Heather Mannix was named a manager of player development for USA Hockey in November 2022 after three years as an ADM manager of female hockey. She specifically works with local hockey associations and programs nationwide to support age-appropriate training, competition and long-term athlete development.

Growing up playing hockey in the Detroit metro area with both the Michigan Capitals and Little Caesars programs, Mannix comes to USA Hockey with a background in sport and exercise psychology and has spent the past six years working on federally funded research focused on what makes playing sports fun for children, in an effort to sustain youth sports participation.

Mannix most presented her research at USA Hockey coaching clinics in and around Michigan. Her research included both establishing evidence-based program guidelines for creating the most fun and positive sport experiences for children, in addition to providing consultation on physical literacy programming and education.

Mannix also has experience as a Corrective Exercise Specialist at APEX Physical Therapy where she helped develop exercise programs for athletes. Mannix earned her M.S. in exercise science at George Washington University, and studied biology at Wayne State University.