Instructors

Ben Boeke Ice Arena invites you to Learn to Skate. Our program seeks to develop a foundation for advanced stages of recreational skating, hockey and figure skating. The basic principles are presented in a simple to understand format and are continually reinforced and applied. The result is a student who understands the pursuit of excellence while enjoying the health conditioning, fun and socialization benefits this lifetime sport offers. We appreciate your interest in joining our program. Everything within the ability of our coaching staff and faculty will be provided to ensure your satisfaction, fun and skating improvement.

Glynnie Tjomsland - Skating Director

A 23 year resident of Anchorage, Alaska. She is the Skating Director for Ben Boeke Ice Arena, and has enjoyed building the "Learn to Skate" Program for the past 12 years, adding new and different types of classes for the public to enjoy.

Glynnie especially likes coaching and training students in Synchronized Skating. Her teams have placed at Sectional, and National championships.

Lisa Henry

Lisa Henry is a 21 year resident of Anchorage, Alaska. She has taught figure skating in Anchorage for 18 years. Lisa teaches all aspects of figure skating, and has students who have competed in local and regional competitions, as well as International competitions in Hong Kong. She especially likes working young children. A mother of three ages 12,14, and 16 years of age. Lisa’s youngest child Sarah, is a competitive single skater, and has competed at the Regional, Sectional, and National level.

Tabitha Beaton

Tabitha Beaton discovered skating through the Ben Boeke Learn-to-Skate program when she was 13 years old. She fell in love with the sport almost immediately, and hasn’t been able to stop since. She enjoys freestyle, ice dance, and synchronized team skating. On top of that, has found coaching with the Ben Boeke Learn to Skate program to be an extremely rewarding experience. She feels it’s a real thrill to help young skaters take their first steps on the ice and watch as their confidence grows.

Currently, she attends the University of Alaska Anchorage, and considering majoring in aviation technology. Skating is still a big part of her life. Through the Learn-to-Skate program, she hopes to continue to encourage young skaters and share her love of skating, along with showing them how much fun it can really be. USFS & ISI Member.

Debbie Brandt

Debbie Brandt has 15 years experience teaching with the Ben Boeke Learn to Skate program. She especially enjoys teaching small children. Debbie is married and the mother of two, and a preschool teacher with Rabbit Creek Community Preschool.

Sandy Knipmeyer

Sandy Knipmeyer grew up outside the Chicago area, and began skating at the age of 12. She moved to Alaska six years ago. Sandy became an instructor with the Ben Boeke Learn to Skate program 2 years ago, and enjoys working with children. She is married, and the mother of a daughter, age 3.

Ryan VanNatten

Ryan VanNatten first stepped on the ice 4 years ago, on an outside ice rink in the middle of winter in Yosemite National Park. He loved ice skating so much, his mother and dad enrolled Ryan into lessons at the Snoopy’s Ice rink in Santa Rosa, California, and he continued to excel from there, moving into private lessons. Ryan hopes to compete nationally, internationally, and his “Big Dream” is the Olympics, competing in Dance.

Ryan enjoys teaching all levels of skating, and loves coaching at Ben Boeke, because he feels it’s such a great program to be involved with! USFS Member.

Bea Barth

Bea Barth was born in Manila, Philippines and moved to Alaska when she was eight. She is currently attending West Anchorage High School. Bea began skating in the Ben Boeke Learn to Skate program when she was 10, and joined the Arctic Foxes/Silhouettes Synchronized Skating Team which competed in local and sectional competitions. She has now taken an interest in ice dancing, and enjoys teaching and helping younger kids in the Learn to Skate program. Bea is also a member of Anchorage Youth Court and West High’s AFJROTC, which she hopes will help her in achieving her goal to be a lawyer, or JAG officer in the future. Bea also enjoys playing the piano, shopping, traveling, reading, and camping, and wild’n out!

Megan Brady

Megan was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She began her skating career in the Ben Boeke Learn to Skate program at the young age of 2. Some of her fondest memories are performing in ice

shows. Megan has always loved the sport, but what makes her the happiest now is being able to pass on the knowledge of ice skating to others.

Jessica Downey

Jessica fell in love with ice skating after joining the Glaciers Edge Synchronized Skating Team at the age of 15. Coaching with the Ben Boeke "Learn to Skate" program has enabled her to continue skating and pass on what she's learned to other generations. She thoroughly enjoys working with people, especially children, in any way she can. Jessica is currently attending UAA for her Bachelors in Nursing, Minor in Psychology.

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