Adjudicators and Officials
Inna Brayer	Adjudicator - NY        NDCA+USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Inna Brayer, a native of Moscow Russia, is the 3 time United States National Ten Dance Champion and a National Certified Adjudicator holding fellowship level accreditation from the N.A.D.T.A. As an ambassador and World Team Member representing the United States she has been ranked as high as ninth in the world, competing in six World Championships. Inna participated as a dancer on Season 7 of ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars” and was partnered with actor Ted McGinley. In 2008 Inna represented USA Dance, Inc. when she was featured on ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” discussing the upcoming National Championships and the benefits of ballroom dancing. She also served as the choreographer for the Rutgers University Ballroom Dance Team performance on Season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars.” As a coach her students have achieved high placements in many national and international competitions including winning Junior Latin National Championships. Off the dance floor she is actively involved with USA Dance as a DanceSport Delegate, member of the Governing Council, and DanceSport Council. Outside of dance she holds a B.A. in English and Education from the Hunter College Quest School of Education.
Melissa Dexter	Adjudicator - Carlsbad, CA
	World finalist European Finalist Blackpool Finalist VIce World Latin American Showdance Champion United States Latin American Champion Italian Latin American Champion Italian Latin American Showdance Champion Choreographer for television, film and stage International Finalist
Dana Edwards	Adjudicator - Hilliard, OH        USA Dance - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Dana A. Edwards Dana is a Licentiate member and hold my American certifications in Ballroom, Rhythm and Theatre Arts with the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and Licentiate degrees in International Ballroom and Latin with Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She is a USA Dance adjudicator and collegiate chairman of the judges. Dana is also the Director of Social media and will be serving on the USISTD National committee. She is retired as a American and Canadian American professional American Smooth and Rhythm Champion. She has 24 years of teaching experience. She worked for Fred Astaire Dance studios for 9 years have also owned her own dance studio called Invitation To Dance in Columbus, Ohio since 2001. Dana was the head coach for the competitive and formation teams for the Ohio State University DanceSport team from 2009 to 2012.
Shawn Fisher	Adjudicator - Idaho        USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+
	Shawn Fisher is a Professor of dance for the Brigham Young University Idaho Theatre and Dance Department. He has coached youth and collegiate ballroom teams for 32 years winning many national titles as well as Blackpool. He has toured extensively both in the United States and around the world as the director of the BYU Idaho Dance Alliance performing company. As a competitor he was a bronze medalist in the World Latin Formation team championships. Holds four national Formation titles and was a U.S. finalist in Standard, Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm. Shawn was formerly the Sr. Vice President of USA Dance as well as an adjudicator with the NDCA. He is currently a WDSF adjudicator, both level A and professional, a USA Dance Chairman, National Adjudicator, and a national examiner in all four styles for DVIDA. He and his wife Janie direct the Idaho Ballroom Academy and are the proud parents of seven lovely children.
Patricia Goh	Adjudicator - Ont, Canada        WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+
	CDS & WDSF Chair A+B+C+D+, Formation, Showdance, NCA, Scrutineer WDSF Chairperson, WDSF PD Adjudicator, WDSF Adjudicator * President, Canada DanceSport Professional Division * Serves on WDSF Equality Commission * WDSF Chairperson and recently chaired the WDSF World U21 Standard Championship and World Cup Ten Dance Championships * WDSF World Championships Adjudicator regularly represent Canada judging various World championships, Grand Slams and Countries' national championships * WDSF Showdance and Formation Adjudicator * National Championship Adjudicator * National Championship Chairperson regularly chair championships * Certified to judge International & American styles * Certified Scrutineer * Canadian Ontario Adult Standard Champion * Canadian Ontario Adult 10-Dance Champion * North America Professional Rising Star Standard Vice Champion * Canadian and North American Grand Finalist * Coaches competitive championship dancers and enjoy teaching new talents * Blue Silver DanceSport Competition Organizer * Ontario DanceSport Award of Distinction Recipient * Holds a Masters degree from a business school, a professional accounting designation CPA and advanced certifications in music and ballet
Stephen Hadley	Adjudicator - Birmingham, AL        USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Stephen Hadley began his professional dance career with the Arthur Murray organization. As a professional competitor, he is a former Championship finalist in both Standard and Latin and represented the United States at the European Cup. He served as Chairman of the Southeastern Regional Dance Board and was a member of the International Dance Board for Arthur Murray, Inc. Steve holds Fellowships with the North American Dance Teachers Association in Standard,Latin, American Smooth, Rhythm and Theater Arts. He has been a proud member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing for 44 years and is both a National and WDSF adjudicator.
