Current Officer Team
Co-President: Sara Koshi is a rising junior undergraduate at MIT studying biological engineering (Course 20). She started gymnastics at age six and hasn't stopped yet! She loves reading, music, and hanging out with friends, and can't wait to get to know you.
Co-President: Amy Shen is a first-year Master's student at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP). Gymnastics has been a part of her life from childhood through college NCAA, and she loves the physical whimsy it adds to her life. She's lucky to continue gymnastics at MIT, and is always happy to help others during practice!
Co-Treasurer: Lucas Marden is a second-year PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering looking at the physical properties of liquid metals. He's been doing gymnastics since he was a kid but started competing WAG three years ago. He is happy to help with gymnastics tips and spotting!
Co-Treasurer: Ari Dashevsky is a second-year undergraduate studying computer science (6-3). He cannot remember a time when he did not do gymnastics. After twelve years of competing, he still loves the sport and is passionate about sharing that love with others. Happy to answer any gymnastics (or other) related questions you may have.
Co-Meet Coordinator: Julia Sharpe graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2009 and an MS in 2011. She is working part-time for an engineering summer program at MIT until Aug 31, then focusing on homeschooling her kids and volunteering for the NAIGC. She was a member of the MIT gymnastics team in undergrad when it was still varsity, and she's been doing gymnastics for about 30 years. She switched to competing men's gymnastics in 2012 to have a change of pace and to help rebuild the MIT Men's program.
Co-Meet Coordinator: Thomas Rüd is a postdoc in the math department, working in algebraic number theory and representation theory—feel free to ask him about it at your own peril. Prior to coming to MIT in 2022 he had no gymnastics experience, but 15 years of fencing (saber) and track and field (high jump / hammer / discus) instead. Besides research and teaching, he enjoys playing board/video games, learning languages, or any other hobby he can do without the need to set foot outside.
Co-Meet Coordinator: Isabella Garrett is a research assistant in an MIT lab at the Ragon Institute, and this will be her second year with the MIT gymnastics team. Before MIT, she was a level 10 for too many years and competed in the NCAA in undergrad. She is always happy to offer advice and help with new skills in the gym!
Training Coordinator: Matthew Sobiesk is a data scientist working at a pharmaceutical company in Kendall Square. He took the beginner's class in Fall 2018 during his third year of grad school and enjoyed it so much that he joined the team despite lacking anything resembling an athletic background. He is very excited to still be learning and growing with such a cool set of people.
Alumni Chair: Nate Sharpe (BS ’09) is excited by learning and doing. Whether it's designing a device to help bring people out of poverty or mastering a new skill, Nate's not happy until he's completed what he set out to do to the highest standard. Nate has designed portable optometric equipment, toothbrushes, iPods, medical devices, and pit latrine desludgers. He retired early in 2023 and has been enjoying doing more gymnastics, spending more time with his wife and twin 11 year-olds, and helping to run the NAIGC.
Publicity Chair: Maggie Marte is a second-year Electrical Engineering PhD student researching quantum computing! She started competitive gymnastics when she was 11, and she was on Clemson University's club team as an undergrad. When she's not in the lab or gym, she enjoys stippling artwork, any crafts or puzzles, and visiting coffee shops with good croissants!
Apparel Chair: Giulianna Hashemi-Asasi is a Computer Science PhD student studying deep learning. She started gymnastics as a literal baby and competed through middle school, took a decade-long break, and returned to the sport last year at MIT. Outside of research and gymnastics, she loves classical music (she plays the cello and piano), ballet dancing, and reading.
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Coaches:
Shixin Mao: I’m Shixin, and I’ve coached JO gymnastics for more than 30 years and sent many gymnasts to collegiate program, including my kids. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, gardening and traveling.
Eric Petersen: Eric first started gymnastics in New Hampshire when he was 5, and continued through to competing, briefly, for the Air Force Academy’s NCAA team. The real world took him away from gymnastics for more than a decade, but he was able to find his way back to the sport through coaching and competing for his adult team.