Lauren McArdle is a former professional ballet dancer who performed as a Soloist with The Sarasota Ballet and danced with The National Ballet of Canada in Toronto. She has appeared in lead and featured roles by Balanchine, Ashton, Robbins, Tharp, Taylor, Graham, and MacMillan, and trained and performed in Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, Pennsylvania, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Paris.

Lauren holds a Master’s in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Western States and is completing the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential. She earned a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Kinesiology and Sport and Performance Psychology, graduating summa cum laude from California Baptist University. Lauren has extensive experience with youth and adolescent performance populations and was selected to join the Mental Performance Team at IMG Academy during the 2025 summer. She presents at numerous conferences, including those of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), and is dedicated to helping athletes and performing artists develop mental skills for excellence, enjoyment, and long-term well-being on and off the stage.

Lauren McArdle is a former professional ballet dancer who performed as a Soloist with The Sarasot... Read More

Ashley Wagner is an Olympic figure skater, World silver medalist, and three-time U.S. National Champion with nearly two decades of experience competing for Team USA on the world’s biggest stages. Known for her mental grit, leadership, and ability to perform under pressure, Ashley now brings that same expertise into her work in mental health and performance coaching.

She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Northeastern University, where she graduated summa cum laude, and is currently earning her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Ashley is also working toward certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. After stepping back from competitive ice, she has focused on helping athletes, performers, and high-achieving professionals develop the mindset and mental tools to sustain performance, navigate setbacks, and stay connected to purpose.

Ashley’s work focuses on equipping athletes with the mental skills essential for high performance. Drawing from her experience as an elite competitor, she understands the psychological demands of sport and the identity challenges often accompanying transitions, injury, and burnout. Her approach blends evidence-based mental performance strategies with insight from her time with Team USA to help athletes build resilience, recover from setbacks, and develop a mindset that supports excellence and well-being. Ashley is passionate about assisting clients shift from chasing perfection to pursuing fulfillment - redefining success by their own standards and showing up fully in their sport and life.

Ashley Wagner is an Olympic figure skater, World silver medalist, and three-time U.S. National Ch... Read More

Arianna Ciccarelli Shimits, MA, CMPC, Co-Founder of Persistence Psych, holds a Master’s in Sport and Performance Psychology. A former professional ballet dancer, she earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Arizona State University. Transitioning from ballet, she pursued an MA in SPP and is currently a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Springfield College. Arianna applies her expertise to various fields, working with performers like dancers, musicians, athletes, surgeons, and more. Passionate about enhancing performance, she believes in combining rigorous physical training with SPP for optimal results.

Arianna Ciccarelli Shimits, MA, CMPC, Co-Founder of Persistence Psych, holds a Master’s in Sport ... Read More