Due to busy schedules as we head into the holidays, we will be unfortunately postponing our December 7 Speaker Event until the new year. Thank you to everyone for you support so far this year and we look forward to seeing you on January 11th!

Samantha Gouveia is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC), the only nationally accredited credential for mental performance professionals in North America, and the founder of Rise Above Mental Performance. As a former university athlete, Samantha competed at the highest level of Canadian collegiate sport, where she captained her team to a historic national championship. Along the way, she was recognized as a U SPORTS tournament MVP, a Top 8 Academic All-Canadian, multiple-time national all-star, and female athlete of the year. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Sport and Performance Psychology. Combining her experiences as a high-level athlete with her academic expertise in psychology, Samantha has since dedicated her career to helping athletes and performers across more than fifteen different fields and levels (e.g., youth to professional) develop resilience, consistency, and the mindset to excel under pressure. 

Workshop Details - Keeping Girls in Sport: Coaching for Connection and Confidence

Join Samantha as she leads a 2-hour interactive workshop designed for coaches of young female athletes. Girls are leaving sport at troubling rates — often not because they’ve lost passion, but because their psychological needs for connection, confidence, and autonomy aren't being fully met. This session helps coaches understand the “why” behind these trends and equips them with the “how” — practical, research-based strategies to foster resilient, confident, and engaged athletes. Learn how small shifts in communication, feedback, and team culture can help your athletes feel seen, supported, and inspired to stay in sport.

Anisa is a graduate of the University of Alberta, where she earned both her Bachelor of Science degree and her Master's degree in physical therapy. Her primary goal is to help patients understand their injury/condition and feel empowered on their path towards recovery, prevention and returning safely to the activities that are important to them.

Anisa is a former competitive athlete, with a passion for helping others, and strong understanding of human movement and activity.

Her upcoming She Can Rise speaker session will be on knee health, injury prevention, and FIFA 11+ warm-up program

We kicked-off the 2025-26 She Can Rise Season featuring a review of last year, impact stories, and a visit from Team Alberta Wrestling Coach and Amazing Race Canada Winner, Taylor McPherson!