OUR FOUNDERS
In 2010 Michael and Rachel Dube started a business that sought to provide a positive sporting experience for kids of all ages. They wanted to teach children the core principles of sportsmanship through fair play, self confidence, teamwork and the value of self-expression and self-worth. What started as a small group grew into partnerships in 20 Tri-State area schools running daily sports programming, hundreds of events for corporate groups and non-profit organizations, birthday parties and private coaching for thousands of children. The philosophy behind DubeZone gave a fresh perspective on teaching and developing sports skills, team play and overall physical and social development, always driven by the motto of creating strong character and strong bodies. The Dube’s bring their many years of experience and success to Elite Method.
MICHAEL DUBE
Michael Dube, co-founder and President of Elite Method, has an incredible passion for working with kids and teaching them the skills needed to be successful in life. He stresses character building as much as strength and skill building. Michael is also co-founder of DubeZone, where he served as the inspiration and master trainer to a large coaching staff. Michael is considered an expert coach for his unique ability to connect with and transform every child with whom he works. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and he spreads his positive message through volunteerism, motivational speaking, and the charity he co-founded, Sharing Seats, which has given away thousands of event and sporting tickets to children in need. “Coach Mike,” as he is affectionately called, is an inspiration to many and is very much looking forward to continuing his passion in helping kids through the development of Elite Method.
RACHEL DUBE
Rachel Dube, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Elite Method, has more than eleven years of experience working in the child-development market through her first business, DubeZone, which provided sports coaching and programming for kids. Her experience of intimately working with thousands of children and families has been the inspiration to create Elite Method. Rachel saw the need for more intensive and customized programming that focused on the “whole” child, including physical, social, and emotional needs. Rachel brings her many years of career experience in business development, marketing, and programming to the development of Elite Method. She is also very involved in her community having served as the Jewish Community Liaison to Englewood Hospital for more than five years. She is the mother to two wonderful children ages 14 and 17 and is the wife of co-founder Michael Dube.
REBECCA JESIN
Rebecca Jesin, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Elite Method, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. As a mother of four young children, she feels passionately about giving children every opportunity to succeed. Rebecca has more than ten years experience working with children and developing child programming. Rebecca brings her years of experience in business development, her creative mind, and organizational skills to the Elite Method team.
OUR COACHES
ADAM GRANT
BROOKLYN COACH
Adam Grant has an LMSW with a Masters in Social Work. He attended Fordham University for Graduate School of Social Work and serves on both the faculty of Adelphi University and York College’s Social Services Department and is a School Social Worker with the Department of Education. Adam is also a former Division I Basketball and Track & Field athlete with over 15 years of experience working with youth. Adam utilizes a strengths-based framework and approach in order to unlock the confidence within his clients. Adam believes social/emotional learning and physical enrichment activities make all the difference in teaching our youth to lead a healthy life. Adam is an avid chess player, loves nature and enjoys doing community service.
ERNEST ROSS
NEW YORK CITY COACH
Ernest Ross holds a Bachelors in Business Management from Fort Valley State University as well as Masters in Sports Management from Florida State University. Ernest has spent the last seven years teaching and coaching children from K-12 and up to college level. He has CPR/AEDA Certification as well as Coaching certification from Florida State University. Ernest is a former physical education teacher and is currently Dean of students at Democracy Prep Endurance High School. Ernest specializes in a various number of sports such as basketball, tennis, volleyball etc. Ernest philosophy working with children is to help build there confidence, teach life lessons though sports and believe in building positive relationships with children.
ALEX GAMBLE
NEW YORK CITY COACH
Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Alex Gamble received his B.A. with majors in Psychology, Anthropology, and Religion while also playing collegiate basketball at the University of Rochester. He is currently in graduate school at Columbia University getting his Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Sports Psychology as he provides performance and mental health support to the student-athletes at Rutgers University. Alex integrates his diverse academic background with his experience as a former student-athlete by taking a holistic approach to working with people of all ages from a multitude of backgrounds. He is passionate about the transformative power and potential of sports and seeks to share his passion with others as a way to collaborate and empower the kids he coaches in a variety of contexts. He believes that dedication to exercise and sport instill the values of hard work, leadership, and resiliency which are all essential for success in athletics, academics, and life more broadly.
