APL TEAM
APL TEAM
The American Pole League is run by a passionate group of people from all around the country. On this page we are introducing you to the people who make all the magic happen!
Meet the Team – the faces behind the screen!
Polina Volchek – CEO/President
The American Pole League is run by a passionate group of people from all around the country. On this page we are introducing you to the people who make all the magic happen!
Meet the Team – the faces behind the screen!
Natalia Ryan – President of American Pole League
Natalia was trained in a leading school of acrobatics as top stunt flying athlete and danced in competitive acrobatic rock-n-roll since age 7. As an adult, she made a career in the medical sports profession while maintaining and developing her passion in aerial arts as a hobby.
Natalia is currently the owner of AirSports Studio, located in Panama City Beach, where she trains new athletes for competition. She believes in Pole as a Sport and is determined to apply her knowledge & full potential to make this sport recognized on the Olympic level.
Karyna Mykhalina – Social networks administrator
Karyna started her sports career at the age of 13 when she saw a video on the pole in Instagram. After her first pole class she fell in love with this sport. Two months later, she competed for the first time, and four months later she won third place in the professional category.
Karyna is a current athlete and actively participates in various competitions. She is the champion of America in the sports and artistic categories. Karyna is a member of the American Pole League team and represents the USA at the International level.
Svetlana Ghetman – Merchandise director
Svetlana was born and raised in Moldova, where she professionally studied gymnastics for over 13 years. When Svetlana achieved a top-of-her-sports career, she was invited to become a part of one of the most extreme circus acts – Russian bar.
She settled in Las Vegas in 2005 and performed as an aerialist and gymnast in numerous production shows around town. Ms. Ghetman has extensive experience in sports and performance arts, she also owns a company that specialises on producing safe training equipment and attires for pole and aerial enthusiasts – «SG-Training Fit».
Svetlana is partnering with American Pole League since 2018. She provides branded merchandise for APL members, volunteers and athletes gift bags.
Jennifer Balow – Honored Team member
Jennifer Balow is the «Associate Director of the E&M Division for The Coding Network» and is managing approximately 300 coders and hundreds of clients across the United States. She has worked in healthcare for 27 years and became a pole enthusiast in 2015, when her daughter, World Pole Sports Champion 2016 and multiple prize holder – Paige Olson, started taking pole classes for strength training. Jenifer holds the «IPSF Level 1 Code of Points Certificate» and is passionate about assisting any way she can to promote pole as an athletic discipline and to be part of the movement to get pole recognized nationally and internationally.
Cynille Bates – Сompetition organizer
Cynille has a professional background in finance and economics, asset management, real estate investment and project management. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Cynille is the parent of a current Pole Sports competitor and athlete and is dedicated to the success and growth of Pole as both an American and International sport. She is committed to promoting Pole Sports in the United States, in partnership with the American Pole League, as well as helping to facilitate the advancement of athletes in international competition. She is eager to assist the American Pole League in providing the best competition experience for all athletes.
Tanya Clements - Judge&Athlete coordinator
Tanya was born in Mariupol, Ukraine. She was trained in competitive Gymnastics by world class coaches, including Olympic Champion M.Nikolayeva, since the age of 7. As she developed her skills, she participated in multiple competitions throughout the Country. She graduated from Circus school in Kiev as an aerial gymnast specializing on the flying trapeze. Tanya has traveled all around the world as a performance artist in a variety of circus shows and dance performances.
She moved to USA in 1995 and has been a proud citizen and coach ever since. Tanya contributed to US Gymnastics by working as a head coach in Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas USAG in collaboration with Valeri Liukin for 15 years. Currently, she lives in Panama City Beach, Florida where she coaches children in Aerial and Pole Sport. We are honored to have Tanya on our team.