Administration, specializing in Financial Management and Consulting. She currently serves as a Gen AI Platform Manager at a leading tech company. Destani is thrilled to return for her third year at The Cheerleading Worlds.

Kristin Lyming

Kristin is a Los Angeles-based cheerleading professional with more than 20 years of experience across the high school, collegiate, and all star levels. A former Division I collegiate cheerleader and team captain, she is also a 21-year staff member with the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA). Kristin has judged premier competitions throughout the United States and internationally, including events in Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Japan, and has worked with leading organizations such as NCA, UCA, USA, JAMfest, and CHEERSPORT. She holds both a Master of Dispute Resolution and a Master of Business Administration and brings a thoughtful, balanced perspective to evaluating elite athletes and programs at the highest levels of the sport.

Cloè McLenan

Cloé has been involved in the cheerleading industry for 26 years as an athlete, instructor, and judge. After being a competitive gymnast, diver and power tumbler, Cloé shifted towards cheerleading and has been actively involved since. She has spent time as an athlete, coach and judge, both at the all-star and scholastic level. Over the past 15 years, she has judged many events at the national and international level, including The Cheerleading Worlds for the past 4 years.

Shannon Morris

Shannon is a resident of Gloucester, MA. She has been involved in a variety of roles in cheerleading, dance and gymnastics for over 30 years, as a competitor, choreographer, coach and clinician in addition to judging nationally and internationally for cheer and dance. She has been honored to judge multiple Worlds Qualifying Events, The Cheerleading World’s as well as judging Summit, D2 Summit, and US Finals. She is the former CEO and Partner at Gymco Sports in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a former competitive gymnast, cheerleader and dancer, Shannon brings with her not only years of training and experience, but also a passion and desire to see athletes of all ages and levels excel. When she is not judging she teaches tumbling, manages a yoga studio and works as an adaptive physical education teacher at Children’s Center for Communication and The Beverly School for the Deaf.

Imani Myles

Imani has more than 25 year’s experience judging competitions at the international (UK, Germany, Canada, Sweden, France, Scotland, Czech Republic), national (NCA, UCA, Cheersport), state & regional level. Imani is an ICU & United Scoring/Varsity certified judge, former Dance Worlds Judge, 2025 Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading Hall of Fame. During her active years, Imani was the Super Bowl Co-Capt of the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading Team, Captain University of Maryland All-Girl Cheerleaders, NCA Instructor, ECA Instructor & Choreographer. Imani had Pro-Bowl All-American honors throughout her competitive cheerleading career. Imani works as a Vice President of Creative in the entertainment and sports industry. Imani works day-to-day designing for major brand partnerships, including the Billboard Music Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, the Olympics, NCAA College Sports, the NFL regular season and the Super Bowl. Imani has also turned her competitive spirit into running marathons and completed the 50th Anniversary of the NYC Marathon.

Brandon Norbeck

Based in Campbell, CA, Brandon Norbeck brings over 25 years of elite experience to the global cheerleading community. His foundation in athletics began with 12 years as a competitive club gymnast, followed by a collegiate cheer career at Vanderbilt University. Now a professional at Apple, Inc., Brandon has evaluated top-tier talent on the world’s most prestigious stages. His international judging credits include AASCF Nationals in Australia, the ICC British Open in the United Kingdom, Cheer Evolution in Canada, and Capital Cheer in Colombia. His domestic resume is equally distinguished, featuring elite panels such as The Cheerleading Worlds, The MAJORS, and NCA All-Star and College Nationals. Brandon pairs his deep technical knowledge with a genuine love for the sport, driven by a lifelong passion for contributing to and growing the global cheer community.

Dante Tennant

Dante is a dedicated leader in the spirit and cheer industry with over two decades of experience in coaching, judging, education, and administration. A proud Valdosta State University graduate, Dante earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a master’s in Higher Education Leadership. From 2003 to 2013, Dante served as Head Coach at Valdosta State University, leading the program to four NCA Collegiate National Championships. He went on to head coach at Vanderbilt University (2013-2015) and Middle Tennessee State University (2016-2024). An all-star cheerleading judge since 2007 and former NCA Staff member, Dante also judges high school and college national championships. In his 6th year as a Cheerleading Worlds judge, he brings technical expertise and passion for excellence to the sport’s highest stage.

Ro Whittington

Hailing from Southern New Jersey, Rosann brings over 35 years of cheerleading experience to the industry as a coach, judge, former cheerleader, and gymnast. With more than three decades of judging experience, she has served on panels for leading cheer organizations including Varsity, JAMZ, and Pro Spirit, in addition to judging independently at numerous regional and national events. Rosann’s expertise and professionalism have earned her recognition as one of Varsity’s All Star Top Honors and Standout Judges for the 2019-2020 season. Throughout her distinguished career, she has had the privilege of judging some of the most prestigious events in the sport, including The Cheerleading Worlds, CHEERSPORT, NCA All-Star Nationals, NCA High School Nationals, JAMZ Nationals, The Summit, The D2 Summit, and various international competitions. Rosann is honored to continue contributing to the sport she loves, evaluating exceptional athletes and collaborating with some of the most respected judges in the cheerleading industry.