Vladimir Karpov	Adjudicator - Brooklyn NY        USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+
	* WDSF World Latin American Freestyle Champion * Two times WDSF World Cup Amateur Latin Champion * European Cup Amateur Latin Champion * World Dance Sport Games (Latin American Freestyle) Champion * European Championship Amateur Latin Finalist * Russian National Champion in the Latin American Freestyle * Multiple times Winner of the Russian National Championship * Russian National Champion in the Professional Division Latin * Runner Up at the World Championship Professional Division Latin
Phil Lee	Adjudicator - Ont, Canada        WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+
	CDS & WDSF Chair A+B+C+D+ Formation, Showdance, NCA, Scrutineer, WDSF Chairperson, WDSF PD Adjudicator, WDSF Adjudicator * WDSF World Championships Adjudicator regularly represent Canada judging worldwide championships including in Asia, Europe and North America * WDSF Showdance Adjudicator, * WDSF Formation Adjudicator * National Championship Adjudicator * National Championship Chairperson regularly chairing championship events * Certified to judge International & American styles A+ B+ C+ D+ * Certified Scrutineer * Canadian Ontario Adult Standard Champion * Canadian Ontario Adult 10-Dance Champion * Canadian Ontario Adult Latin Bronze Medallist * North America Professional Rising Star Standard Vice Champion * Canadian and North American Adult Grand Finalist * Coaches competitive championship dancers and enjoy teaching new talents * Blue Silver DanceSport Competition Organizer * Ontario DanceSport Award of Distinction Recipient * Holds a Masters degree, a professional accounting designation CPA and is a business school graduate * B.Comm, MA, CPA
Ara Mkhoyan	Adjudicator - Armenia        WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Ara Mkhoyan has been teaching and training dancers for the past 40 years. In 1972, he became one of the founders of ballroom dancing styles in Armenia and has won the championship of Armenia twice. In 1987, he founded the first specialized studio of sport dance in Yerevan, Armenia. He is a lecturer, associate professor, and author on the subject Pedagogy of Dance. He is currently the chairman of the Judges Council of the Dance Sport Federation of Armenia, Vice President of the Armenian Dance Sport Federation, and Member of the Board of the National Dance Union of Armenia (NDU). He is licensed WDSF Adjudicator A and Professional Division (PD).
Barbara Nagode-Ambroz	Adjudicator -
Inez Sahlin	Adjudicator - Naples FL         USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Ms. Sahlin is a Championship Judge and International coach, teaching and coaching independently in United States and Europe. She is a member and accredited member of WDSF, ISTD, USISTD DTCB and USA Dance. She is trained and licensed in both the International and American Styles. Former Amateur Champion and Runner-Up in Standard, 10-Dance, Team and Formation Dance -World Champion Finalist-, in her native country of Czech Republic. Ms. Sahlin moved to the United States in 1992 and continued her competitive career as a professional there. She was a Professional Champion or Finalist in many Championships and competitions in the USA and achieved the semifinals at the US Open. Ms. Sahlin keeps a busy schedule as an adjudicator, judging WDSF and USA Dance Championships and competitions, including World Championships, World Cups, Grand Slams and Continental Championships
Kimberly Smith	Adjudicator - Birmingham, AL        USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+ E+
	Kimberly Smith has been teaching dancing for 43 years and has owned and operated Dr. Dance Studio, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama for 36 years. She has enjoyed a fulfilling career as a professional competitor, pro/am competitor, teacher and currently coaches amateur and professional couples. Kimberly holds both Memberships and Fellowships with the North American Dance Teachers Association and Licentiates with The American International Dancers Association (AIDA) formerly the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She continues to proudly serve the association on the National Committee as Treasurer. As an adjudicator, Kim is a WDSF A 3.0 AJS certified adjudicator and has had the honor of judging the 2022 IWGA World Games Standard & Latin, WDSF Sr. I World Latin Championships, as well as many Open WDSF Championship events. Kim serves the WDSF as a member of the Sports Event Planning and Promotion Committee and is Co-Organizer of Christmas in Dixie Ballroom Challenge.
Heinz Spaeker	Adjudicator -
Yelena Vesnovskiy	Adjudicator - New York        USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+
	Yelena Vesnovskiy is WDSF `A` and USA Dance A+, B+, C+, D+ certified adjudicator. As an adjudicator, Yelena has judged many esteemed North American and European international competitions including WDSF World Championships and WDSF World Open competitions. Yelena has been teaching and training dancers for the past 40 years. From the age of seven she studied ballet, folk, modern, and contemporary styles of dance in Russia. At age twelve she discovered ballroom dancing, which quickly became her primary style of dance. As a dancer, Yelena has competed in all major European and North American championships. She has achieved S-class in Standard and Latin as an amateur dancesport athlete and continued as a professional competitor specializing in Standard. Yelena has trained with the top coaches and trainers in the world. Yelena graduated the Performing Arts University in Novosibirsk, Russia, with degrees in Choreography and Ballet Mastery. Shortly after the graduating, Yelena became the founder, executive manager and professor of the Ballroom Dance Department at the Novosibirsk University of Performing Arts. Many of her college students became coaches and dancesport club owners in different regions of Russia and even other countries. Yelena has published books, teaching materials and has been cited in numerous technique and development publications. Since 2001, Yelena has been the owner and primary instructor of Atlantic Ballroom Dance Studio in Brooklyn New York. In Atlantic Ballroom, her main focus has been to raise dancers to be determined and passionate competitors. Her education and experience from Russia and the United States create a strict and diverse curriculum, which imbeds into the dancers fundamentals that are necessary for success. Her students became Russian Youth Latin National Champions.Her couples in the USA have also reached many heights, such as Junior, Youth and Under 21 Standard National Champions, who represented USA at WDSF World Championships. Yelena has organized the Metropolitan DanceSport Championship in Brooklyn, NY since 2016.