MICK HAZEN
NEW YORK CITY COACH
Mick Hazen received his B.A. in Psychology from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is a multi-sport coach and academic tutor, who began his coaching career at 14 years old when he helped run a tennis clinic for children with special needs. Mick has coached children of all ages in an array of sports including basketball, soccer, football and tennis. Growing up, Mick played nearly every sport imaginable, competed at the national level in both tennis and golf, played varsity basketball, and worked professionally as an actor in film, television and theater. Although juggling his academics, professional acting career, and competitive sports schedule was difficult, it instilled in him a sense of discipline, the importance of leading a well balanced life, and the positive developmental impact of exposing a child to athletics and the arts in addition to their standard schooling. Mick attributes much of who he is today to the passionate teachers and coaches he had the privilege of learning from growing up, and strives to make the same positive impact on the children he works with.
MANNY NAVEDO
NEW YORK CITY COACH
Manny Navedo graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Sports Management. He has had a lifelong passion for sports and continues that today by spreading his love for the game of basketball as Head Coach of the P723X basketball team. Manny is known for his ability to bring out the best in his players, through tough love and positive reinforcement. Manny’s favorite sports to teach are basketball, baseball and football. He also was apart of an undefeated state championship wrestling team as a Senior in High School. He considers himself to be a student of many more sports and is consistently learning new things everyday to increase his coaching knowledge.Coach Manny works as a vocational counselor at a non-profit organization. Coach Manny enjoys giving back to his community and helping youth reach beyond their limitations to become self-sufficient, confident individuals. Coach Manny is a firm believer that it is never too early to start implementing activities and sports in order to build perseverance and confidence. This will grow more leaders that the world needs.
DR. WALTER HIDALGO
NEW YORK CITY COACH
Dr. Walter Hidalgo is an educator, sports coach and life coach. He has a Master’s of Arts in Sociology from Columbia University and a Doctorate from New York Theological Seminary. Coach Walter has spent 10 years running youth after school programming around New York City. He played football at Northeastern University and semi-pro with the Boston Bandits. Coach Walter also holds a second degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate. Coach Walter believes that teaching children meditation techniques and mindfulness strategies are critical to a calmer and more peaceful child.
CONOR DORNEY
NASSAU COUNTY, LI COACH
Conor Dorney is a Graduate student at Mercy College studying to be a School Counselor. He received his Bachelor’s in Psychology from SUNY Buffalo. Conor also works as a College Admissions Counselor at St. Joseph’s College. Conor has many years of experience coaching children through CYO basketball and youth lacrosse. He has also volunteered at summer basketball and lacrosse camps. Conor was a lifeguard and pool supervisor at his town pool for 7 years. While there, he taught swimming lessons to children ages 3-12. Coach Conor’s goal is to help kids build confidence and realize their full potential, all while having fun!
MITCHELL SCHAFFER
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY COACH
Coach Mitchell is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and multi-sports coach for children of all ages. He has many years experience as an ice hockey coach and specializes in developing children into young athletes. Coach Mitchell has a strong background in strengthening both mechanical and technical skills with all his clients. Mitchell played both intramural football and baseball on the collegiate level. He has also taught Physical Education in private schools throughout North Jersey. Coach Mitchell believes that physical activity and fitness have always been and continue to be a guiding light in his life. His is so grateful to be able to share that with all his clients.
NOEL SEGARRA
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY COACH
Noel Segarra attended Kutztown University to follow his dreams of being a college athlete. He graduated with degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology, and then earned his Master’s Degree in Education Administration.Noel has been an educator and athletic coach for the past 14 years. When he is not teaching English to his students, Coach Noel coaches High School Football, Varsity Track, and serves as Assistant Coach for the Fairleigh Dickinson University Devils Women’s Basketball team. After college, Noel spent time playing Semi-Pro and Arena Football, and was invited to the 2009 NFL combine. Following a car accident that same year, coaching and working with children became his passion. Coach Noel brings years of experiences from working directly with his students and athletes.Throughout his career, Noel has made it his mission to reach his vision of guiding, assisting and witnessing the individual growth of each child he encounters. Coach Noel provides the knowledge and “tools” to help his clients gain that confidence they need to be successful in life. Coach Noel is looking forward to helping the next young person he has the opportunity to work with to accomplish their goals and continue building self-confidence. His expertise in both athletics and working with adolescents, provide great opportunities to truly impact those he works with.