Overall

Charlotte Allen

Charlotte lives in Somerville, AL. She is a retired teacher and cheerleading coach of 28 years. She was inducted into the 2008 American Cheerleading Magazine Hall of Fame of Cheerleading Coaches. She was also honored by receiving the Herkie Legacy Award. In 2023, Varsity selected her as the Top Overall Judge. She has been a cheerleading judge for 30 plus years on all levels of cheerleading for NCA, UCA, CHEERSPORT, Universal Spirit, JamFest Brands, CheerLtd, Americacheer, COA, ACA, WCA, USA, Jamz, NCA College Nationals, All Star Challenge, Cheer America, Mid Atlantic Cheer, GSSA, America’s Best and many more. In addition to these companies, she also judges internationally in countries such as Chile, Australia, England and Canada. She also has had the privilege of judging The Cheerleading Worlds from 2006 to the present and the 2013-2022 Summit and D2 Summit. In 2021, Charlotte was selected as a head judge for Worlds. For the past 36 years, Charlotte as worked cheerleading and dance camps during the summer for Varsity.

Mark Bond

Mark has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 35 years as an athlete, coach, choreographer and judge. He is a graduate of Fairmont State University where he cheered for 4 years and was an NCA Collegiate All-American. He later received his MA from West Virginia University. He is a former NCA head instructor, from 1988-2000. Mark has coached all levels of cheerleading in both the school and all star settings. He has had the pleasure to judge for multiple event producers across the US as well as Future Cheer, AASCF, BCA, Canadian Cheer Evolution, and The Cheerleading Worlds. Mark currently resides in WV where he is an elementary library/media specialist.

Tiffany Bryant

Tiffany has been an International judge for Canadian Cheer Evolution, British Cheerleading Association, Quebec Cheerleading Federation, Australian All-Star Cheerleading Federation, and the ICC British Open & Battle of Champions competition in Nottingham, England. Tiffany has been a Cheerleading Worlds judge since 2008, serving in the capacity of Mini-Head Judge and Cheer Panel Judge; and has adjudicated for various event producers, including; Cheer & Dance Extreme, & JAMZ. During her 20 plus years in the industry, she has performed panel/head/safety duties and loves the spirit and energy at The Cheerleading Worlds each year.

Opal Bush

Opal is a cheerleading-certified judge with 20 years of experience in the industry as a choreographer, coach, and judge. Opal has had the honor to judge prestigious brands such as The Cheerleading Worlds, NCA All Star Nationals, and CHEERSPORT Nationals. She is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, where she appeared on the poster, calendar, and television appearances. She is a also former University of Alabama Homecoming Queen. She was also awarded “Best Overall Judge” at the 2022 Varsity Judges convention.”

Sanaa ElRassi

Sanaa, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has demonstrated exceptional dedication and passion for the cheerleading industry. With more than four decades of involvement, her distinguished career includes 43 years in the sport, 25 years of coaching, 15 years as a lead instructor for coaches and judges, and 28 years of judging. She has been a key member of the Cheer Canada Officials Development Committee for seven years, contributing to the creation of a national, standardized judging methodology. She also plays an important role in developing the judges’ training and certification program for Cheer Quebec and actively mentors new judges to strengthen their adjudication skills. In 2025, Sanaa was inducted into the Cheer Canada Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding impact on the sport. Since 1999, Sanaa’s extensive judging experience has taken her to local, provincial, national, and international events across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In 2025, she was honored by the IASF for her remarkable dedication and commitment to advancing international cheerleading. One of her most prestigious responsibilities is serving as a Cheer panel judge for The Cheerleading Worlds since 2014, a role that reflects her expertise, integrity, and unwavering devotion to the sport.

Beth Hadley

Beth is a veteran cheerleading judge and elementary school teacher based in Sydney, Australia. She is a former All Star cheer and dance athlete, coach, and choreographer who has represented Australia at ICU Worlds and her club at IASF Worlds multiple times before transitioning into full-time judging. She has been the director of a successful school-wide cheer and dance program, winning multiple national titles, at the elementary school where she is a teacher. Over the past decade, Beth has judged extensively across Australia and internationally, including prestigious events such as CHEERSPORT, NCA, UCA, Future Cheer Internationals (UK), and many European and New Zealand competitions. Beth has developed and delivered scoring education for Australian event providers, judges, and coaches, and has served as Head Judge overseeing panels nationwide. In 2023, she achieved her goal of judging at The Cheerleading Worlds and is honoured to return for her fourth year in 2026.

