Our Staff
Meet Our Front Desk Crew
 Maria Lawrence
Reception
 Jodi Rudolph
Reception
 Kim Montana
Reception
 Christy Dahl
Reception
Kindergym
 Susan Norrid
KinderGym Director (Morning)
(Safety & CPR Certified, Instructor Member USAG)
Susan began her KinderGym teaching career 5 years ago, and has become one of the most requested coaches to date. Born and raised in Arizona, she attended Xavier High School in Phoenix, competing in Tennis and Softball, and later graduated College, receiving a Degree in Dental Hygiene. While maintaining her job as a Dental Hygienist for 15 years, she developed an interest in preschool gymnastics. Susan is a wonderful mother of 2 sons and has been married for 14 years. Today, Susan stays fit by Hiking and Running. She is very active in her community, at church and is a positive role model for all children, enriching their lives through movement.
 Gabby Wooldridge
KinderGym Director (Afternoon)
Girls Developmental Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Instructor Member USAG)
Bio Coming Soon
 Brittany Scherba
KinderGym/Cheer Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Instructor Member USAG)
Bio Coming Soon
Girls Recreational Gymnastics
 Ashleigh Sickles
Girls Recreational Director
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Ashleigh grew up in Fairfax Virginia where she was a State Gymnastics Champion and International and National Power Tumbling Champion. Ashleigh spent some time studying martial arts, many years in dance and played softball for her high school. After graduating High School with Honors, Ashleigh moved to Arizona where she attended Arizona State University graduating in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. In 2004, Ashleigh decided to try her hand at coaching recreational gymnastics in Scottsdale, AZ. As everything else she does in her life, Ashleigh puts all her efforts into making gymnastics fun, exciting, and challenging while providing your child the opportunity to move up in skill level with confidence, and determination. We are excited to watch Ashleigh grow the North Valley Girls Recreational program and join our dedicated coaching staff.
 Joy Donaldson
Girls Recreational Coach/ Girls Team Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Joy has been involved in gymnastics since the age of 3. She competed as an optional at All-American Gymnastics Academy winning many competitions. She competed and placed in the South Dakota State Meet, Regionals, and Nationals. After high school she went on to compete in the all-around at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire where she competed in the WIAC Gymnastics Championships and Regionals. She graduated in 2002 with a degree in Advertising and Marketing. Before moving to Arizona she was the team Level 5 coach at Siouxland Gymnastics in Sioux City, IA. Many of her girls become State Champions. Since living in Arizona she has coached everything from kinderGym classes, girls recreational to competitive team. Joy currently works at Tempo Creative as an Account Manager. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, running half marathons and doing triathlons. She is very excited to be sharing her lifetime of experiences with our kids at North Valley.
Girls Developmental Director
 Samantha Wooldridge
Girls Developmental Director/
Girls Level 4 Team Coach Tops Evaluator/ Judge
(CPR & Safety Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Samantha has been involved in the sport of gymnastics for over 20 years. She started her competitive gymnastic career here in Phoenix where she was born and raised. Sam won her first State championship at Level 6 when She was just 10 years old. Gymnastics has been a very influential part of her life which has paved the way for her many other interests. In 2003, she won the Arizona State Diving Championship. She has also been competitive in Dance and Track. She has had a wide variety of experience in coaching from recreational to competitive gymnastics. Today, she specializes in the developmental process of gymnastic training. Sam is in her 5th year of coaching developmental kids and Compulsory Girls Level 4 team. Sam’s primary goal at NVG is to utilize her skills and knowledge of gymnastics to enhance the lives of all her students. We are proud to have her as part of our NVG Coaching staff.
 Rachel Ribars
Girls Developmental Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Rachel hales from Brunswick, Ohio where her Mother owned a gymnastics training center. Being raised in the gym, she started competitive gymnastics at the age of 9 and achieved success through Level 9, when she had to retire due to an injury. During that time frame, she also did competitive Cheer for 2 years. She has been coaching gymnastics for 11 years and fell in love with the intensity and perfection of the sport. Her favorite events as a gymnast were Floor and Vault. As a coach, she really enjoys Vault and Beam. Rachel moved to Phoenix a gear ago and loves the warm weather here. She comes to North valley with vast gymnastics experience and is working with the Developmental program. She is excited to work with your children and to be a part of the NVG family.
 Ashley Beasley
Girls Developmental Coach/Open Gym/ Birthday Parties
(CPR & Safety Certified)
Ashley has been involved in gymnastics for over 13 years. She started competitive gymnastics by the age of 7 and has competed through optional level 8, excelling in the floor exercise and vault. Entering into High School she found that her interests had changed as she became more involved in after school dance programs. She has continued her passion for dance by training 7 hours a week at Diverse Elements Dance Studio. Ashley is a junior and honor student at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale. She is very involved in her youth group at church as well as her community, and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of the sport with her future students.