Glenn Weiss	Adjudicator -
Andrea Zaramella	Adjudicator - North Carolina        USA Dance+WDSF - A+ B+ C+ D+
	Andrea is the 2012 United States National Amateur Vice-Champion of International Standard Dancing with his partner Kristie Simmonds. He began dancing in the youth division at the age of nine and became the World Youth Champion. Formerly from Brindisi, Italy, he has made Charlotte, NC his home. He is ranked among the top ten Standard Dancers worldwide. Andrea is fluent in English and Spanish as well as his native Italian.
Patricia Goh	Chairman - Ont, Canada        WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C+ D+
	CDS & WDSF Chair A+B+C+D+, Formation, Showdance, NCA, Scrutineer WDSF Chairperson, WDSF PD Adjudicator, WDSF Adjudicator * President, Canada DanceSport Professional Division * Serves on WDSF Equality Commission * WDSF Chairperson and recently chaired the WDSF World U21 Standard Championship and World Cup Ten Dance Championships * WDSF World Championships Adjudicator regularly represent Canada judging various World championships, Grand Slams and Countries' national championships * WDSF Showdance and Formation Adjudicator * National Championship Adjudicator * National Championship Chairperson regularly chair championships * Certified to judge International & American styles * Certified Scrutineer * Canadian Ontario Adult Standard Champion * Canadian Ontario Adult 10-Dance Champion * North America Professional Rising Star Standard Vice Champion * Canadian and North American Grand Finalist * Coaches competitive championship dancers and enjoy teaching new talents * Blue Silver DanceSport Competition Organizer * Ontario DanceSport Award of Distinction Recipient * Holds a Masters degree from a business school, a professional accounting designation CPA and advanced certifications in music and ballet
Sami Yli-Piipari	Chairman - US        USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C- D-
	Sami started ballroom dancing at the age of 10 in his native country, Finland. During his career with his wife Karita, he achieved numerous international and national titles including total 15 Finnish National Championships titles amateur and professional standard, latin, & 10-dance. He is also a former Professional World & European Professional 10-Dance Grand Finalist, United Kingdom & International Professional Rising Star Finalist, and Blackpool Professional Rising Star Semi-Finalist. Representing the US, Sami serves as a WDSF chairman and adjudicator.
Jack Jaubert	Deck Captain - Louisiana
Yang Chen	Emcee - New York
	Yang Chen has been dancing for more than twenty years and is currently the President of the Greater New York USA Dance Chapter. Yang has extensive experience as a Master of Ceremonies of many ballroom competitions including the Manhattan Amateur Classic, NJ DanceSport Classic, National Qualifying Events in Bethesda, Maryland, Knoxville, Tennessee and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the USA Dance National Championships and numerous collegiate events, including the DC DanceSport Inferno. He lives in New York City, and yes, his first name is pronounced “young.”
Rick Popp	Music Director -
Joe Huesmann	Scrutineer - Maryland        USA Dance+WDSF - Scrutineer
	Joe started dancing in 1995 while attending grad school at the University of Maryland. For the first year he was purely a social dancer; until the ballroom club coaxed him into entering their inaugural DC Dancesport Inferno competition, and he was hooked. He soon gravitated to International Standard, and focused on that style for many years. As part of the organizing committee for the Mid-Atlantic Championships NQE in Bethesda, MD from 2009-2022, he performed technical setup for O2CM and acted as online registrar. In this capacity he became familiar with O2CM, scrutineering, and running dancesport competitions. After scrutineering college competitions for a few years, he passed the scrutineering exam in 2014. After he and his partner qualified for and danced at the world championships in 2015, she retired from competition. He elected to do the same, to focus on scrutineering and life off the comp floor.
Sami Yli-Piipari	WDSF Chair - US        USA Dance+WDSF - Chair+ A+ B+ C- D-
	Sami started ballroom dancing at the age of 10 in his native country, Finland. During his career with his wife Karita, he achieved numerous international and national titles including total 15 Finnish National Championships titles amateur and professional standard, latin, & 10-dance. He is also a former Professional World & European Professional 10-Dance Grand Finalist, United Kingdom & International Professional Rising Star Finalist, and Blackpool Professional Rising Star Semi-Finalist. Representing the US, Sami serves as a WDSF chairman and adjudicator.