Meet our Team
Our team is made up of passionate, experienced professionals who are dedicated to creating the best cheer and dance competitions around. Get to know the people behind the Liberty Spirit experience!
Brian Elza
Position: President
Hometown: London, KY
College: University of Kentucky
Favorite Sports Team:
University of Kentucky
Basketball
Fun Fact:
My wife and I were both college cheerleaders at the University of Kentucky, where we each won multiple team championships. While we didn’t cheer or compete together, we both earned a college partner stunt championship title as well.
About Me:
Born and raised in Kentucky, I never imagined leaving the Bluegrass State. But after a decade in Knoxville and Memphis, my wife Lauren, our two children— Baylor and Lincoln—and I eventually found our way to the beach, settling in Destin, FL. Throughout my career, I’ve worn many hats—athlete, coach, choreographer, music mixer, and camp instructor—but my true passion is organizing top-tier championship events.
Lauren Elza
Position: Event Operations
Hometown: Lexington, KY
College: University of Kentucky
Favorite Sports Team:
Kentucky Cheer
Fun Fact:
In college, I was known as the Basket Toss Queen, and I performed elite basket tosses and stunts that were incredibly rare at the time.
About Me:
Cheer has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’ve competed at every level and, right out of college, I opened a cheer and gymnastics gym where I coached and managed operations. During that time, I was proud to be part of the team that created the very first CheerAbilities team, the Kentucky Elite Showcats! Beyond my passion for the sport, I’ve been happily married to Brian for 22 years.
Alicia Palmer
Position:
VP of Operations and Registration
VP of Operations and Registration
Hometown:
Broken Arrow, OK
Broken Arrow, OK
College:
Oklahoma State
University
Oklahoma State
University
Favorite Sports Team:
Kansas City Chiefs
Fun Fact:
??
About Me:
Cheerleading has shaped my life—from middle school sidelines to a national championship and coaching title-winning teams. I toured the U.S. with NCA, then moved into event production in 2016, where I still thrive today. My journey as an athlete, coach, producer, and cheer mom gives me a full-circle view of the sport. Outside of cheer, I love spending time with my teenage twins and my husband of 18+ years, Rick.
Troy Keller
Position: Sales Director
Hometown: Louisville, KY
College: University of Louisvill
Favorite Sports Team:
Dallas Cowboys
Fun Fact:
Born in Louisville, KY on Derby Day
About Me:
I earned a Sport Administration degree from the University of Louisville, where I was introduced to the world of cheerleading by James Speed, one of the most influential figures in the sport’s history. After college, I began my career in sales and spent over a decade as a Varsity All Star Advisor, helping teams navigate the competitive cheer landscape.
Matt Rhine
Position: Scoring Director
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
College: University of
South Carolina
South Carolina
Favorite Sports Team:
Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Gamecocks
Fun Fact:
I travel for cheer competitions an average of 30 times per year all across North America. Also I played the tuba in high school.
About Me:
With 34 years of experience in the world of cheerleading, I have built a diverse career across multiple facets of the sport. I began as an athlete and have since expanded my expertise to include roles such as coach, cheer gym owner, choreographer, judge and scoring director. I also am an emcee for various companies. My background across these roles has shaped me into an asset to the cheerleading community and given me respect and recognition for my contributions to the industry. I am also a proud father of 2 amazing kids that also followed the passion of cheer.
Brooklyn Freitag
Position: Emcee
Hometown: Saskatchewan, Canada
College: University of Louisville
Favorite Sports Team:
University of Kentucky
Fun Fact:
I was on Broadway in ‘Bring It On: The Musical’. I also competed on Kevin Hart’s show ‘Total Knock Out’ where I took home 2nd place and $5000 I hacec performed on various shows such as the Tonys, America’s Got Talent and The Today Show.
About Me:
I was born in Canada, but grew up on a farm in Kentucky. I was a competitive gymnast for many years until I discovered cheerleading in high school. I love to dance and perform, so it was the perfect combo of skill & fun! I became a full time choreographer after Broadway and spent a lot of time traveling the world. I now spend my days as a full time esthetician doing choreography here and there. My passions are trying new restaurants, vacationing with my partner and playing with my Aussiedoodle, Biscuit.
Brynn Baker
Position: Social Media Director
Hometown: Rochester, New-York
College: University of
Louisville
Louisville
Favorite Sports Team:
Buffalo Bills
Fun Fact:
I get starbucks every single day!
About Me:
I was the captain of Louisville Large Coed and won both college nationals and the World Championships for Gymtyme Chrome. I now work in acquisitions and player development for a sports gaming company and I now live in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Harley Ashlyn
Position: Sales Director
Hometown: Perry, Georgia
College: Middle Georgia
University
University
Favorite Sports Team:
University of Georgia football and Milwaukee Brewers Baseball
Fun Fact:
I stand better on my hands than I do on my feet – handstands are kind of my thing!
About Me:
I got my start in elite gymnastics, competing up to Level 9 before making the switch to cheerleading. I joined a Worlds team at MGA and my middle school cheer team. After graduating I began coaching all star teams and tumbling and eventually started my own program in Perry. I also began choreographing for GHSA teams across Georgia. I then joined the coaching team at Revolution Athletics in Atlanta for two seasons. I decided to step away from coaching and embraced new roles within the industry. I now serve as an OCS judge and work with liberty spirit.
Jesse Grossmann
Position: Set up Director
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
College: University of South
Carolinasity
Carolinasity
Favorite Sports Team:
Carolina Gamecocks
Fun Fact:
During a college football game that was televised (between Carolina Gamecocks and Kentucky Wildcats), I was running the flag across the endzone, slipped and fell on live national television.
About Me:
I began my career in cheerleading at the University of South Carolina. Over the years I have contributed to the cheer community as an athlete, a coach, a mentor and an international judge. I have coached numerous teams at every level and have been working a wide range of cheerleading competitions. I believe my understanding of cheerleading event management, experience and comprehensive knowledge has shaped me into the person I am today. Outside of cheer, I love playing golf and playing the guitar. I also dabble in videography.