 Annie Campbell
Girls Developmental Coach/Girls Recreational
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Bio Coming Soon.
Girls Team Directors
 Emily Pivin
Girls Team Director
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Member USAG)
Emily started gymnastics at the age of 4 at Buckeye Gymnastics in Ohio. At the age of 8, her career in gymnastics began to flourish as she continued her training at GymMarin in California, winning the California State Championship Title 3 years in a row. As she moved to optional gymnastics( levels 7-9) she won 2 more State Championship Titles, and became a regional and National qualifier. Emily graduated High School and attended Arizona State University. She made the ASU Women’s Gymnastic Team her freshman year, but due to a knee injury was unable to continue her training. She began her coaching career along side Olga Korbut, who focused mainly on preparing young girls for team. This would prove to be a great experience, as later she would become one of Arizona’s great compulsory team coaches. She has been coaching team girls now for over 10 years. Emily has been married for 3 years, and is expecting her first child in October.
 La Shawn Benson
Girls Compulsory Team Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, USAG Professional Membership)
La Shawn started gymnastics at 6 years old at Leading Edge Gymnastics in Everett, Washington. From an early age it seemed that her talent and passion for the sport would be an advantage for her. By age 8, she was already winning state championships and several event and all-around titles. She added Ballet and Jazz to her formal training to strengthen her competitive performance. By age 11 she had competed through level 9 when she incurred a serious injury which prevented her from continuing with her gymnastic career. She began coaching at the age of 16 to share with the children the knowledge and passion she began at such an early age. Since
La Shawn has always had a love of dance, she has been able to incorporate her two passions together and become one of Arizona’s most respected and competitive dancers. She has gone on to win several national dance titles and has been sponsored by Southpole, Sedgewick, and Cedar Clothing companies. With over 15 years of experience in gymnastics and dance we are truly excited to have La Shawn join the NVG coaching staff.
 Kristine Jones
Girls Team Program Director
(Safety & CPR Certified, Compulsory Level 4-6 Judge
Professional Member USAG)
Kristine has been involved in the sport of gymnastics for over 23 years. She started gymnastics at the age of 11 and rapidly advanced through the levels and became a team gymnast. By the age of 17 she was an optional level Gymnast excelling on both bars and floor and choreographing her own routines. Her plans for College were to be a specialist on Bars until a wrist injury prevented her from college competition, this eventually led her into a full time coaching position. She has coached classes at some of the top gymnastic clubs from Mom & Tot, Recreational Girls, Compulsory girls team levels 4-6, Optional level girls team, and Pre- Elites.
Her passion for the sport of gymnastics shows through each and every practice, as she shares her knowledge and experience with her fellow coaches and her athletes. She is highly motivated, organized and knowledgeable Director.
Kristine has a 9 year old daughter Arianna who is a dancer and also participates in our T&T program. We are very excited to have Kristine be part of the North Valley Coaching staff.
 Valentine Marshall
Girls Compulsary Team Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Compulsory Level 4-6 Judge
Professional Member USAG)
Bio Coming Soon.
 Jon Aitken
Girls Compulsary & Optional Team Bar Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Membership USAG)
North Valley is proud to welcome Coach Jon Aitken to the coaching staff as part of the Girls Team program. Coach Jon is a legend in Arizona gymnastics and is in the Hall of Fame at both the University of New Mexico and the Arizona Women’s Gymnastics Association.
Coach Jon comes to NVG with a lifetime of gymnastics experience, both as an elite athlete and as an elite coach. He coached Team USA around the world in Belgium, Russia, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and Italy.
Born in southeastern Arizona, Coach Jon always had a passion and a gift for gymnastics. He was the Arizona All-Around Champion in High School and chose to attend the University of New Mexico because UNM was building a gymnastics powerhouse with National Champions. His senior year at UNM he won the National Title on High Bar. He also won four All-American titles and was nominated for the Nissen Award, the highest award in collegiate gymnastics for combined academic and athletic achievement. Following graduation from UNM, Coach Jon went to Southern Illinois to train and coach, returning each summer to help coach clinics with his friend Stormy Eaton. Eventually, he and Stormy opened their own gym and in 27 years, produced 64 nationally prominent athletes with Collegiate Scholarships as well as two members of the 1990 World Championship Team. He also designed, built and was the founding partner at another facility in Arizona.
Twice nominated for USA Coach of the Year, in 1991, Jon was Arizona’s Coach of the Year. His athletes have won 9 international and world medals, including two USA bar champions and 6th place on bars at the World Cup.
Coach Jon has a B.S. from the University of New Mexico; a M.A. from Southern Illinois University; a M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University; and a M.Ed. from Arizona State University. For the past 11 years, Jon has taught in the Arizona public school system.
