Meet the Team

Co-Founder

Physical Therapist, Pilates Teacher, and Educator. Alyssa has been in the gymnastics world since 1980’s as a competitive gymnast, coach, gymnast mom, physical therapist, and researcher. Gymnastics has shaped almost every aspect of her life and she is honored to give back to the sport.

Co-Founder

Gymnastics Team, Recreational, and Preschool Coach and Curriculum Developer. Jessica Wickizer is an active member of USA Gymnastics as a judge, choreographer, and nationally rated coach. She began her career in high school, and after 20 years of coaching competitive teams, she maintains a relentless enthusiasm for the sport of gymnastics.

Director of Operations

Ayane was competitive gymnast for 13 years. Through gymSAFE, she is working to provide resources for the gymnastics community to increase the longevity of healthy individuals in the sport. She is currently a Student Physical Therapist in UCSF/SFSU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

President

Nadia is a current third year student at Northeastern University majoring in Public Health with a minor in Spanish. She also currently hopes to go to medical school. She has been a gymnast her whole life and prior to moving to Boston for college, she competed JO and finished off her senior year of high school as a level 9. Nadia now competes as a part of Northeastern’s Club Gymnastics team.

Vice President

Luci is a former level 9 gymnast and a freshman at Northeastern University. She feels that it is very important to keep gymnasts safe throughout the entire year, both physically and mentally, to maintain a healthy and fun relationship with gymnastics. A big reason she joined the Athlete Leadership Council is because she understands the physical and mental challenges of being a gymnast.

Fundraising and Grants Manager

Kassandra was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. She started her gymnastics career when she was 9 years old and continued it through college at the University of Utah. She has worked in clinical research for the past 7 years and has coached gymnastics off and on in her free time since retiring. Having dealt with injuries throughout her gymnastics career, she has become more and more interested in seeking out ways for future generations of gymnasts to have a safe and healthy career.

Education Content Manager

Kimberlee is a former gymnast and currently a third-year physical therapy student at UCSF. She was inspired to get involved with gymSAFE because of the emphasis on education and prevention in gymnasts' overall health. Gymnastics is a uniquely demanding, rigorous, and challenging sport. She admires how gymSAFE aims to address the many aspects of gymnasts' health and wellness to help athletes be both safe and successful.

Marketing and Social Media Manager

Elle is a junior at Brown University studying Business and Economics. She joined gymSAFE to combine her passions for marketing and business strategy with the gymSAFE mission of promoting injury prevention and mental wellness in gymnastics. Elle did gymnastics for 15 years before retiring as a level 9 gymnast her junior year of high school, but still tumbles when she can!

Research and Education Coordinator

Sarah was an NCAA gymnast at College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. She completed her degrees in Kinesiology and Mathematics. After countless injuries over 18 years of gymnastics along with several surgeries, she has come to realize just how hard gymnastics can be on the body. Sarah plans to continue her education by pursuing a PhD in biomechanics in hopes of doing research on injury reduction in sports, especially gymnastics.

Website Editor

Cara is the website manager for gymSAFE's Athlete Leadership Council. She is 17 years old and is a junior in high school. Cara is currently a Level 8 gymnast and recreational coach from Gold Star Gymnastics. Cara joined gymSAFE ALC because she loves gymnastics and wants to support as many gymnasts as possible in having a safe and fulfilling experience in this sport.