FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SHARON COHEN
Sharon Cohen is a United States Figure Skating Association gold test medalist in figures and freestyle and a gold level ice dancer. In her youth, she trained with Olympic coaches Carlo Fassi, Arthur Bourque and Ron Ludington and competed in regional and sectional competitions. At the age of 16, Ms. Cohen left competitive skating and pursued her academic studies. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in political Science and received a Masters degree in film writing and directing from New York University. Her interest in the former Soviet Union led her to produce an award-winning documentary called Visions of Russia: A Granddaughter Returns, and her short films earned her a Scorsese Award and a Warner Bros. Award, among others. Ms. Cohen worked for three years on the production staff of the CBS News broadcast 48 Hours. In 1990, she began teaching skating to a handful of girls at a community-based youth organization in East Harlem called Upward, Inc. Ms. Cohen volunteered at Upward, Inc. for seven years, helping to build the first after-school ice skating and education program of its kind. In 1997, Ms. Cohen launched Figure Skating in Harlem as an independent organization, where she has continued to serve as executive director. Ms. Cohen has been a guest speaker at the Professional Skaters Association/Ice Skating Institute national conference and completed a certificate program in non-profit management at Columbia University Business School.

EDUCATION DIRECTOR, BERNICE DEABREU
Bernice DeAbreu brings more than 30 years of teaching experience to Figure Skating in Harlem. She is certified by the New York Board of Education and specializes in computer literacy and elementary education. Ms. DeAbreu possesses a strong background in literacy development and has an outstanding record teaching multicultural, special needs, and at-risk students at Harlem area schools. She holds a Master’s degree from Long Island University and a Bachelor of Science degree from New York City Community College. She currently teaches at the Talented and Gifted School in District 4. Ms. DeAbreu has also served as executive director and education director of Upward, Inc., an East Harlem-based youth organization where she designed and implemented a tutorial program, technology curriculum, pioneered adult education and co-founded the girls skating initiative, which was the predecessor to Figure Skating in Harlem.

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, TRUDY ANITA STALLINGS
Trudy Stallings’ professional and volunteer experiences with non-profit organizations date back 12 years. Before joining Figure Skating in Harlem, Trudy held the principal responsibility for government and foundation fundraising at The Harlem School of the Arts. In addition, she was also the director of development and administration at the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center, both Harlem based organizations. She received her BA in English and International Studies from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR, LISA SELIGER
Lisa came to FSH in September 2007. Before joining FSH, Lisa worked for CAMBA, where she started up and ran a large after-school program that provided academic, arts, recreation, and conflict resolution programs to elementary school children in Brooklyn. At the Association to Benefit Children in Harlem, Lisa facilitated program evaluations, assisted in grant and proposal writing, participated in a Parent Policy Council, and worked in a therapeutic after-school program where she ran girls’ groups focusing on self-esteem, self-confidence and social skills. Prior to that, Lisa was the Program Director for Real Options for City Kids, a sports and academic program for children in San Francisco. Lisa received her BA in Women’s Studies from Hamilton College and her MSW from the Columbia University School of Social Work.

SKATING DIRECTOR, AMY LUEBKE
Amy joined the FSH staff in 2003 and has served as Skating Instructor, Lead Tutor and Skating Director over the past four years. She earned her BA in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs and Spanish from Miami University (OH) and spent two years serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras where she worked as an Economic Development Consultant and Small Business Advisor. She earned her MS in Management and Urban Policy in 2005 from the Milano Graduate School at the New School. She is fluent in Spanish and has worked as a bilingual first grade teacher and has taught figure skating to youth and adults in Chicago and New York City since 1996. Amy is a USFSA double gold medalist and was a member of the nationally and internationally ranked Miami University Varsity Synchronized Skating Team. In addition to serving as Skating Director and Instructor at Figure Skating In Harlem, Amy works at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget.

[EDUCATION STAFF]

Bernice DeAbreu
Education Director

Karen Darr
Tutor

Jaki George
Social Worker

Ansamma James
Counselor

Paddy Kennedy
Public Speaking Teacher

Victoria Martinez
Counselor

Hilda Pacheco
Counselor

Lisa Torres
Counselor

Elaine White
Lead Tutor & Theory Teacher

Tifane Williams
Dance Instructor

[SKATING STAFF]

Amy Luebke
Skating Director

Brett Adamek
Skating Instructor

Stephanie Freundel
Skating Instructor

Sonja Gullen
Skating Instructor

Amanda Johnson
Skating Instructor

Katherine Shuman
Skating Instructor

Sara Syms
Skating Instructor

Margaret Thering
Skating Instructor

Rhena Wallace
Skating Instructor

Jacqueline Weinstein
Skating Instuctor