Becky Stump, Frog Pond Skating Academy Director
Becky has more than thirty years of coaching experience focusing on free skating and all levels of moves in the field and synchronized skating. Becky is currently a member of the Professional Skaters Association (PSA) Board of Governors and also Chair of the PSA Synchronized Team Committee. She is a frequent speaker at U.S. Figure Skating and PSA conferences and seminars, and is one of ten U.S. Figure Skating coaches selected to train American coaches and officials in the new 2010 Moves in the Field testing structure. Becky is the coach of several U.S. Figure Skating national and international synchronized skating teams. She is also a PSA international triple master rated certification in Moves in the Field, Group Instruction and Synchronized Team Skating, and a PSA certified rating in Free Skating and Figures. Becky holds a PSA Level V Ranking and is a PSA Ratings Examiner.
Robin Abraham
Robin has more than thirteen years of coaching experience, specializing in teaching beginners of all ages. As a competitive skater, she achieved a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medal in Free Skating and Moves in the Field. She was coached by Edouard Pliner and represented the Colonial Figure Skating Club. In 2000 Robin founded the Cornell Figure Skating Club and led the team to a National Title in 2003 at the U.S. Intercollegiate Team Championships. In the summer of 2004 she was invited to do a short professional stint as a member of Tonia Kwiatowski’s team in the Major League Figure Skating Championships and Ice Extravaganza. Robin has a Bachelor of Science in Design and Environmental Analysis from Cornell University and works as a Senior Interior Designer / Manager at ADD Inc. in Boston. She is currently working on re-positioning a corporate office building in the highly competitive downtown market and a multi-unit residential project in the innovation district.
Alyssa Blackwell
Alyssa is a former U.S. National Championship competitor in Ice Dancing and a former U.S. National Champion in Synchronized skating. She has also served as head coach for U.S. Junior National Championship competitors and U.S. Adult National Championship competitors. Ms. Blackwell is a PSA rated coach with 13 years of experience. Alyssa is a Cleveland, OH native, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. She is also the proud mother of two children. Alyssa loves introducing new skaters to the sport that she loves, young or old!
Heather Dillman
Heather has experience coaching young children and choreographing group performances at a summer day camp in Princeton, New Jersey. She was a Synchronized Skating National Competitor with the Skyliners Junior Team, as well as with New Jersey’s first senior synchronized skating team. Heather has achieved a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Test Medal in Moves in the Field and the Pre-Gold Test Medal in Ice Dance. Having been trained in almost all disciplines of skating, she has also passed the Intermediate test levels in Freestyle and Free Dance. In 2007, Heather became the Founder and President of Gettysburg College’s Figure Skating Team. During her skating career she has trained with Olympic Champion Russian coaches Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov. Outside of skating, Heather is a member of the Marketing team at Ropes & Gray.
Amy Hanson-Kuleszka
For more than twenty years, Amy has coached all levels of skating: beginners through National competitors. Devoting many hours apprenticing with some of the sport’s most accomplished coaches, Amy traveled with students to training camps like Ice Castles, the University of Delaware, and the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. Through PSA, Amy earned a Master Rating in Moves in the Field, a Senior Rating in Freestyle and a Level III (Jr. National) Ranking. As a PSA Area Representative, Amy keeps all area coaches updated on rule changes, technical clarifications and serves as a liaison to the PSA. Whether it’s choreographing a program, teaching tots, or mentoring a new coach, Amy’s goal is to empower each athlete to maximize his or her fullest potential. Amy is also the proud mother of four-year-old Mickey and one-year-old Max!
Sabina Krillov
Sabina has five years of coaching experience and primarily teaches children of various ages. She has been volunteering with children for the past seven years. Sabina is a student at Boston University majoring in Business. She is a Synchronized Skating National Competitor, Captain of the Boston University Synchronized Skating Team, and a member of the Boston University Figure Skating Club. Sabina holds U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medals in both Moves in the Field and Free Skate, as well as a Bronze Medal in Ice Dance. She is a member of PSA, and also has experience judging basic skills competitions.