REBECCA JORGENSEN
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY COACH
Rebecca Jorgensen earned her Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Sports Studies with a concentration in Exercise Science from Montclair State University and has worked with children and adults of all ages and abilities in sports and fitness for over a decade. Rebecca is an ACSM licensed Exercise Physiologist, Exercise is Medicine L-2 practitioner, Certified USAW Lifting Coach and TRX Certified Trainer. Through her years in the industry, Rebecca has had the pleasure of working as aquatics director, head lifeguard, swimming instructor, soccer coach, rock climbing instructor, as well as group and individual fitness coach.
Coach Rebecca strives to continue to make a positive impact on children’s lives by improving their self-esteem, as well as physical and cognitive abilities all while having fun. As a former college softball player and national level competitive gymnast, Coach Rebecca values the importance of listening to your mind and body as well as to each other. Her knowledge, support, good humor and encouragement are key to her success.
GLENN MAIDA
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY COACH
Glenn Maida earned his B.S. degree in Communications from the University of New Haven. He is an educator, coach, personal trainer and photographer with over 17 years experience working with children and adolescents. Glenn has taught enrichment programs in a variety of districts in NJ and NY and currently teaches students with special needs at an alternative high school in Paramus.”Seeing improvement, growth and confidence in my students week after week is what drives me to deliver my best each day. I strive to instill a sense of self confidence and awareness when coaching, and believe that every child has an innate ability to achieve their best when they realize their success lies within themselves and just need some help to see it.
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
DR. MARLA BAUM
Dr. Marla Baum, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a doctorate degree in School-Clinical Child Psychology from Yeshiva University-Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Dr. Baum has extensive experience conducting neuropsychological assessments, as well as therapy with children and adolescents along with their families in a variety of clinical settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and private settings. Dr. Baum spent three years as an adjunct clinical professor at Ferkauf, teaching assessment to graduate students and supervising their testing cases in the school’s community clinic. She currently works in private practice on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and her specialties are neuropsychological assessments of children, adolescents, and young adults ages 3-21, executive function deficits and their remediation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with attention deficits and anxiety disorders.
ALLISON MELL
Allison Mell holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Hunter College. She has extensive experience working with the pediatric population through Early Intervention, sensory gyms, school, and home environments. She has worked closely with infants through middle-schoolers, specializing in treating children with low muscle tone, torticollis, stroke, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and general gross motor delays. Allison is passionate about childhood development and believes that movement is a key component to a child’s health, attention span, and self-esteem. She is confident that when given the right tools, children can break through limitless boundaries. “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs” is a quote she embraces both literally and figuratively. Allison is a co-founder of Tots on Target, a company with a mission to foster the natural developmental process in the areas of physical movement, sensory integration, and fine motor skills to build the foundation for a child’s success.
MARYANN DEUTSCH
Maryann Deutsch holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University. She also holds a post-professional certificate in Pediatrics and certification in Sensory Integration, including administration and interpretation of the Sensory Integration Praxis Tests (SIPT). Maryann has worked with the pediatric population in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, sensory clinics, and home environments. She specializes in treating children with Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, general motor delays, and coordination disorders. Maryann is passionate about providing children with sensory-rich environments and experiences to facilitate motor and sensory development. She believes in viewing the child holistically, and collaborating with parents and teachers to maximize the child’s potential. Maryann is the co-founder of Tots on Target along with her business partner and friend, Allison Mell. “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
GITTY LEINER
Gitty Leiner, M.S., CCC-SLP, founder of NY SpeechTime, received her bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in 1994, where she majored in communication sciences and disorders. In 2000, she graduated with honors from the speech-language pathology master’s degree program at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Ms. Leiner has also earned her Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech language pathology in 2001, and is ASHA certified. Her over 20 years of experience includes treating children with a variety of developmental delays/disorders. Ms. Leiner has worked extensively with disorders of articulation and language. Throughout the year, Ms. Leiner enjoys a successful speech practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Her diverse clientele includes children from the board of education, insurance-based, early intervention and private students.