Mia Heitland

Mia brings more than 30 years of cheerleading industry experience to her role as a judge. She has been an athlete, coach, gym owner and judge. She is a long-time member of Cheer Canada’s Official’s Development Committee, guiding the development of judges’ training across the country. Mia has been honoured to adjudicate major events across North America and around the world, including in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Highlights include The Cheerleading Worlds, Canadian Finals, the ICU Pan American Championships, NCA All Star Nationals and The Varsity Summit, International Summit and D2 Summit. When not travelling to competitions, Mia lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Stacy Kuecker

Anastasia (Stacy) brings over 25 years of experience in the sport of cheerleading, including 16 years of coaching both recreational and high school cheer programs. For the past 17 years, she has served as a judge for many of the industry’s most respected organizations, including USASF, Varsity, CSG, JAMfest, NCA, UCA, CHEERSPORT, WSF, Pro Action Championships (PAC), Star Spirit, Varsity Spirit Canada, and The Majors. Throughout her judging career, Stacy has officiated at some of the sport’s most prestigious events, including International Summit, D1 Summit, D2 Summit, Youth Summit, Regional Summit, U.S. Finals, JAMfest Japan, Feel the Power in Canada, ACDC Campeonato Nacional, and she is returning for her third year judging The Cheerleading Worlds. Stacy’s passion for cheerleading extends beyond judging. She has coached athletes at multiple levels and proudly watched her three daughters excel in the sport.

Shannon Louis

Shannon is from the Midwest where she has been immersed in the cheerleading industry for over 25 years. After years involved within the school cheerleading industry, Shannon transitioned to coaching in the All Star industry. After years of dedication within the All-Star community and numerous national Championships, Shannon transitioned her passion for cheerleading to judging nationally and internationally. She has been honored to be chosen to judge The Cheerleading Worlds year after year. When Shannon is not enjoying her time judging, she is a first-grade teacher, wife to Dan and mom to three fantastic sons.

Heather O’Brien

Heather has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over twenty years as an athlete, coach, and judge. She is legality certified through USASF for both cheerleading and dance and adjudicates across the country for a variety of event producers. In addition to judging cheer, Heather is a special education teacher in Maryland where she lives with her husband and three sons.

Alex Padron

Alex began his cheerleading career in 2002, transitioning from a five-year career as a gymnast in Houston, Texas. Throughout his competitive years, Alex was an all-star, high school, and collegiate athlete. Following college, Alex began coaching local high school and all star teams, along with technique classes. For the past 10 years Alex has judged for a variety of brands such as NCA, CHEERSPORT, UCA, Cheer Power, Spirit Sports, Athletic Championship, ACA, The Summit, and DII Summit.

Troy Robertson

Troy graduated from Western Michigan University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in political science. He was captain of the cheerleading team and coached for one season. Troy obtained his Master of Public Administration from Arkansas State University. He was the assistant spirit squads coach of the highly competitive ASU cheerleaders and The Red Wolves Dancers. Troy was a Head Instructor and Instructional Core Staff for UCA. He received several accolades with UCA, including Midwest Male Veteran of the Year and Midwest Coaches’ Choice. On two occasions Troy represented UCA in the London New Year’s Day Parade. He has extensive experience judging scholastic and all-star cheerleading, as well as dance, at the state, regional, and national level. Internationally, Troy has judged for JAMfest Japan. He won Top Veteran Judge of the Year for UCA in 2025. Troy currently resides in Dallas, TX where he works in sales.

Karen Snyder

Karen is a cheerleading professional with over 35 years of knowledge. She’s experienced a wide variety of roles in the cheerleading industry as an athlete, coach, all-star gym owner, choreographer, consultant, and judge. Because of her experience and education in scoring, she’s had the privilege to judge throughout the Continental United States, Hawaii, throughout Europe, and in Canada. Since 2008 Karen has served in many capacities as a panel judge, head judge, judge trainer, stand manager, and AccuScore official for several World Qualifying events as well as The US Finals, and The Majors. She has been honored to judge The Cheerleading Worlds since 2013.

Karen Stearns

Karen resides in Florida where she is the Compliance Officer for 27 years at American Heritage High School and was their Athletic Director overseeing 19 different sports and 56 teams. She has over 35 years’ experience with all-star and high school cheer and as a gym director. Karen has judged national and international competitions throughout the United States, Canada and Europe for several companies including British Cheerleading Association, Canadian Cheer Evolution, Winners Choice, US Cheerleading Association, Sapphire Productions, The Cheer Challenge, CHEERSPORT, Spirit Sports, Cheer Expo-Canada and is proud to serve as an adjudicator for The Cheerleading Worlds.

Joyce Whitaker

Joyce is an experienced certified Judge with over 30+ years’ experience. Her vast knowledge spans across School, All Star, and Collegiate scoring systems. Joyce also has over 25+ years of experience as a college cheer and dance coach, and spirit coordinator. Joyce has judged for various event producers, both domestic and internationally. A Wright State University graduate, a Varsity and USASF certified judge professional, HR certified professional with both SHRM and the HRCI organizations and is a business entrepreneur owning an HR & Operations Consulting business (PCBS, LLC). Joyce lives in Dayton with her husband, Lee, and has two daughters, Lauren, and Jordan.

