Deborah Islam

Figure Skating

July 11, 1958 –

Born in Kamloops, British Columbia on July 11, 1958, Deborah (Albright) Islam began skating when she was only two years old. Her father was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, so the family moved frequently, ultimately settling in Toronto in 1972. She trained for most of her competitive figure skating career at the renowned Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club and was coached by some of the legends of the sport – Ellen Burka, Sheldon Galbraith, Osborne Colson, and Otto Gold.

Deborah was the 1976 Junior Ladies Champion of Canada and won the bronze medal in Senior Ladies at the 1979 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, finishing first in figures to receive the coveted Otto Gold award. She was a member of Canada’s figure skating team from 1976 to 1980, competing and medalling in several international events. Deborah retired from competitive figure skating in 1980.

While earning Bachelor of Science and Master of Health Science degrees at the University of Toronto, Deborah started judging figure skating to stay involved in the sport she loved. She judged her first international event in 1989, became an International Skating Union (ISU) Judge in Singles and Pairs in 1995, and an ISU Technical Controller in Singles in 2009. Deborah was a Judge at two Olympic Winter Games (2002 and 2010) and served as Technical Controller at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2016. She has judged at eight ISU World Figure Skating Championships, five ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and has been Judge and Technical Controller at numerous other ISU Championships, ISU Senior and Junior Grand Prix events, and international and national competitions.

Deborah was the recipient of the 2002 and 2011 Skate Canada Officials Award of Excellence.

In the 1980s, Deborah was the Athlete Representative on the Canadian Figure Skating Association Board of Directors (1980-1986) and served on the Canadian Olympic Association Athletes’ Advisory Council as the Figure Skating Representative (1980-1987). In the latter role, she was a member of the leadership group that advocated and planned for Canada’s Olympic Athlete Career Centre which was established in 1985. She has been Chair and Member of many Skate Canada governance, officials, and high-performance committees over the past 47 years, including Chair of the Technical Officials Committee. One of her passions has been helping to mentor and support Skate Canada officials as they gain knowledge and develop their skills at all levels of officiating.

Deborah moved to Barrie in 1988 with her husband, David Islam, who is an Ice Dance Coach at the international level and current Co-Owner of the world-renowned Mariposa School of Skating. Together they raised two children, Mitchell and Rachel, who were heavily involved in the competitive sports scene in Barrie throughout their youth. Mitchell competed in Ice Dance at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games with his partner Alexandra Paul, both of whom were inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.

Deborah was Chief Executive Officer (formerly Executive Director) of the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County from 1997 until 2022 when she retired from her career in health administration. She continues to volunteer her time as an official at the international, national, and local levels, helping to build, support, and promote the sport of figure skating, while assisting with the development of figure skaters and officials at all levels.

Portrait painted by Susan Rudoler
Sponsored by Simcoe Building Centre