ABOUT OUR STAFF

Ms. Katie started gymnastics at the age of 5. Her childhood was spent inside the gym and she loved it! She retired from competitive gymnastics in high school and began cheerleading. She is a graduate of Boone County High School and has a BS in Science from Northern Kentucky University.
Ms. Katie began teaching gymnastics in 2004. She came to MJM Studios in 2008 and helped developed the Tumbling and Tumble Bug programs into what they are today.
Before becoming the owner of MJM Studios she was a program director under Mary Jo for 8 years.
She is married to Jonathan and they have 3 great kids.

KATIE KAISER HARRISON

Owner

MARY JO MENNING

Founder of MJM Studios

Mary Jo Menning began teaching dance at age 20 after receiving her teaching certificate from Dance Masters of Chicago. She has taught all genres of dance and acrobatics, tumbling, and trampoline. After studying dance in Chicago, New York, Ohio, Kentucky and dancing professionally in Ohio, she opened her studio in 1993 and was the president of MJM Studios Inc. for 27 years. Ms Mary Jo has her teaching certificate from Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and Modern. She also has her teaching certificate in Ballet and Tap from Dance Educators of America where she is a life long member. She is a former member of USA Gymnastics and the Leap N’ Learn Program. Currently, Ms Mary Jo is the Dance Director at MJM Studios where she continues to encourage children that learning is fun. Some of her former students have gone on to dance professionally in New York, Disney World, Universal Studios, Atlanta, Kansas and on cruise ships. Ms Mary Jo enjoys most of her time outside of the studio playing with her 6 grandchildren and traveling.

Valarie Menning graduated from NKU with a degree in recreational fitness. Although she started the Trampoline and Tumbling Team in 2008, Ms Val has been working at MJM since she was just 12 years old. Now, as a busy mom of three boys and the director of the Trampoline and Tumbling program, she has coached ahletes from levels 1 all the way through Senior Elite. Ms Val has had athletes compete for Team USA in Portugal, Denmark, and Italy. Not only did she have an athlete competing in Italy representing the United States but Ms Val was also one of the trampoline coaches for Team USA! Coaching trampoline and tumbling is her passion and Ms Val loves to watch her athletes grow and share the same passion.

VAL MENNING

Director of Trampoline and Tumbling

Jessica Foote began as a student of MJM in 1999 and became an assistant instructor in 2006. In 2015, she graduated from NKU with a bachelorʼs in Athletic Training and a minor in Dance. After graduation she moved to Orlando, FL where she worked as a performer and an Athletic Trainer for the local theme parks. During this time she also toured the country as a dancer with Sesame Street Live. Currently, Ms. Jessica works for Children's Hospital and as a dance and tumbling instructor for all levels here at MJM Studios! Ms. Jessica loves to share her knowledge of injury prevention and management with her students to help them better understand how to protect themselves while training in this amazing art form. She cannot wait to begin another new and exciting season here with MJM Studios!

JESSICA AGUILERA

Director of Dance

Tristan Ackerson came to MJM in 2009 when he was just eight years old. He started taking recreational classes and quickly became a member of the competitive team. He competed for many years and qualified as an elite member of the United States National Gymnastics Team. Tristan was selected to compete for Team USA in various countries around the world. He won a bronze and a gold medal at the Aere Cup in Italy and a silver medal at the World Age Group Competition in Denmark. Tristan retired from the sport in 2020 and is currently in his Senior year of College at the University of Cincinnati studying fashion design as well as film and media studies. He is currently working as the director of MJMs recreational Tumbling and the Assistant coach of the Competitive team. Sharing his knowledge and experience with his athletes is his favorite part about working and helping shape our athletes into hard working and inspired individuals.

TRISTAN ACKERSON

Director of Recreational Tumbling

Julie Kubala joined MJM Studios in 2013 part time working the front desk, after co-owning a business for many years. Now Ms Julie is not only our full time office manager but a LEGENDARY popcorn maker! Ms Julie loves being at the studio and interacting with all of the families... she's a true people person. For her, it is truly a gift to watch these amazing kids blossom into tumblers and dancers. When she is not at the studio, you can usually find her visiting with her three grown children. Her twin daughters (former MJM dancers) are at WKU and her son who just recently moved to Lexington. MJM is Ms Julie's home away from home.