Kiva Leibowitz
Kiva is excited to be entering her eighth year as a skating coach. She enjoys coaching those who are just beginning to skate, as well as those with disabilities, and helping her skaters spark a life-long love of the sport! She holds a U.S. Figure Skating Silver Medal in Moves in the Field, and has passed the Pre-Juvenile Free Skate test, she is also a current PSA member. Kiva has taught beginning level synchronized skating teams for the past five years for Icing on the Cape. She is a U.S. National Synchronized Skating Bronze Medalist, and a current skater of Team Excel’s Senior Synchronized Skating Team. In addition to teaching at the Frog Pond, she is also the Assistant to the Director of The Skating Club of Boston’s Skating Academy. Kiva loves working with children, holds a degree in Childhood Development and Elementary Education from Wheelock College, and is thrilled to put her patience and teaching skills to work on the ice.
Katie O’Connell
Katie has been teaching skating for five years, and loves to work with kids on the ice! Katie is a U.S. Figure Skating double gold medalist in Moves in the Field and Free Skate. She has competed regularly at the regional level, and internationally with The Skating Club of Boston’s Theatre on Ice team, Act 1. She recently graduated from Franklin Pierce University with a degree in Sports and Recreation Management. Katie is looking forward to sharing her passion for skating, and applying the skills she learned while earning her degree, here at the Frog Pond!
Fred Palascak
Fred has 17 years coaching experience focused on recreational and competitive Free Skating, Pairs, and Moves in the Field. His professional skating experience includes 13 years as a principle skater in various professional skating shows, with his wife, Melanie Lambert. Fred may be most known for being the Season One Champion of ABC’s “Skating with the Stars.” As a competitor, Fred was a seven-time U.S. National competitor, 2-time U.S. National Medalist (Junior Pairs and Novice Men’s), and two-time U.S. Eastern Sectional Pair Champion. He also holds a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Test in Pairs, and U.S. Figure Skating Silver Tests in Free Skating and Figures. He is a PSA Registered Coach in Freestyle and Pairs, and is a certified Hockey instructor. Fred received his BA in Secondary Education from Boston College.
Chynna Pope
Chynna is a native Bostonian who grew up next door to the Frog Pond on Beacon Hill. She started skating at the age of two. As a skater Chynna was a two-time New England Regional Medalist and a U.S. Figure Skating Eastern Sectionals Competitor. Chynna also competed internationally. In addition to her competitive background, she has five years of coaching experience in Figure Skating, Theatre On Ice, and Ice Hockey. Chynna has recently returned from three years of coaching in Ireland where she started and ran a skating school. While in Ireland, Chynna coached the Irish National Novice Ladies Champion and served as the power skating coach for the U18 Irish Ice Hockey Team. Chynna is excited to pass on her love for the sport to new and returning Frog Pond skaters this season!
Courtney Richiutus
Courtney has been a member of The Skating Club of Boston since the age of six. She has eight years of experience teaching both children and adults at The Skating Club of Boston and Bay State Skating School. She is a regional, national, and international competitor and medalist in various disciplines of figure skating. Courtney teaches figure skating and choreography and is a PSA member. She has participated in numerous shows, and also has experience judging basic skills competitions.
Cheri Rigby, The Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy Director
Cheri is the Director of all programs for the The Skating Club of Boston Skating Academy. She is as passionate about figure skating today as she was attending her first ice show at the age of five. Her teaching philosophy centers on the importance of developing strong foundational skills. In her words, “Building a solid foundation is the very essence of success in both skating and real life.” For that reason, Cheri has steadfastly taught skating to students of all ages and in a variety of disciplines for more than thirty years.
Cheri was an elite competitive ice dancer at The Skating Club of Boston, a U.S. Figure Skating Novice Dance Champion, and a United States National Synchronized Skating Champion. Additionally, Cheri is a registered nurse. Her teaching style incorporates her expertise with proper body mechanics, anatomy and physiology in order to develop the whole skater. Cheri is also a mom, and understands child development, interests and well being as only a dedicated parent can.
Emily Una Weirich, Private Lesson Coordinator
Emily has more than a decade of experience working with skaters of all ages teaching basic skills, free skating, and Moves in the Field – all while sharing her love of skating with her students! She is a current member of the PSA, and holds Certified ratings in Group Instruction and Program Direction, as well as a Registered rating in Moves in the Field. She is a current skater on Team Excel’s Senior Synchronized Skating Team, holds a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medal in Moves in the Field, and has passed the Intermediate Free Skating test. In addition to skating, Emily continues to pursue interests in photography and arts librarianship; she holds a MA in Art History from the University of Arizona, a BS in Visual Communication from Ohio University, is working on a second Masters Degree in Library Science at Simmons College, and is currently a Public Services Supervisor at the Harvard Fine Arts Library.