Shawndra Winter

Shawndra is an experienced coach, choreographer, and international judge working across All Star, high school, and collegiate cheerleading, as well as club gymnastics, power tumbling, and trampoline. She has adjudicated premier competitions throughout the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Known for her sharp technical eye and appreciation for performance, she has served in multiple roles at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2007. Shawndra enjoys seeing athletes bring their routines to life and celebrating the dedication, teamwork, and heart that define our sport. She is honored to return to The Cheerleading Worlds and remains a strong advocate for supporting the continued excellence and growth of cheerleading. Outside of the sport, she holds a Master’s in Organizational Development and is a Lead Content Strategist at PwC, where she develops learning experiences that strengthen leadership capability and business acumen across the globe.

Quality

Jeff Bailey

Jeff has over 30 years of experience in the cheer and dance industry as a judge, judge stand manager, event director and coach. Jeff has had the opportunity to judge for numerous prominent All Star brands, including the United Spirit Association (USA), The American Championships, GSSA, Aloha, Mid Atlantic Championships, PacWest, Spirit Sports, and All Star Challenge. Jeff has also been instrumental in assisting with the production of pre-game and halftime shows for the Pro Bowl, World League, and collegiate bowl games. Additional professional experience includes Director of Los Angeles Clippers NBA Dance Team, choreographer for feature film and television specials, and coach and choreographer for Jr. High, High School and College cheer teams.

Jessi Christian

Jessi has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 30 years as a competitor, instructor, coach, choreographer, and judge. She has been a cheerleading/dance judge for 26 years for various companies. She has judged national competitions for NCA, USA, and ACA, as well as AASCF Nationals in Australia and in Mexico City for ONP. She spent ten years as an instructor for the United Spirit Association where she won the Hardest Working, Leadership, and Unity Awards. Jessi was a Head Instructor for USA for 7 years. She helped produce Varsity half time shows for the Sparx, Clippers, and 49’ers, as well as the Pro-Bowl Half Time Show in Honolulu, HI. Jessi has been a Cheerleading Worlds judge for the past 8 years.

Albrey Conker

Albrey brings more than 25 years of experience in the All-Star cheerleading industry as an athlete, coach, and judge. She began her career competing at one of Atlanta’s most prestigious All-Star programs, earning multiple national championships and World titles as an athlete. She continued her success at the collegiate level as a member of the University of West Georgia All-Girl team, where she helped secure three UCA College National Championship titles. In addition to her competitive achievements, Albrey has built an impressive judging career with over 12 years of experience across multiple Independent Event Producers. In 2024, she was selected as a judge for The Cheerleading Worlds, one of the sport’s most prestigious stages. Outside of cheerleading, Albrey serves as a District Manager for Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, where she leads a high-performing team of nine representatives, combining her passion for leadership, mentorship, and excellence both on and off the competition floor.

Sara Francks

Cheerleading has been a central part of Sara’s life for 30 years. She cheered at Brigham Young University, where she served as a captain and was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board. She has been involved with the United Spirit Association since 1999, starting as an instructor at USA’s camps and having the opportunity to be a head instructor and teach at the elite and College/Pro camp level. Sara has traveled to Guatemala, Japan, and Singapore to participate in cheerleading events, and has judged nationally and internationally with multiple companies for All-Star, School-based and college levels. She has been honored to be selected as a judge for The Cheerleading Worlds since 2008. Sara lives in the Philadelphia area and is a proud mom of four daughters. She is the Senior Vice President of Operations for a global hearing healthcare group and recently earned her Executive MBA from Villanova University.

Jolene Harris

Jolene brings over 35 years of experience in the cheerleading industry. She was an instructor for United Spirit Association for several years and also served as a Head Instructor for USA. With more than 25 years of experience as a judge, Jolene has officiated at a wide range of competitions, including regional, national, and prestigious events such as The Summit, D2 Summit, and The Cheerleading Worlds. Her judging experience extends internationally, including a virtual event hosted in Australia and in-person competitions in Canada and Japan. In addition to judging, she has provided training for judges in both high school and all-star cheerleading.

Kristina Loflin

Kristina resides in Raleigh, North Carolina and brings more than 30 years of experience in the dance and cheer industries. Her passion for both continues to fuel her enthusiasm for the opportunities and growth they provide. Kristina currently serves as Judge Operations Specialist for the Midwest Region at Varsity Spirit. At events, she can be found on judging panels alongside her colleagues or serving as an event official, upholding the standards of fair, consistent, and accurate scoring. Outside of events, Kristina’s greatest joy is being a mom to her two daughters and spending meaningful time with family and friends.

