Ken Seebeck,
League Director
Chris Facas,
Founding Committee President,
Operations Manager
Kathi Krause, Coach Supporter & NJ Girls ROCK! Coordinator
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Amanda Klopper, Race ReporterAs the League’s first Race reporter, Amanda works alongside the Media Coordinator to tell our league’s story. Amanda is in the 8th grade at Randolph Middle School and rides for the Randolph Revolutions Composite Team. We are incredibly stoked to welcome her to the team in 2018! |
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JoAnne Kruse, Advisory Board Member, Medical CoordinatorJoAnne Kruse is on the NJICL Board of Directors, and also serves as our Medical Coordinator for the league. After a career in human resources she now spends her time working with NJICL and as a volunteer EMT. Along with her husband Tom and their two wonderful children, they are a long time biking family. JoAnne graduated with a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and earned her MA in Psychology from the Columbia University. |
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Robin Lauezzari, Chief of Scoring and TimingRobin is responsible for the NJ League’s Scoring and Timing processes and he also sits on the NJ League’s rules committee. You’ll see him and his team at all of our races so drop by and say hello. You can’t miss him; he’s the guy with the British accent! Robin was born in London, England and has lived in the USA since 1980. He has lived in Long Valley, New Jersey since 2001 under the close supervision of his wife and two daughters. Cycling has been his passion for his entire life and he credits his grandfather for inspiring and supporting his early love for his bike. His goal is to get as many people on bikes as he can and he sees NICA as a big part of the future of cycling. In addition to cycling he has also competed as a runner across a variety of distances including ultra marathon and was involved as a parent coach with his local recreational track and field organization during his younger daughter’s track career. He continues to spend a lot of time in the saddle in a variety of formats from Mountain to Road. He takes one of his bikes wherever he goes and his ambition is to do at least one long ride in every US state. His most exotic adventure to date was his solo and unsupported ride up Mount Haleakala in Maui and he is in the planning stages for a ride from Washington DC to Pittsburgh along the C&O and Great Allegheny Passage. Robin is a Level 3 NICA Coach and an assistant coach with the West Morris Chain-breakers. Previously he has been a Level 2 USA Cycle Coach and he also regularly teaches indoor cycling classes at his local gym. |
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Rosie Lauezzari, Race ReporterAs the daughter of Robin Lauezzari, Rosie has been involved with NICA since it came to New Jersey. She takes photos and handles the social media platforms for two teams in the league, the West Morris Chainbreakers and the Somerset Hills Velociraptors. Rosie is a junior at West Morris Central High School. Although she doesn’t ride on a team, she enjoys going for (short!) trail rides with her dad. She is a dedicated equestrian and was a serious long distance runner until she was forced to retire her sneakers due to medical reasons. She has always had a love for photography and is excited for her passion to be put to good use! |
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Emilio Lois, Jr., Chief of Scoring and TimingEmilio is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Currently residing in Northern New Jersey. He volunteered to help at the first race of our inaugural season and the rest is history. He was immediately swept up into the New Jersey Core Management Team. He spends his week days as a security consultant, specializing in electronic security and surveillance. His background in technology and systems networks makes him a perfect fit for the scoring team and has made an immediate and positive impact on our race-day timing and scoring processes. Emilio has gotten much busier since joining the New Jersey Core Team. He is currently the Team Director and a coach for his local NICA team. He serves on the New Jersey Leagues Rules Committee, and is also a Scoring and Timing Trainer for NICA National. You could easily find him on race days by the start line and or in the results zone. |
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Charmaine Michaels, Chief Race OfficialCharmaine is our Chief Race Official. You’ll see her in action at our race events making sure our rules are followed and working with the other NICA Race officials, Team Coaches and Student Athletes to make our races a great and safe experience for everyone. Charmaine began cycling on the dirt roads of Michigan with an old fat-tire Schwinn as a 10 year old. After moving to New Jersey, in 1989 she began officiating with USCF and NORBA. Charmaine officiated amateur races all over the Delaware Valley region for about 10 years. In 1999, Charmaine began concentrating on her own riding again, participating in many charity road rides and group mountain bike rides. After attending a NICA meeting in late 2016, Charmaine developed a passion for the NICA mission and started officiating races in 2017. |
