PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS

2016 USARS Figure Skating World Team USA Member

Hometown: Fountain Valley, CA

Current residence: Fountain Valley, CA

When did you begin Skating: I actually began ice skating at age 3 when my parents enrolled me in learn to skate classes at the local ice rink.  I was a kid that wanted to try everything so it worked out when the local roller rink had classes Saturday morning right after dance class. I picked up roller skating at age 5 and started competing a year later.

Current skating club/ Coaches name: Holiday Artistic Skating Club of Orange, CA / Gail Collier

Occupation, current employer:  Recently a physiology teaching assistant at California State University, Long Beach

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS

High school attended: Fountain Valley High School

Year of graduation: 2006

Location of high school: Fountain Valley, CA

Sports you competed in while in high school (include number of years): I competed in both Roller and Ice skating during high school.

Other high school activities: Member of California Scholar Foundation (CSF)

College attended: University of California, Irvine (B.S.) and California State University, Long Beach (M.S.)

Year of graduation: 2010 B.S., 2015 M.S.

Degree/major:  B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Microbiology with thesis focused on mouse brain sexual differentiation and gene expression

Sports you competed in while in college (include number of years): I also competed in Roller and Ice skating while obtaining my bachelor’s and master’s degrees

ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Pan American/World Games/International Experience: 2015 Pan American Athlete and competed at 9 Roller Figure Skating World Championships

Team USA awards, honors and statistics: 9-time World Team member, 2-time World Bronze Medalist in World Class inline freeskating

Other awards, honors, and statistics in skating: 2014 World Class Ladies National Champion, Multiple National placements in World Class Ladies, Junior Ladies, World Class Inline, Precision, and Show Team skating over the past 10 years.

Other sports you currently participate in: Was a competitive Ice Skater at the Championship Masters Adult level earning the silver medal in 2011 and the gold medal in 2012 and 2013.

GOAL HIGHLIGHTS

Life Goals: To continue to allow skating to be a part of my life.  I think it is important to give back to the sport when done competing and hope to bring a positive outlook to the sport whenever I’m done competing.  I also feel it is important to use skating to stay active and healthy as we age.  Skating has taught me many life lessons and I hope to use what I have learned for my life in general.

Career goals: I hope to use my Master’s degree to find a teaching position at a local community college where I would be teaching physiology or general biology to students who are non-majors in biology.  My other career path may lead me into industry to work as a research assistant in a biotech company.

Future goals you hope to obtain as a Skater: I hope to continue to improve my technique, to strive to make the USA World Team, and represent the USA to the best of my ability at the World Championships with hopes in challenging for the top 5

FAVORITES SPOTLIGHT

Favorite sports figure: Tara Lipinski and Todd Eldredge

Favorite food before a competition: Chicken or a Cliff Bar

Favorite movie: Blazing Saddles

Favorite place to shop: Forever 21

Favorite music to listen to during training or competition: Anything upbeat to keep me moving

Favorite possession: Probably my phone!

Favorite hobbies: Recently line dancing

If you could pick one word to describe you, what would it be: Dedicated

What makes you a unique and special person: I think what makes me unique is that I decided very late in my career to make a technique change and to follow a different path to try and be the best I could be with my skating.  I don’t know many people that would trust in their coach that much to try and do that.  I’m not going to do something if I can’t constantly try to make improvements and be the best I can be at it.

Who is the person you most admire/greatest influence in your life and why: My parents because they have constantly supported me in school and skating and have given me the love and support throughout my life.

FAMILY HIGHLIGHTS

Father’s name:  Joe Donovan

Father’s occupation: Supervisor for the City of Anaheim

Mother’s name: Cindy Donovan

Mother’s occupation: High School Math Teacher