Becca Mason

Becca has been involved with the United Spirit Association for the last 29 years and has been judging regional and national cheer and dance competitions for 26 years. Becca cheered and danced for over 25 years, for school and All Star, and has competed nationally, and at the collegiate level, in both. She has judged USA Nationals for over 20 years, many years for The Cheerleading Worlds, traveled to Japan to judge USA Japan Nationals, twice to Mexico City as a judge for ONP Nationals, and has also had the opportunity to judge for the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation for their Winterfest, National Championships and The Pinnacle. With USA, Becca has served as part of the Program Development team for summer camp material, a member of the scoring and curriculum team for the last decade and currently is expanding her role with the United Spirit Association as the Scoring Specialist.

Deduction

Jessica Barton

Jessica is a Certified USASF/IASF Legality Official with over 13 years of judging experience and 25 years in competitive cheerleading and gymnastics coaching. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of judging some of the most prestigious events in the sport. Her judging experience includes USA All-Star Nationals, CHEERSPORT Nationals, NCA Nationals, JAMZ Nationals, Southern Nationals, JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals, Spirit Sports, Athletic Championships, ACA Championships, Youth Summit, The Summit, The DII Summit, The U.S. Finals, international competitions, and The Cheerleading Worlds.

Dean Cavero

Dean brings more than three decades of experience and leadership to the All-Star and Collegiate cheerleading industry as a former competitor, coach, choreographer, and international judge. Throughout his career, he has been involved with numerous championship-caliber programs and has earned the respect of athletes and coaches for his technical expertise, professionalism, and dedication to the sport. As an internationally recognized adjudicator, Dean has judged premier competitions across the United States and abroad, offering a thoughtful and balanced perspective shaped by decades of firsthand experience in performance, training, and program development. His approach to judging emphasizes precision, athlete safety, and the overall integrity of the sport. Dean remains deeply committed to the advancement of cheerleading, taking pride in mentoring the next generation of athletes and leaders while helping elevate the standard of excellence within the global cheer community.

Sheila Dawson

With 29 years of experience in All Star cheerleading, Sheila is an industry veteran in All Star and collegiate cheer and dance coaching. For more than two decades, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the competitive landscape as a premier adjudicator and AccuScore official at the sport’s most prestigious national and international championships, including The Cheerleading Worlds, where she has served on the judging panel since 2017, as well as The Majors, NCA All Star Nationals, Summit, D2 Summit, CHEERSPORT Nationals, JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals, Global Games, Australian Majors, and Future Cheer Internationals. Her judging experience spans Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South America, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Known for her comprehensive knowledge and unwavering integrity, Sheila has earned Varsity’s Most Dedicated Judge of the Year (2018-2019), Top Midwest Veteran Judge (2021-2022), and consecutive Best All Around AccuScore Official awards (2022-2025). She remains dedicated to advancing the sport while preserving its foundation and shaping its future.

Kari Ganske

Kari, a high school English/ESOL teacher, has been involved in cheerleading since 2002 as a coach, competition director, judge, and the Maryland State Co-Director for Public Schools. She is a certified safety judge through NFHS and USASF; has served as safety, panel, head, and accuscore at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels serving MPSSCC, CDE, Spirit Sports, Cheersport, Epic Brands, and ICC in England. She is honored to be a Cheerleading Worlds judge for the 9th time. When she isn’t judging, Kari can be found chasing her children with a camera, writing cozy mysteries, or reading voraciously.

Candice Gunn

Candice is from Richmond, VA and has been involved in cheerleading for 30 years. She cheered for high school and at the collegiate level when she attended Virginia Commonwealth University. While in college, Candice staffed camps for Spirit Xpress and worked competitions for All-Star Challenge. During this time she began judging for numerous USASF member brands including Allstar Challenge, CANAM, CHEERSPORT, UCA, JAMfest, Spirit Xpress, Winners Choice, All Day Cheerleading, Panel 9, NCA, The Majors and Universal Spirit.

Nicole Haight

Nicole has been involved with cheerleading and gymnastics for more than four decades as an athlete, coach, gym manager and judge. She has been a USASF certified legality official since 2007 and has judged nationally for more than twenty years for various USASF member event producers. Nicole frequently serves as a judge stand manager or in AccuScore, and she has been honored to judge The Cheerleading Worlds since 2008. She is currently a member of the Varsity All Star Fashion Design Team, and she resides in Charlotte, NC.

Steph Halbach

Stephanie has been involved in cheerleading for 27 Years. Throughout her cheerleading career, she has travel across the US as well as Mexico, Japan, and China teaching cheer clinics, and judging national cheerleading competitions. She has coached nationally ranked high school cheerleading teams for 6 years. Stephanie was the assistant cheer coach at the University of Utah from 2015-2016. In 2016 Stephanie became the head cheerleading coach at the University of Utah. Stephanie is a current USASF certified legality official.