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Ben Tufford, Coach SupporterBen has been involved with the NJICL since our early days and brings a lot of experience to the role of Coach Supporter. In addition Ben has recently joined the National NICA staff to develop their coaching program. His cycling passion began as a child when he took his friend’s bike and figured out how to ride it down the driveway. The thrill of accomplishment and adventure was overwhelming. He strives to recreate those sensations with each new accomplishment on two wheels. After decades of cycling involving XC mountain bike, road, and cyclocross racing, Ben turned to helping others by forming Cognition Endurance Sports Coaching in 2010. With a modest client list, he sets himself apart by regularly riding with his athletes. The coach that does house-calls. Additionally, he hosts skills clinics throughout the New Jersey area and is a member of the IMBA affiliate, Jersey Off-Road Bicycling Association. Ben credits the IMBA ICP with significantly improving his riding technique and instruction methods. As an Instructor Trainer, Ben is eager to help others to discover similar gains. Preaching along the way that improved skill and technique leads to greater confidence and more fun. |
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Mary Beth Van Wart, Volunteer CoordinatorMary Beth was an early addition to the NJICL Core Staff, joining the team as Volunteer Coordinator. Her involvement with NICA began before our league was chartered, when her son raced in the nearby New York League. Mary Beth and her husband David have promoted races in New Jersey for many years, and are the driving force and “boots on the ground” behind JORBA’s Annual Festival. Her attention to detail and work ethic are unrivaled, and her enthusiasm for the league and our mission is contagious. Happy working behind the scenes or on the front lines at the registration / volunteer tents, Mary Beth is always there to ensure our events succeed! |
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Robin Dunn, Coach SupporterRobin grew up in rural Sussex County where her passion for the outdoors started. While pursuing her Master’s in Geology at the University of Maine, she was introduced to mountain biking.
Upon moving back to New Jersey, she purchased her first mountain bike and never looked back. Robin is a teacher at Roxbury High School and usually spends her summers as a mountain bike instructor at the Morristown Beard Day Camp. She is also part of the Cognition Coaching team. Robin rides (and has been known to race) all kinds of bikes but her heart belongs to the trails and mountain biking.
Robin has been involved with the Princeton Progressions team since the start – and is now the Head Coach. With her prior racing experience and Level 2 ICP Skills Certification, she is now also one of the NJICL Coach Supporters.
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Caroline Cullen, Chief Race OfficialCaroline joined our core staff in late 2017 as a Race Official after being recruited by BJ. She was an easy target. Caroline was at Trek World, representing her then bike shop, when John Burke announced that Trek would be donating $1 million to NICA. That is a lot of faith in #morekidsonbikes and Caroline is a believer. Caroline is a licensed USA Cycling Level C Official. She worked at a NJ bike shop for six years engaging with all levels of cyclists, promoting more people on bikes and sharing the love. She is on the Board of the Morris Area Freewheelers Cycling Club (MAFW). Caroline has ridden since a very young age. Her Dad always made sure she had the right bike to get around their hilly neighborhood in NJ. She is a ride leader with MAFW and has been a backpacking leader with the Appalachian Mountain Club. When people ask her how many bikes she has she has to use her fingers – on both hands. After a 28 year career in finance and accounting, family issues took precedence and Caroline left corporate and worked at the bike shop in sales and marketing and is now part time at a bike shop and part time in accounting. She has a BS in Accounting from Montclair State and and MBA from the University of South Carolina. |
