Bio
Our Team
OFFICERS
- The President’s main role is to organize all events with the member schools, lead all meetings, inform members of rule changes and information and operate as mediator when the need arises.
- The Treasurer’s role is to secure all membership dues, keep in balance all funds received and to pay all bills. The treasurer will report the Association’s balance at all meetings.
- The Secretary’s main role is to document all meeting’s minutes and to distribute to member schools and pertinent information or meeting minutes.
President Emeritus: Gayle Trame
President
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Michelle Schuster
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Vice President Holly Jones |
Treasurer Gayle Trame
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Secretary Carla Donithan
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Katrina Avery Alexis Beal Ryan Brown Hailee Carter Kim Grimes Holly Jones Carly Leopold
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Lauren Miller Kim Steffen Michelle Schuster Gina Tirey Brittany Trame Gayle Trame Chas Wolf |
Directors
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Competition Director (Michelle Schuster) |
Youth Board Director (Gayle Trame) |
Event Director (Katrina Avery) |
| Social Media – Hailee Carter |
YOUTH BOARD
The Youth Board members are nominated by their coaches. The consist of 11 and 12th grade squad members from NKCCA teams. Their duties are to assist the NKCCA in events and philanthropy activities.
VOTING on New Items & Changes
Items discussed at meetings or changes to the guidelines will be voted on, if possible at each meeting. One vote per member school or representative. Items, which the majority present believe should be voted on by a greater membership majority, will be listed in the meeting minutes and tabled for the next meeting or an online vote.
LIABILITY
All officers and members shall not be held liable for any actions made by them in good faith and intent. Participants in events agree that all accidents, injuries and damages are not the responsibility of the Association. No action shall be taken against the Association or it’s officers. No reimbursements of any kind will be made for lost, damaged or stolen items. All participants are required to handle their own claims. Exceptions may lie in contracts held with third parties ( e.g. Gym rental, security guard fees). All participating school squads are required to follow National Federation (NFHS) rules. The NKCCA reserves the right to not allow an individual to compete without a signed waiver/release and insurance coverage. The team member must have insurance coverage through their school, gym or home. Otherwise an additional insurance fee will be charged. The additional fee will be based on the market rate to insure all members of the squad and the Association.
FUNDS
The Association’s funds will be kept in an account, which is agreeable to the member schools. The treasurer will report the account balance at each meeting. A receipt should accompany all disbursements.
Carla Donithan
Carla J. Donithan, originally from Texas, relocated to Kentucky 28 years ago. She is happily married to her husband, Randall, and together they have five children and seven grandchildren. Carla has dedicated over 30 years to cheerleading, beginning in Texas where football and cheerleading are integral parts of the culture. Her involvement spans roles as a parent, grandparent, and coach at various levels. Most recently, she served as the Freshman Coach for Conner High School during the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons. Carla currently serves as the Secretary of NKCCA. She also works full-time as a Strategic Sourcing Category Manager for Gap Inc.
Katrina Avery
With 25 years of coaching experience, I am currently in my 4th season as the head coach at Boone County High School. During this time, I’ve led the team to two regional championships and two top 7 finishes at state. I also serve as the region 9 chairperson for KAPOS, where I have played a key role in revamping the judging and scoring system for middle school cheerleading in Kentucky. Prior to my current role, I coached at Camp Ernst Middle School for six years, guiding the program to its first regional win and a 9th place finish at the national level. This is my first year on the board for NKCCA and so excited about the opportunity to help make cheerleading in Northern Kentucky stronger than ever.
Michelle Schuster
Michelle Schuster brings over three decades of coaching experience to her role as president of the NKCCA, making a significant impact on the cheerleading community. Beginning humbly in 1992 with the Boone County Pee Wee Football League, she later served as the varsity head coach at Boone County High School from 1999 to 2021. Michelle's coaching journey boasts numerous victories, including two National Championships at the NHSCC and a State Championship at the KHSAA. Recognized for her coaching prowess with awards like the 2020 Kentucky State Coach of the Year and the 2017 NKCCA Coach of the Year, Michelle emphasizes community involvement and has organized various initiatives, such as mini cheer camps and community service events like Breakfast with Santa. Actively engaged in professional associations like UCA/Varsity, NFHS, KAPOS, and NKCCA, Michelle serves as a board member and President. Her coaching philosophy centers on putting people first, and fostering a supportive environment where athletes thrive both on and off the mat. Michelle's impact transcends wins and losses; it's about empowering athletes to reach their full potential and become exemplary individuals in their communities. With personal experience as a former cheerleader for Northern Kentucky University and as a mother of an all-star cheerleader, Michelle brings a multi-perspective understanding to her coaching approach.
Lauren Miller
Lauren Miller has over 13 years of experience as a cheerleader, spanning from recreational league to college. She graduated from Pendleton County High School in Falmouth, KY in 2009. Upon graduation, she attended Morehead State University and was an All-Girl cheerleader for MSU for the 2010 – 2011 season. After joining the NKCCA board as a member at large in 2018, Lauren currently serves as the Vice President for the NKCCA. She also works full-time as a Revenue Audit Supervisor for the Kentucky Department of Revenue. Lauren resides in Williamstown, KY with her husband, Grant, and two sons, Dempsey and Woods.
Brittany Trame
Brittany Trame grew up around the Northern Kentucky Cheerleading Coaches Association (NKCCA), where her mother played a pivotal role as one of the founders. She cheered all through elementary and high school at Holy Cross. Brittany graduated in 2012 and was a recipient of one of the NKCCA scholarships her senior year. After graduating, she attended the University of Cincinnati to pursue a career in Elementary Education. Brittany continued supporting the NKCCA through the competitions, camps, Youth Board, East/West games and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati Cheerleading Team. She now serves as a Board Member and works as a Reading Specialist for Cincinnati Public Schools.
Gayle Trame
Gay Trame was our founding member. She served as President from 1992-2019. She continues to be an integral member of our board and is our Treasurer, Youth Board Moderator and Scholarship Committee member. We honored her by naming one of our scholarships after her.