Draft:Karin Sherr

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Karin Sherr
Born	Karin Kathleen Sherr (1978-05-05) May 5, 1978 San Diego, California, United States
Education	Miami University (B.A. magna cum laude, 1999; M.S., 2000) Washington and Lee University School of Law (J.D., 2003)
Occupations	Attorney; synchronized skating official
Known for	Synchronized skating national champion; Miami University Hall of Fame inductee; ISU Synchronized Skating Technical Committee member

Karin Kathleen Sherr (born May 5, 1978) is an American lawyer and synchronized skating official. She competed at Miami University, where the team won the 1999 U.S. Senior Synchronized Skating National Championship, and holds appointments from the International Skating Union (ISU) as an International Judge, International Referee, and International Technical Controller. In June 2026 she was elected to the ISU Synchronized Skating Technical Committee for the 2026–2030 term. She has practiced law in San Diego since 2003 and has been General Counsel of Thomas Jefferson School of Law since 2013. In 2012 she became the first synchronized skater inducted into the Miami University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Early life

Sherr grew up in Poway, California. At age two her parents put her on ice at a doctor's suggestion—she was pigeon-toed, and he believed skating might help correct it. By eight she was skating with Team Del Sol, a synchronized skating club in San Diego, and competed through high school before graduating from Poway High School in 1996.

In the mid-1990s, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio was the only school in the country with an NCAA-sanctioned synchronized skating program. That is what brought Sherr to Ohio. "I think my parents thought I was crazy when I said I wanted to go to school in Ohio," she said. "But at that time it was the only school in the country to have a program."

Collegiate skating

Sherr competed on the Miami University Synchronized Skating Team from 1997 to 2000, earning four varsity letters and being named Rookie of the Year in her first season. She represented the United States at the World Challenge Cup in 1998 and 1999. The team won the U.S. Senior Synchronized Skating National Championship in 1999—Miami's first senior national title in the sport.

Her senior season brought the captaincy, the Thomas J. Fisher Outstanding Skater Award (the program's top individual honor), and the Miami Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award—the first time a synchronized skater had received it. She had already finished her undergraduate degree by then: a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish, completed in three years, graduating magna cum laude in 1999. Sherr came back for a fourth year to complete a Master of Science in Family and Child Studies, finishing in 2000 while still competing.

Legal career

Sherr received a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2003 and was admitted to the State Bar of California that year (Bar No. 229423). She clerked for Judge William McCurine (Ret.) of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, then joined Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton LLP in San Diego, handling employer-side labor and employment matters—individual suits, administrative proceedings, and wage and hour class actions in state and federal courts.

In 2013 Sherr joined Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL) as General Counsel. When President and Dean Joan Bullock resigned, TJSL split the role: Sherr became Interim President while keeping the General Counsel position, and Linda Keller became Interim Dean. Both were made permanent in June 2020. Following the death of President and Dean Dawn Dekle, Keller was appointed President and Dean in July 2025; Sherr continued as General Counsel. In 2023, Sherr and Keller appeared on the cover of the San Diego Attorney Journal in a feature on the school's efforts to expand access to legal education in California. She is a member of the San Diego County Bar Association.

Officiating career

Sherr began officiating after retiring from competition. By 2012 she was chair of the U.S. Synchronized Skating Committee within United States Figure Skating; at the time of her Hall of Fame induction she was described as the youngest American international synchronized skating judge then active.

In the 2025–26 season she held three ISU appointments in synchronized skating: International Judge, International Referee, and International Technical Controller. She officiated the 2026 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and judged the ISU Synchronized Skating Junior World Championships in March 2026. At the national level she has also served as referee, technical controller, and technical specialist for United States Figure Skating.

ISU Technical Committee

At the 60th Ordinary ISU Congress in Tenerife, Spain, on June 12, 2026, Sherr ran for chair of the ISU Synchronized Skating Technical Committee, losing to Nina Bischoff of Switzerland by one vote, 59–58. Delegates then voted her onto the committee, where she will serve alongside Jennifer Betts of Canada and Ida Hellström of Finland through the 2026–2030 term.

U.S. Figure Skating President Kevin Rosenstein commented: "Karin brings extensive expertise in synchronized skating and a great eye toward detail. I think what she's going to be able to provide in terms of leadership as part of the tech committee is awesome."

Synchronized skating was added to the 2030 Winter Olympics program in July 2026, with teams of nine skaters competing in a knockout format called Synchro9.

Miami University Hall of Fame

Sherr was inducted into the Miami University Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 2012–13, the first synchronized skater the program had honored with the distinction. Her induction class included Ben Roethlisberger, the former Miami RedHawks quarterback who won two Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Being able to represent my school and my country was an experience that few even imagine, much less get to be a part of," she told the school's alumni publication. "I am grateful for the opportunities the sport has provided and the ability to continue participating as an official."

Karin Sherr Trophy

Miami University's synchronized skating program created the Karin Sherr Trophy in 2014, awarded each year to the skater who best "embodies a true commitment to excellence both on and off the ice." The recipient is chosen by vote of the full program membership and supporting staff, weighted across five areas: academics, athletics, community service, self-development, and team contribution. Senior Colleen Clancy was the first recipient, in 2014.

Family

Sherr's maternal grandfather, Calvin John Pancheri, was born in Norway, Michigan and served as a Yeoman Third Class in the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. He was assigned to Eldorado, the amphibious force flagship of Admiral Richmond K. Turner, and saw action in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns. He was later interred with full military honors at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.

In September 2014, Sherr joined the Poway Kiwanis Club. Her mother Patti Ryder and grandfather Cal Pancheri had both been members, making her the third generation of the family in the club.

External links

• Karin Sherr at Miami University Athletics Hall of Fame
• Karin Sherr at Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• State Bar of California Profile
• "Lundgren, Bates, Sherr Named To Top ISU Posts" at U.S. Figure Skating (June 12, 2026)

Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:American female figure skaters Category:Figure skating officials Category:American lawyers Category:California lawyers Category:Miami University alumni Category:Washington and Lee University School of Law alumni Category:People from Poway, California Category:People from San Diego, California