Chantelle Johnston

Chantelle has been involved in the All Star Cheerleading industry for 26 years. Starting as a competitor, then a coach, and then graduating into the roles of camp director and judge. In 2011 she began managing arenas for The American Championships which has led to her current role as an Event Coordinator for Varsity’s Southeast Region. She has traveled to London to judge the prestigious Future Cheer Internationals and has judged at both The Summit and D2 Summit. This will be her ninth year of having the privilege to officiate at The Cheerleading Worlds.

Taylor Knox

Taylor has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 25 years and has been judging for over 10 years. She is a USASF certified legality official in both cheer and dance and has judged on the west coast for companies such as JAMZ, CHEERpros, World Class Cheerleading and USA. Taylor competed both All Star and college as an athlete, has coached high school, All Star and college and even won The Cheerleading Worlds in 2008. On top of judging she is currently the head of legality and scoring at CHEERpros.

Tori Lockwood

Victoria (Tori) hails from central Ohio. Her love of cheerleading and dance started at the early age of six. Tori began as a competitive school and All Star athlete. She has experience coaching high school as well as choreographing sideline and game day material. Tori judges both point deduction and overall across the country for various event producers such as GMCE, Cheer Derby, JAMZ, Champions League and more. She has judged internationally for Canadian Cheer. The greatest joy of her life is being a wife to Josiah and mom of two sassy, sweet girls, Ruby and Stella.

Julie Mihaljevic

Julie has been involved in cheerleading industry for over 40 years. She coached at an All Star program in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for nine years, where she earned numerous national titles. For the last 23 years, she has judged events for Cheer and Dance Extreme, Varsity, Cheer Alliance, Canadian Cheer Evolution, Cheer Expo and the BCA. She is excited to return to The Cheerleading World Championships for her 17th year.

Ryun Nacario

Ryun is a USASF and Varsity Certified judge from Salt Lake City, Utah. Ryun has been involved in the cheerleading industry for over 20 years as a coach, judge, gym owner and choreographer. He is a United Spirit Association Head Instructor and has judged for multiple different Varsity brands including USA, UCA, NCA, WSF, Spirit Cheer, PacWest, Athletic Championships, American Championships, Cheersport and Spirit Sports. He has judged internationally in Canada as well as, a Point Deduction and Legality Judge for The Summit, D2 Summit and The Cheerleading Worlds for 12 years.

Erica Neal

Erica of Lancaster, Ohio had dedicated over 36 years to the sport of cheerleading spanning from an athlete, coach, choreographer, and judge. She has participated in the development of judges training materials and resources. She has held various judging roles from score support, judge stand manager, building, overall, and point deduction. In the U.S., Erica judges for GMCE, Jamz Cheer & Dance, Champion Cheer Central, Cheer Derby, Champions League, Cheer and Dance Extreme, and the United States Cheerleading Association. On the global stage, she has judged for Canadian Cheer, Cheer Challenge Chile, British Cheerleading Association, the Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation, and the International Cheerleading Coalition (ICC). Erica has proudly served as a judge at The Cheerleading Worlds for 10 years.

Legality

Jessica Adler

Jessica has been involved in the Cheerleading industry for over 20 years, having started as an athlete and coach. She has been judging for 10 years as an IASF and USASF legality official throughout Canada, the USA, Europe and Australia, during which time she has also served on various committees for Cheer Canada and her Provincial Sport Organizations. Outside of Cheerleading, she has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and is working on a degree in Accounting. This is her sixth year as a legality official at The Cheerleading Worlds.

Robin Bolden

Robin has been in cheerleading for over 30 years, including 15 years of all-star choreography and coaching. She was a UCA Head Instructor for 9 years. Robin was NFHS Technical Judge and is a certified USASF/IASF Legality Judge. As a presenter at coaches’ conferences, Robin shares her knowledge about the rules and point deductions. In 2011, Robin spoke at the Atlanta USASF Regional Meeting on behalf of the IEP. Several companies including Winners Choice, WSA, Deep South Spirit, Future Cheer, Canadian Cheer Evolution, Energy Events UK and AASCF hire her for her expertise as a Legality and Deduction Judge. She has been a Legality Judge for several World Bid Qualifying panels and The Cheerleading Worlds since 2008. Robin was nominated for Spirit Industry Trade Association “Outstanding Cheer Judge” for 2010. Cheer Biz Magazine (FEB – MAR 2013 issue) featured her in the “Judges’ Table” article. Robin is a member of the USASF and IASF Rules Committees. Robin was selected as one of the “Cheer Biz News 35 under 35 Influential People in Cheerleading” Class of 2013. She has been part of the IASF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee since 2020. At the 2022 Cheerleading Worlds, Robin was recognized and received an award for her commitment and dedication to Rules and Education by the IASF. She was recently voted 2025 Cheer Judge of the Year for the The Cheer Awards/Cheer Daily.

Jill Bugner

Jill is cheerfully returning to The Cheerleading Worlds and is annually amazed at the athleticism, commitment and spirit of the teams in attendance. She has been a legality official since 2014 and has served as a Cheerleading Worlds official since 2017. She has judged regional and national championships in the United States and international events in Canada and the United Kingdom. Prior to becoming a judge, she was a high school and college cheerleader and All Star coach.

