Meet Our Team
Climbing Instructors
Anyssa Lucena (she/her)
Anyssa has been climbing and guiding for over 15 years and strongly believes that climbing is a means to deeper healing and self knowledge.
Anyssa was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2022 and was inspired to turn her challenging experience into something that can help other women.
Her cancer experience is a gift that she shares with other women, to help them know it’s going to be ok and to show them that it’s ok to feel disconnected and confused and still find our true, genuine selves at the end.
Jessica Miller (she/her)
Jess first experienced rock climbing at the Delaware Water Gap on a school trip in 1999, and was hooked. Over the next two decades, while working as an engineer in New York City and abroad, she came back to the to Gunks home crag often and deepened her climbing practice and skills.
As a frequent traveler, she tries to find a crag or more remote adventure wherever she goes. She’s climbed and trek in several of the United States, as well as Sweden, Indonesia, Morocco, Nepal, China, Cambodia, and Mexico. As a guide, she loves sharing climbing skills, snacks, nerding out over gear and helping others grow their confidence.
Jobi Gabrielli (she/her)
Jobi fell in love with climbing at work, in the entertainment industry. She started building scaffolding towers and climbing steel stages when she was 18.
After a fellow rigger introduced her to climbing gyms, it became a passion. It wasn’t long before she packed up her belongings and took a roadtrip to several world class locations around the country.
She was fortunate enough to have incredible mentor’s that helped her work through all of the disciplines. She has felt a desire to continually pay it forward and help foster a love of climbing and learning to fellow climbers new and seasoned. If there’s a way she can help teach something, she’s down.
Jane Bishow-semevolos (she/her)
Jane began climbing in 2019 at the Gunks and easily fell in love. Her eternal smile and good cheer is a staple at the cliff as she enjoys the physical and mental challenges climbing offers.
Jane loves introducing people to climbing so they too can learn new things about themselves and enjoy the adventure. She also enjoys capturing the climbing moments through photography.
Meet Our
Volunteer Team
Melinda MacArthur (they/them)
Melinda MacArthur (they / them) is an avid rock climber, hiker, and all around adventurer. They’re constantly stoked to be outdoors and love sharing that passion with others – whether that be coaching (Rock Climbing and Snowboard Instructor), educating (Arc’Teryx Product Guide), trip planning (Retreat Logistics Assistant here at Genuine Climbing!), or sharing stories (to anyone who’s interested!). If they’re not working or off adventuring, you can usually find them at Goat Climbing Gym.
Sangeetha Ramsagar
Sangeetha began her career as an oncology scientist before moving into commercial and strategic leadership roles, building over 20 years of experience leading portfolios in oncology and rare disease. Her mother, a breast cancer survivor who benefited from early detection, continues to inspire her commitment to advancing patient access and innovation.
She has been climbing for eight years, beginning her outdoor journey in the Gunks where she first connected with Genuine Climbing’s early women’s leadership community. Since then, she’s explored crags across Red Rocks, Joshua Tree, and local favorites, finding strength and community through climbing.
Colleen Freidl (she/her)
Colleen has been working behind the scenes producing for TV for over a decade, finding and shaping stories with the mission to captivate and inspire others. A longtime avid hiker, Colleen started rock climbing a few years ago and it quickly became a passion. She now volunteers with Genuine Climbing to help share the powerful stories of women finding healing and strength through climbing and community.
Kere Kuhr (she/her)
Kere is nationally board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She is certified in Chinese herbology and is a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) in NY State. Her goals are to help her clients reduce pain and promote health, energy and vitality through her patient and practitioner team approach. Kere provides calming treatments to our retreat participants.
Jen Puleo (she/her)
Jen is a yoga and barre instructor, wife, mother to 2 young adults and a breast cancer survivor. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and completing a year of treatment, Jen dove deeper into her yoga practice. After being a student for 15 years, she began her teacher training in 2021 and has completed several teacher trainings.
Jen lives and teaches in the Hudson Valley. You can often find her at yoga, barre, swimming or running.
Lauren Green (she/her)
Lauren is a healing arts practitioner, nonprofit leader, and multidimensional wellness guide devoted to individual and collective restoration. She is the founder of Willow Wisp Wellness, where she weaves together therapeutic massage, resonance realignment (sound
bathing), energy work, aromatherapy, and plant-based medicine to support holistic transformation.
Meet Our
Board of Directors
Dr. Moira Christoudias
Moira is a breast surgical oncologist, climber and mom to 3 kids. She has been climbing for three years and treating women with breast cancer for far longer.
She began climbing after she was invited to visit an indoor climbing gym in Colorado. The seeds were planted after that visit and is constantly learning new climbing skills.
Moira is passionate about both treating women with breast cancer and climbing, and is excited to have found a way to combine these pursuits.
Shellie Freedman
Shellie has been passionate about climbing ever since she stepped foot in the climbing gym in her early 20’s, followed shortly by trips to climb on real rock.
Since moving from California to New York for law school, she has enjoyed getting to know the Gunks climbing community while exploring the cliffs there. Her climbing goals involve climbing big walls in Yosemite. (Her kids enjoy playing on her portaledge.)
Shellie’s mom is a breast cancer survivor, so the mission of Genuine Climbing is close to her heart. When Shellie is not climbing, you can find her hanging out with her two young kids, baking cakes, riding her bike, or camping.
Ling Yin
Ling is an avid skier and tennis player but has never been rock climbing before!
Ling is a Managing Director and Head of Regulatory Reporting Policy at JPMorganChase Company. When she is not working on regulatory reporting rules & interpretation, she loves travel, fashion and experiences with different cuisines.
Ling is a huge supporter of giving back to the community and sits on the board of other charitable organizations.
It’s just a matter of time before we get her on the cliff. Stay tuned.
Kunal Verma
Kunal Verma, CPA, is an entrepreneur and finance executive leading Seven Generations Group, an ecosystem spanning private equity, SaaS, construction, workforce, and tax services.
Kunal is also dedicated charitable and nonprofit leadership, serving on several boards supporting entrepreneurship, education, and access to opportunity.
Ty Skamas
Ty is a proud U.S. Army veteran, breast cancer survivor, and lifelong fitness enthusiast. She’s all about staying strong, eating well, and living life to the fullest.
When she’s not cheering on her daughters, Kaitlyn and Erin, or sharing laughs with her husband Dean, you’ll probably find her trying something new—like climbing! She may be new to the ropes, but she’s gripped, geared up, and ready to rise
Lori Lewis
Lori a partner at the Burns White law firm, specializing in healthcare and medical malpractice defense. She is an avid hiker and loves conquering the High Peaks in the Adirondacks with her two kids. She believes that being in nature has tremendous therapeutic benefits and is excited to be part Genuine Climbing that shares and promotes these benefits.
Jodi Freeman
Jodie is a three-time cancer survivor and a former college athlete, marathon runner and
national Triathlete. Sports and being outdoors have always been a huge part of her life
and she attributes her recoveries to fitness, positivity and having a great support team.
She works in the food and wine industry and has always tried to give back – mostly in
the areas of Education, Cancer and domestic violence.
Jodie tried climbing for the first time and loved the adrenaline rush and learning
something new in a supportive group. She’s hopes to make it accessible to more
women and help enhance the meaning of what survivorship can look like.