our Team
shawn burt
Co-Founder & President of Business + Brand
Shawn has spent his life immersed in sport—as an athlete, sports executive, parent, and leader.
From playing hockey and soccer in rural Ontario to competing in NCAA Division I hockey at Dartmouth College, Shawn has built a career at the intersection of sport, leadership, and impact. His experience spans senior roles with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, IMG Canada, the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, the University of Saskatchewan, and McMaster University.
As Chief Hockey Officer at the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Shawn co-created and launched Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer, helping raise more than $30 million since 2010 while setting two Guinness World Records.
He later served as Chief Athletics Officer at the University of Saskatchewan, where he led the department’s first-ever strategic plan, launched the Huskie Hockey Academy, and oversaw the opening of Merlis Belsher Place, a $52M state-of-the-art training facility. In 2019, Shawn joined McMaster University, where he led Athletics & Recreation to its most successful season in over 30 years during 2022–23.
Drawing on his Ivy League playing background, his children’s journeys as elite student-athletes, and deep expertise in the university sport ecosystem, Shawn now leads the Athlete Development Alliance. A trusted expert in the business of sport, branding, leadership development, marketing, and NIL, Shawn is committed to helping the next generation of scholar-athletes do the work required to realize their dreams.
chris de piero
Co-Founder & President of PLAYER & COACH DEVELOPMENT
Chris brings more than 30 years of experience in hockey as a player, head coach, general manager, scout, mentor, consultant, and parent. His career spans the NHL, Hockey Canada, the OHL, OHA, and European professional hockey, alongside 15+ years as a teacher and administrator at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto.
Across his coaching and leadership career, Chris has coached 110 players who were drafted or played in the NHL and more than 100 who advanced to NCAA or U SPORTS hockey. He has worked with athletes from over 20 countries, gaining deep, practical insight into what high performance and championship habits truly look like.
A multiple-time championship-winning head coach and GM, Chris also earned a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ scouting staff (2012–2016).
He holds degrees from the University of Toronto and OISE, a High Performance Leadership Certificate from Cornell University, and is a Certified Leadership Coach through the John Maxwell Leadership Group.
Athlete Development Alliance is a proud member of the IMG Academy Global Referral Program.
Through this relationship we leverage IMG Academy’s global expertise in athlete development to optimally prepare aspiring scholar-athletes for what’s next.
Building upon IMG Academy's vast resources Athlete Development Alliance is able to expand key topics spanning the entire portfolio. This enables us to develop customized programs for leagues, associations, governing bodies, teams and individuals.