Marvin Cabra

Marvin is a distinguished Colombian judge, choreographer, and educator with over 25 years of experience in the cheer and dance industry. Returning for his second year as an IASF Legality Official for the 2025-2026 season, Marvin is a leading authority on safety rules and scoring systems in Latin America. As Director of Educational Projects for Capital Cheer Colombia, he has focused his recent efforts on elevating standards for the Spanish-speaking community. Through training programs, he creates vital learning opportunities for regional judges and coaches. Having judged and choreographed internationally in the USA, UK, Mexico, and beyond, Marvin’s career is defined by his dedication to professionalizing the sport. Whether on the world stage or in the classroom, he remains committed to fostering the growth of athletes and officials throughout the region.

Andre Carter

Andre is part of the USASF’s Operations team. Andre was formerly the Director of Cheer Rules, Director of Education, and Assistant Director of Rules, Safety, and Judging for the USASF, served on the USASF Worlds Judge Selection Committee, Rules Committee, and Athlete Registration System Technology Team, and was an Instructor for the International Cheer Union. Andre was the co-founder and co-owner of Showtime Spirit in Lexington, KY, an assistant coach at George Mason University, the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi, an assistant coach and cheerleader for the University of Kentucky, and a 7-year UCA Staff member. Andre has experience with All Star, High School and College championships and has judged for companies in the United States, as well as in Australia, Costa Rica, Chile, and England. Andre has also served as a legality official at Worlds and multiple all level end of season events.

Orry Clayborne

Orry currently serves as the Manager, Scoring – Varsity All Star. He previously held the title of Event Director and Judging Coordinator for Universal Cheerleaders Association as well as a Scoring Experience Specialist for the Northeast Region. Orry maintains numerous certifications and is a certified Legality official for NFHS, USA Cheer, USASF and IASF. He has judged both Nationally and Internationally for All Star, Recreational Cheerleading, High School and College Events including UCA College and High School Nationals, NCA College and High School Nationals, ICU World Cheerleading Championship and The Cheerleading Worlds.

Valérie Ethier

With more than 25 years of experience in cheerleading, Valérie began her journey in 2000 as an athlete, quickly becoming a coach and judge. Based in Montreal, Quebec, she has judged for 15 years across Canada, with a focus on legalities and panel roles. Valérie has been a coach trainer for the Fédération du Québec and spent eight years on the board. Her passion, commitment to the sport and fair competition makes her proud to judge at The Cheerleading Worlds.

Amanda Fairhall

Amanda has been involved in cheerleading in the U.K. for over 30 years. She has been a member of the USASF & IASF Cheer Rules committees for over a decade. In her current role with Future Cheer, she looks after 18 events per season in the U.K., Spain, France and Amsterdam, overseeing all aspects of scoring. Amanda has judged all over the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Malaysia, Australia and at ICU Cheer Worlds and The Summit. She has also regularly worked as a legality official at The Cheerleading Worlds since 2016.

Khris Franklin

Khris began judging since 2000. This is his 15th year as either a building judge or safety judge at The Cheerleading Worlds. He’s coached, judged, and done various other industry events throughout the US and 8 other countries. He has been working in college coaching for the better part of the last 20 years and is currently coaching at TVCC.

Miguel Gato

Miguel holds a degree in Sports Science and has been immersed in the sport for over 25 years, building a career as an athlete, coach, and currently a judge, educator, and choreographer. His experience includes competition at multiple levels, representing Colombia as a member of the national team at the ICU World Championships, and working internationally as a coach and choreographer across all competitive divisions. He is actively involved in the advancement of Latin American cheerleading, supporting programs in Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Additionally, he leads an educational judging program and frequently serves as Head Judge at events. He has a deep understanding of multiple scoring systems, with particular emphasis on legalities, which is where his expertise lies.

Brittany Hasseldeck

Brittany has over 16 years of judging experience at the local, regional, national and international level. She has been USASF legality certified for 14 years. She is a former UCA staff member where she was an instructor and head instructor for eight years. Brittany is a graduate of Marquette University where she was a member of their cheerleading team.

Celeste Johnson

Celeste has 26 years of experience in the cheerleading industry. Her roles over the years have included being a gym owner, all star director, consultant, and speaker. Celeste has been certified as a legality judge by USASF since 2009 and has been a part of the USASF Mentoring Program since 2012. She has served as the NACCC Executive Committee Southwest Region Representative from 2013 to 2015. She also served on the NACCC Small Gym Committee and the USASF Disciplinary Committee. Currently, Celeste is one of the USASF’s Credentialing Instructors and Member Support Specialists. In addition to her USASF roles, she judges for several USASF member event producers.

Jessica Legette

Jessica has been actively involved in cheer and dance for over 30 years as an athlete, coach, choreographer, judge and clinician. She has judged internationally for various companies and also for The Cheerleading Worlds.

