Every Child Deserves to Be Active

David Arsenault is a former National Taekwondo champion, proudly representing Canada multiple times in international competitions. After founding a successful community-based Taekwondo school, David became a professional trainer for many executives and professional athletes. David is a happy husband and a proud father who has devoted his life to teaching children how to move to the best of their abilities. His journey is guided by his love for movement and sharing his passion with others. As a visionary and driven change-maker, David advocates for strengthening physical literacy daily and stresses the importance of quality physical education in all our schools.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the Université du Québec à Montréal, Marie-Christine serves as Operations Director at the Champions for Life Foundation. For nearly 10 years, she has combined solid field expertise with a strategic operational vision to translate scientific physical activity concepts into accessible tools for the sports, recreation, and education sectors. Recognized for her ability to structure high-impact projects and her active involvement in various advisory committees, she bridges the gap between theory and action. An avid outdoor enthusiast, she embraces every opportunity to get out into nature

With over 15 years of experience in philanthropy across both adult and pediatric healthcare, she has now turned her focus to helping kids move and stay active. Being on the preventative side of health feels like a natural fit. With two young active kids of her own, the Champions for Life’s mission is especially meaningful to her, as she sees the benefits of movement for children every day. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration from the John Molson School of Business, which helps bring a strategic and creative lens to growing the foundation’s impact and inspiring more kids to stay active. You can also find her spending time with her family, playing basketball or traveling!

Joanne holds a Bachelor of Education Degree and an Honours Degree in Physical and Health Education from the University of Toronto. She brings a wealth of teaching experience from her tenure in Ontario and Quebec. Since its founding, Joanne has served as the Director of Programs at the Champions for Life Foundation, demonstrating her deep commitment to the organization’s mission and values. Driven by a firm belief in the power of physical literacy to transform lives, she is dedicated to ensuring that every child across Canada has access to these vital programs. In her personal life, Joanne enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, actively participating in community volunteer work, and staying physically engaged through activities like swimming, volleyball, and outdoor pursuits.

Véronique is the Program Manager for the Little Champions Nunavik program. She has a bachelor’s degree in preschool and elementary education. She has always placed movement at the heart of her teaching approach and strongly believes that integrating academic learning with physical activity helps foster student engagement while building meaningful connections.
She taught for two years in Nunavik, in the communities of Ivujivik and Kangiqsujuaq. This experience enriched her perspective on education and strengthened her desire to continue contributing to the region and collaborating with the communities that have had such a lasting impact on her.
Outside of work, movement also plays an important role in Véronique’s life. Whether through yoga, working out at the gym, hiking, or cross-country skiing, she especially values the social side of physical activity and the shared experiences and connections that naturally come through movement.

After earning her master’s degree in kinesiology from the Université de Montréal, Gabrielle launched her career at the Champions for Life Foundation, where she completed her final master’s internship. She currently serves as Program Coordinator for the Foundation, supporting the team in program design and implementation. She is particularly passionate about motor skill development and working with children—an interest shaped over seven years of coaching gymnastics. Outside of work, she enjoys running, cross-country skiing, and taking walks both in the city and out in nature, and she never misses an opportunity to whip up a delicious dessert.

Sarah holds a bachelor’s in kinesiology from Université de Montréal. Working with Champions for Life for the past 4 years as a Content Manager for the Physical Literacy Toolbox, Sarah also specializes in knee pain rehabilitation for a wide variety of patients. Sarah strongly believes in the multidimensional benefits of physical activity and exercise as well as the importance of not only moving regularly, but moving well. When Sarah is not training (herself or her clients), you can find her all cozied up on the couch reading a book, learning a new skill, or finding different ways of expressing her creativity.

KAIZEN, Our Mascot

KAIZEN is our fun and curious mascot! Always ready to play, learn new skills, and make new friends, he perfectly embodies our approach.

His name comes from the Japanese word kaizen, which means “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” At Champions for Life, KAIZEN represents our commitment to learning, evolving, and creating increasingly enriching experiences for children.

Through play and movement, we strive to provide every child with the best possible physical literacy experiences while fostering a lifelong love of learning and being active.