Arena Professional Skating Staff
Qualifications and other details for our Professional Coaching Staff are listed below and private instruction is available by making arrangements directly with the Coach. Use the contact form, or email your desired coach directly from the links below.
Check for Pro/Coach Availability.
| Head Coach Emeritus - Lloyd "Skippy" Baxter Skippy began skating in November 1929 in Oakland, CA and began coaching in 1956. Skippy's professional career has spanned more than 6 decades and included 5,532 consecutive performances with the Rockefeller Center Theatre and The Hollywood Ice Revue with Sonia Henie. He qualified for the 1940 Olympic team, but didn't get to go due to World War II. Skippy was promoted to Head Coach Emeritus in December 2009 and is not available for private instruction, but he is still active around the Arena. |
| William Abel
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| Tahlma Ahlers |
| Stephanie Coretti Stephanie was born and raised in Santa Rosa and has been skating at Snoopy's Home Ice since 1992. She has been skating competitively since 1994. In April 2008, Stephanie traveled to Lake Placid, NY and won the gold medal in the Championship Masters Ladies division at the United States Adult Figure Skating National Championships. Her other competitive accomplishments include overall Crystalline Classic Champion in 2002 and made 2 other appearances at the Adult National Championships. She is a U.S. Figure Skating double gold medalist in Freestyle and Moves in the Field and silver medalist in Ice Dance. Stephanie skated in her first amateur show in the mid nineties and skated in numerous Charles M Schulz Ice Skating Shows since 2001. She is a member of the Professional Skaters Association and US Figure Skating. She has been teaching ice skating for over 8 years in both volunteer and professional roles. She enjoys the fulfillment she gets from watching her students improve and gain confidence. Her lessons focus on all aspects of ice skating such as stroking, spinning, posture, and jumping. Email Stephanie at sk8rsteph@aol.com |
| Faye Ghielmetti Faye has been coaching since 1974 and is rated in Freestyle by the Professional Skaters Association. She is a native San Franciscan and trained in the Bay Area and Squaw Valley. Faye attended college in Reno, Nevada, and has coached in Squaw Valley, San Francisco, Reno, and Santa Rosa. She was the Skating Director, a competitive coach, and the club show choreographer at the Meadowood Ice Arena in Reno. Faye has been at the REIA since 1980 and coaches competitive, showcase, and recreational skaters in Moves in the Field, Freestyle, and Choreography. Faye has had students achieve Gold Medals in Moves in the Field, Freestyle, and Figures, and some have continued in the skating profession as successful coaches and featured performers in professional ice shows. Faye can be contacted directly at skateandlabs@aol.com to schedule a lesson. |
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Melissa Leonard
Melissa is a Sonoma county native who began skating at Snoopy's Home Ice in 1991 and has been teaching since 1999. She has competed and trained all over the central pacific region and has also performed in many amateur and professional ice shows. Some of these shows include Santa Rosa Figure Skating Club spring shows, Beaglefest and special holiday events at Snoopy's Home Ice. Since turning professional in 1999, she has skated in numerous summer and Christmas ice shows produced by Woodstock Ice Productions, and has been a featured performer for several of them. Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts with a concentration in dance from Sonoma State University. She is highly trained in choreography, character work, and dance. Melissa teaches tots through adults and focuses on spins, artistry, edges and choreography. She is a US Figure Skating and Professional Skaters Association member. Melissa enjoys competing at the adult level and shares her love and passion for skating with her students. Email Melissa at SkaterCoachMel@gmail.com |
| Ainis Lejins Ainis has been coaching since 1981 and is rated by the Professional Skaters Association in Freestyle, Moves in the Field, and Dance. He was the National Champion of Latvia from 1972-1979 and won International Awards in Men's and Ice Dance from 1974-1980. Ainis trained in the Ludmila Pachamova Ice Dance Group in Moscow 1976-1981, he passed the ISU Ice Dance Judge's Seminar in 1992, and he has performed in many Charles M. Schulz Ice Show Productions. He taught Freestyle and Dance in several European Countries before coming to Santa Rosa in 1994. Ainis now coaches competitive, showcase, and recreational skaters in Freestyle, Dance, and Moves in the Field. |
| Judy Levesque Born and raised in San Francisco, Judy began skating in 1956 at Sutro’s Ice Arena with the San Francisco Figure Skating Club. She competed all over California including the Central Pacific Regional competition. At Regionals she competed at the novice and junior level and placed in the top four numerous times. She has tested through her fifth test in figures and freestyle. As a teenager in 1968 she joined Ice Follies and skated with them until 1970. In the early 70s she began teaching at Snoopy’s Home Ice but took a break to raise her three children. In 1997 she resumed coaching at Snoopy’s Home Ice. Since then she has taught group and private lessons, basic skills, and school program. She currently resides in Santa Rosa and is a member of the Santa Rosa Figure Skating Club. Judy enjoys watching her young student’s progress with confidence through the world of figure skating. |
| Choeleen Loundagin Choeleen has been coaching since 1992 and is Master Rated in Freestyle by the Professional Skaters Association. Her students have won 4 U.S. Adult National Championship titles, and she won the adult pair title with her partner William Abel in 2007. Choeleen is a U.S. Figure Skating Triple Gold Medalist in Freestyle, Moves in the Field, and Figures, traveled extensively overseas as a principle performer in Walt Disney on Ice, and has been featured in a variety of Charles M. Schulz Ice Show Productions since 1985. Choeleen holds an MA in Sport Psychology, has a private practice as a performance enhancement consultant, authored The Inner Champion: A Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure Skaters, and she co-produced Skate for the Love CD. She coaches tots through adults of all levels in Moves, Freestyle, and Choreography, and specializes in coaching US Figure Skating competitive skaters in the IJS system. Choeleen emphasizes the development of the mind/body connection and encourages the application of the athletic experience to enhance life beyond skating. Choeleen can be contacted directly at inrchamp@aol.com to schedule a lesson. |
| Lisa Navarro Lisa was a national and world professional pair skater with partner Dan Henry. Their 27 year career included worldwide tours with Ice Capades and Holiday on Ice, the original Nutcracker on Ice, numerous Christmas shows, and seven television specials. Lisa, a USFSA gold medalist, has been on the teaching staff of the REIA since 1980. She has co-directed and choreographed the amateur ice shows for the SRFSC and has been the associate choreographer for several professional shows including the popular Christmas ice show. |
| Colleen Phillips Colleen is a United States National and International Coach with over 30 years of experience. She began her coaching career in 1974. She has coached exceptional skaters during this time, and continues to work with all levels of skaters, from beginners to championship level. Her accomplishments include:
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| Paul Spruell Paul has been coaching since 1971 and is a double Gold Medalist. He was a five time United States National Championships competitor in singles and dance and was an alternate on the US World Team. Paul enjoys teaching the technical, artistic and expressive aspects of skating in Moves in the Field, Dance and Freestyle. Paul has had numerous Gold Medalists in Moves in the Field, Compulsory Dance, Free Dance and Freestyle and he has taught both US and Canadian Champions in singles and dance as well as International Ice Dance and US Olympic Competitors. |
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