Kate Connolly, Linesman (USA)

Playing career: Penn State University

Career highlights as official: WW 2013, 4 Nations Cup gold-medal game 2008

Day job: Senior account manager at The Hartford (book of business worth estimated $25 million with clients ranging in size from 500-10,000 employees), doing include analytics, renewals, and continuing service of clients. 

Personal: Triathlete (competed in four triathlons in 2012, finishing third twice in her age group)

Stephanie Gagnon, Linesman (CAN)

Playing career: Started playing hokcey at age 4, played with boys until 14 and girls until 16

Career highlights as official: Started officiating at 14…WW 2013…WW18 2013…2012 women’s high performance camp…2012 women’s under-18 Canadian national championship…2011 Canada Winter Games gold-medal game

Day job: Student at the Cegep de Sherbrooke in Natural Sciences pre-university program. For 2013, respiratory and anesthesia technology program at Cegep, training to assist anesthesiologists in operating rooms, deliver critical care in emergency rooms and intensive care units, evaluate, treat, and care for patients who have breathing disorders and treat patients using a variety of respiratory equipment.

Personal: Boyfriend is also IIHF linesman, most recently at WM20 2013 in Ufa

Nicole Hertrich, Referee (GER)

Playing career: German national team…16 years in German women’s league...Played in 2005 German championships

Career highlights as official: 2010 Vancouver Olympics referee

Day job: Accountant

Aina Hove, Referee (NOR)

Playing career: 15 years with Norway’s national team…won bronze at European Women’s Championship

Career highlights as official: Accepting a challenge from referee Sandra Dombrowsky to become an official in 1999…C Pool gold-medal game 2000…B Pool gold-medal game 2001…2010 Vancouver Olympics

Day job: Elementary school teacher

Personal: Mother of three—Oscar and Amelie (13), Selma (7)…husband also officiates and they have both worked top-league games together in Norway

Laura Johnson, Linesman (USA)

Playing career: Started hockey at age 16 in Texas…played for Concordia College, Division III (2005-07)

Career highlights as official: 4 Nations Cup gold-medal game 2008, NCAA Div III national championship game 2013, WW 2013

Day job: Schedule-maker for events and ice time at an arena in Rochester, New York

Personal: Played Roller Derby for one season in Dallas…Pianist for the past 20 years…2 dogs--Sadie (Great Pyrenees mix) and Zoey (Labrador mix)

Michaela Kudelova, Linesman (SVK)

Career highlights as official: WW18 gold-medal game 2009, 2009 Regional Development camp in Rochester (USA), 2011 Winter World University Games gold-medal game, 2012 European Cup finals, WW 2012, Olympic qualification gold-medal game 2013

Day job: Sports journalist at a regional newspaper in Slovakia

Personal: Enjoys bodybuilding

Kristine Langley, Referee (USA)

Playing career: Shattuck St. Marys (1997-2001), Wayne State University, Division I (2001-05)

Career highlights as official: WW 2013, NCAA semi-finals 2013, NCAA championship game 2010

Day job: Food Scientist/Technician, General Mills—develops Betty Crocker dry mix (i.e., Hot Chocolate Cupcake Mix, Hot Chocolate Brownie Mix)

Personal: Getting married in June; fiancé also an official… has an American Bulldog named Jada

Ilona Novotna, Linesman (CZE)

Playing career: Started as a figure skater, played handball for 12 years

Career highlights as official: WW 2012, WW18 2010 & 2011, WW Division IV 2008, WW Division II 2009, WW18 2010-12

Day job: Officer of Financial Authority at Financial Directorate in Ostrava, and Territorial Financial Authority in Olomouc

Personal: Enjoys tennis, theatre, travelling

Marie Picavet, Referee (FRA)

Playing career: 10 years in France including Women’s World Championship Division I (1999) and European Women’s Championship (1995 & 1996)

Career highlights as official: Played in the bronze-medal game of the WW Division I…Refereed since 2001 at every level from Division IV to top level

Day job: Teacher, working with handicapped children ages 3-7

Personal: Lives in France near the Spanish border with partner and two sons, ages 11 and 9

Zuzana Svobodova-Arazimova, Linesman (CZE)

Playing career: Started as a figure skater

Career highlights as official: Linesman in Division I, Czech men’s league…Development camp Rochester, New York (2007), Vierumaki, Finland (2008)…WW Division IV (2007), WW Division II (2008), and finally WW top division in 2009…Vancouver Olympics 2010…WW 2011 gold-medal game…WW 2012

Day job: Sales representative

Personal: InLine official in the summer…husband currently refereeing WM18 Division IIA in Estonia

Johanna Tauriainen, Linesman (FIN)

Playing career: Women's Division I (FIN) 8 years

Career highlights as official: WW finals in 2012, finals of 4 Nations Cup, 2009 & 2012

Day job: Physical Therapist, working with neurological patients, mostly those who have suffered a stroke

Personal: Two kids, Jesse (4) and Jenna (18 months).  

Joy Tottman, Referee (GBR)

Playing career: Oxford University

Career highlights as official: Started officiating at age 12…Turin 2006 bronze-medal game….Vancouver 2010…WW 2007 gold-medal game…WW18 gold-medal game 2008…referee in men’s Elite League in Great Britain, 2005

Day job: Advisor on governance and legal compliance issues (how to structure the organization, issues of integrity such as child protection) for Sport and Recreation Alliance, the sports confederation and trade union for all governing bodies of sport in the UK

Personal: As a volunteer for the London 2012 Olympics was responsible for domestic dignitaries, including escorting the Royal family to events…getting married in October