Boys Recreational Gymnastics/ Boys Team Director
 Travis Rainer
Director of Boys Programs/Boys Team Director
(Safety & CPR Certified, EMT & First Aid Certification, Professional Member USAG)
Travis has been involved in the sport of gymnastics for over 17 years. He was a competitive gymnast, competing in club gymnastics as well as at the high school level. He began his coaching career in 1999, building the boys recreational and competitive gymnastics team through the YMCA. He had multiple successes over 7 years as his team increased to over 35 competitive boys ranging from levels 4 – 10. His boys team had many state and regional all-around champions, including national qualifiers and event titles. Soon there after, another opportunity arose when he was asked to train the competitive girl’s level 5 – 10 team at another local gym in 2008. Once again, gaining many state, regional, and national champions. Travis has been educated in coaching gymnastics through many elite and Olympic level coaches, clinics, sanctioned congresses, and literature over the past 10 years.
 Augustine Gamboa
Boys Team Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, Professional Members USAG)
Bio Coming Soon
 A.J. Kissee
Boys Recreational Coach/Camp Counselor/Open Gym/Birthday Parties
(Safety & CPR Certified, USAG Athlete Membership)
A.J. Kissee has been involved in gymnastics since he was 4 years old. He progressed through boy’s competitive level 6, with his strongest events being pommel horse, rings, and vault. Entering into High School, his interests changed as he decided to play on the JV Hockey Team at Pinnacle High School. This year he has returned to his first love of gymnastics and is again training on the boy’s team as an optional Level 8. His hobbies include, skateboarding, Creative Arts, and spending time with his friends. A.J. is sophomore and honor student at Pinnacle High School and is also involved with his church youth group at North Bible Church. He is currently interning with Travis in the boys recreational program, and is looking forward to coaching his own classes next year!
 Michael Puskas
Boys Recreational Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, USAG Athlete Membership)
Bio Coming Soon
Trampoline & Tumbling (T&T)
 Camille Walker
T & T Coach
Open Gym/Birthday Parties
(Safety & CPR Certified)
Camille is a sophomore and honors student at Horizon High School. She is very involved in their Choir program and Creative Arts.Camille finds passion in singing, dancing and performing on stage. She has always enjoyed babysitting, and working with and helping children of all ages. We are excited to have her join the NVG Staff!
Cheer
 Kendal Tate
Cheer Coach/Tumbling Coach
(Safety & CPR Certified, ISAF Certification)
Bio Coming Soon.
Dance & Fitness
 Francoise Joubert
Ballet, Pilates Instructor, Choreographer
(Safety & CPR Certified)
Francoise began her dance studies in Bordeaux, France at 6 years old in the company of Jarquis de Luevas. She also studied in Canner, France under Rosella Hightower, Andrew Glegosky, Solange Golovine and Olga Stens (character). She started her career at the Opera de Bordeaux (Grand Theatre) in France under Maitre Skouratoff.
She began her teaching career in France and has continued here in the United States at the Ballet Conservatory in Palos Verde, CA for 4 years. In 2002, she received a prestigious teacher recognition award from the National Arts Foundation. In 2006, she furthered her career by getting certified in Pilates. Françoise presence in AZ is well known as a Ballet/Pointe instructor and Choreographer and is excited to be sharing her knowledge and experience to the kids at NVG.
Special Needs Program
 Bernie Ray
Special Needs Director
(Safety & CPR Certified, USAG Professional Membership, KAT Certified)
Bernie has been involved in gymnastics for over 20 years. She began her coaching career in Boise, Idaho where she coached for 6 years. She moved to Arizona in 1995 for a more challenging experience, which was Director of a gym in the west valley. She has coached every aspect of gymnastics including parent-tot classes, pre-school, recreational girls and boys, developmental and competitive team girls, as well as competitive cheerleading. Bernie’s focus changed in 2004. her love for the sport led her into new and innovative areas. She started her own program working specifically with special needs students. She specializes in one- on- one physical activity instruction, using gymnastics equipment, for special needs children. As one parent says, “its’ physical therapy and occupational therapy in a fun and safe environment”.
Camp Counselors/Open Gym/ Birthday Parties
 Emily Wykoff
Camp Counselor/Open Gym Coach/Birthday Parties
(Safety & CPR Certified)
Emily is a high school student at Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek. She started gymnastics at the age of 4, at a local gym in Arizona. Her passion for gymnastics grew as she progressed through competitive levels 4-8, and placed in the top 3 at many of Arizona’s State Meets. Today,
Emily has become passionate about dance and trains 18 hours a week at
Diverse Elements Dance Studio. Her hopes are to become part of their competitive dance program.
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