ABOUT US
Linking Handlebars was founded in 2012 by Lucia Villani, Cristiana Villani, Bridget Salice, and Jenna Cammisa. During high school, the four girls volunteered at the Carver Center and Don Bosco in Port Chester, NY. After their experiences, they wanted to make a larger impact on their local community. They spoke with the children at the centers and discovered that many of them never owned a bicycle. Since bicycling was a huge part of their childhood, the girls believed that all children should have the opportunity to own a bicycle and learn how to ride.
Lucia Villani
Co-founder and Co-President
Lucia is a graduate of Cornell University where she majored in Applied Economics & Management. She started pursuing community service projects in middle school through Part Of The Solution (POTS) and her other not-for-profit, Rye Angels. Lucia wanted to get more involved in community service initiatives involving children, which motivated her to start LH. She is currently an active board member and pursuing a career in as an Associate Channel & Customer Development Manager at Unilever.
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Luca Villani
Co-President
Luca Villani is a Junior at Manhattan College, majoring in Business and Computer Info Systems. He deeply cares about making an impact in his community and improving the lives of people he meets. Luca started serving the local community in elementary school and continued throughout middle school by participating with POTS. Luca has worked at the Manursing Island Club and Home Depot during past summers, while also learning how to design, construct, and maintain public works.
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Cristiana Villani
Co-founder and Vice President
Cristiana is a Lehigh University graduate, who double majored in Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies & Africana Studies. She has been giving back to the community since middle school and decided to start LH to combine her love of children, giving back, and changing the world. At Lehigh, she was an avid volunteer at LU's Center for Gender Equity, where she spearheaded the Love Your Body campaign, she was also the founder of Lehigh’s American Association of University Women Student Affiliate Group and a SPEAK educator for the Pride Center. Cristiana remains actively involved in the community as a co-founder of the Rye Coalition for Change and a member of the Rye City School District's Race, Inclusivity, and Community Task Force, along for Girls Inc. of Westchester as a Program Facilitator. She currently is Manager at the Danny's Cycles shop in Rye Brook, continuing her career in the bicycle industry.
Julia Bateman
Previous Secretary
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Julia Bateman
Previous Secretary
Sophie Bross
Previous Treasurer
Jack Bateman
Previous Secretary
Bridget Salice
Co-founder, non-active
Jenna Cammisa
Co-founder, non-active