Stephen Mills

Stephen is a distinguished figure in the global cheerleading community, with a career spanning over 25 years. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Stephen has dedicated the last 16 years to excellence in officiating, serving as an IASF and USASF Legality Official. Throughout his tenure, Stephen has provided technical expertise for array of prestigious event producers and international governing bodies across Canada, the United States, and Europe. His commitment to the sport extends beyond the judging table; he has played a pivotal role in the development of cheerleading infrastructure, serving as a mentor for his Provincial Sport Organization and contributing to several Cheer Canada committees. Stephen is privileged to serve on the judging panel for The Cheerleading Worlds, where he remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety and technical excellence alongside his esteemed international colleagues.

Ian Pudge

Ian has been a USASF, IASF and NFHS Certified Legalities/Safety Official extensively through both Canada and the US, as well as Australia (AASCF) and England (FutureCheer). He has judged The Cheerleading Worlds on multiple occasions, as well as National Championships and World Bid events for a wide variety of event producers. Originally from Toronto, Ontario he currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Sebastian Rivera

Sebastian is a Colombian judge with extensive international experience at some of the biggest cheerleading events in Latin America. He has had the opportunity to judge competitions in Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Chile. He has been involved in the cheerleading industry for 20 years, first as an athlete and later as a coach for schools, All-Star, state, and national teams. Sebastian has served as a coach for the Colombian National Cheerleading Team, leading the Coed Elite division in 2014 and 2016, and the Junior Coed Advanced division from 2024 to the present. He is also currently part of Continental Stars, one of the largest cheerleading event producers in Colombia.

Eric Rodriguez

Eric is a certified USASF/IASF legality official. Over 25 years of his life has been dedicated to all-star, college, and school cheerleading. His combined experience as an athlete, coach, choreographer, and judge has led him to judge many of the national and world bid events across the world including : NCA, UCA, CHEERSPORT, Spirit Sports, Athletic Championships, Encore, Cheer America, JAMZ Nationals, CCC Nationals, Jamfest Super Nationals, Future Cheer (United Kingdom) , AASCF (Australia), Costa Rica, ATC International, Varsity Canada, International Summit, D2 Summit, The Summit, and ICU. This is his 12th year judging The Cheerleading Worlds.

Nicole Rollins

Nicole is a returning Cheerleading Worlds Legality Official. She has been certified with USASF and IASF since 2011. She began judging in 2008 and has judged at the national and international level for over ten years. She has experience as a competitor, a choreographer, and a coach on the national level of All Star cheerleading. She started with UCA in 2003 and has worked in the cheerleading industry since then in a variety of roles. Currently, Nicole is the UCA Scoring Director leading the scholastic brand on rules and scoring for all UCA brand events.

Austin Seeley

Austin has been part of the cheerleading industry for more than 25 years, serving as a competitor, coach, judge, and AccuScore representative. Throughout his career, he has worked some of the largest events in the world, including The Cheerleading Worlds, The MAJORS, JAMfest Cheer Super Nationals, CHEERSPORT Nationals, and The Summit. While he no longer judges full time, Austin enjoys staying connected to the industry each season and supporting the sport that shaped him. Outside of cheerleading, Austin works in convention sales for the city of Louisville, helping bring meetings and major events to the region. A proud uncle, avid traveler, and lifelong member of the Bee Hive, he brings the same energy and enthusiasm to life that he brings to the riser.

Charles Taylor III

Charles is a former member of the San Antonio Spurs Coyote Crew. He attended the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antoniao, TX where he later coached both the Large and Small Coed teams. With over 25 years of experience, he has had a full career in cheer and dance as an athlete, coach, gym owner and event producer, earning numerous awards and titles along the way. He is a USASF and IASF certified legality judge in both Cheer and Dance. He has had the privilege of serving as a judge for many prestigious competitions around the world including the ICU World Championships and The Cheerleading Worlds.

Jason Trost

Jason is a USASF/IASF Certified Legality Official from Charlotte, NC. With close to 20 years of experience as both a coach and a judge, Jason has had the opportunity to judge events across the country as well as internationally. Jason has had the honor of judging The Cheerleading Worlds for the past 9 years. Full time Jason works in Learning & Development for EY.

Harold Williams

Harold is a nationally respected All Star Cheerleading Coach, Choreographer, Judge, and Program Director with more than 28 years of experience in the sport. Driven by safety, structure, and long-term athlete development, he is committed to raising the standard across the All-Star industry. Harold serves as a member of the USASF Rules Committee and judges USASF sanctioned events, actively contributing to the policies and expectations that shape the sport nationwide. Beyond titles, his focus remains clear: build confident athletes, support and educate coaches, and create an environment where families feel trust and pride. He believes success begins with accountability, education, and doing things the right way. Harold continues to invest in the growth of the sport so the next generation is developed safely, responsibly, and with excellence.