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Michael Cohn, Assistant Chief Course SetterMichael serves as one of the Chief Course setters, working with Jason Gonsalves. Michael is not currently racing, but he did race during the NJICL 2017 inaugural season, where he was recognized as the league’s Student Volunteer of the Year. Michael is also a coach with his local team, the same team he raced for in his one season as an NICA racer. When not at NICA races or practices, Michael attends the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he is studying to get his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, with a minor in Manufacturing Engineering Technology. If not at a NICA event or practice, studying, or spending time with family, you are most likely going to find Michael volunteering for various groups, or at NJ Devils games. Michael’s interest in cycling began when he spent a high school summer in Colorado, where he cycled up Loveland Pass and Freemont Pass, among other exciting rides and training with his cousins and uncle. After returning, he rode in the Gran Fondo New Jersey, completing the 107 mile distance 2 years in a row. During high school, Michael was primarily a runner, participating in Cross Country, Winter and Spring Track while cycling in different races on weekends. |
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Jon Olson, Camp DirectorJon joined the league in the inaugural season to help coach when his son joined a team, to be shortly joined by his daughter mid-season that first year. He has over ten years coaching in a variety of youth rec sports for his two children and has been on the board of the local youth sports league for the past eight years, including four years as President. Jon was introduced to mountain biking in the early 90’s while in graduate school in Colorado and has been a casual rider ever since. He has really enjoyed improving his riding skills chasing his kids through the woods the past couple of seasons. Jon is an Outdoor Instructor for a YMCA camp working with school age children from all over the state, as well as NY and PA, leading classes in leadership, team building, ecology, as well as adventure activities such as high and low ropes courses, zip-lining, hiking, rock climbing, etc. He is looking forward to bringing that experience to the NJICL Camps program. Prior to working at camp Jon worked for ten years in college and university administration working with student leaders in residence life, student activities, and other areas before moving into Human Resources management and spent another ten years working mostly in recruiting and training and development. Throughout his varied career Jon has always considered himself an educator and has striven to help people improve, push their limits, find new passions, step outside their comfort zones, gain self confidence, etc. and is excited to be a part of the NICA family to continue doing that through mountain biking. He is a currently Level 3 NICA Coach and an assistant coach with the Hunterdon Havoc. |
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Fred Brown, Coach SupporterFred was born and raised in New Jersey and recalls many of his childhood memories involving a bicycle. It was wasn’t until a bit later when he met some life long friends that he discovered his true passion for bicycles. Since then Fred has raced in the woods, on the road and cyclocross all over the Mid-Atlantic region. More than anything Fred enjoyed the atmosphere, fun and camaraderie at each and every race. Since then, Fred has taken the time to focus his time at home, raising two boys, Adam and Paul. He hasn’t left the scene all together. Fred is a Level 2 ICP instructor, a level 3 NICA coach who assists Robin Dunn and the Princeton Progressions, and a NJICL Coach Supporter. |
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John Williams, Assistant Chief Course MarshalBio coming soon! |
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Don Madson, League PhotographerDon lives in Basking Ridge with his wife, Elissa, and has 2 daughters, 3 grandsons, and a granddaughter. He is a Vietnam Vet, serving 4 years on a Destroyer. He’s got 2 degrees in Anthropology, and served as Curator of Education, Curator of Anthropology, and Assistant Director of the Morris Museum, then Director of the Bergen Museum. After spending 11 years in the Museum field, he bought a tackle shop, and spent the next 16 years building custom fishing rods, restoring and repairing reels, and selling the equipment associated with fresh and saltwater sport fishing. He was commissioned by ABU Garcia (the largest fishing equipment vendor in the world) to build a pair of bluefish rods for President G.H.W. Bush. He has studied Yang style T’ai Chi Ch’uan since 1992, and taught since 1997. Currently, he teaches at 5 locations, consisting of 3 YMCA’s, an Adult School, and a Hospital. Don has been a photographer for 50+ years, and started shooting cycling events 10 years ago. Now covering cycling events in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, most weekends during the season are busy. The opportunity to shoot NICA events is highly satisfying from a photographer’s standpoint, and the environment of a NICA race is not only charged with the electricity of the young riders, but the enthusiasm of the NICA team itself. Retired for a while now, he spends time fishing, playing golf, using photography to prompt walks in the woods, and studying and teaching martial arts, and, importantly, taking photographs of the hard-working riders of NICA. |
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Tracy Dell, Chief of RegistrationBio coming soon! |
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