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Larry Scalzitti
LRN2RYD’s chief instructor is Larry Scalzitti. He’s been riding motorcycles since he turned 20.
And let’s just say that it’s been a long time since he started riding. Larry grew up in the Chicago area and went to college at Creighton University before joining the Navy. After serving aboard two frigates, a destroyer, a cruiser and an ammo ship he retired in 1995. While in the Navy, Larry earned a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from The Naval Post Graduate School. Before retiring, he taught for three years at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
After his retirement, Larry taught math at Stevenson High School for ten years. He has a Masters of Arts in Teaching from The Johns Hopkins University. In addition to teaching math, he also sponsored the school’s juggling club. Under his guidance, the Toss Up club sponsored annual festival grew into one of the largest regional juggling gatherings in the country.
Larry got involved with motorcycle education in 2002. He received his Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) training at Northern Illinois University (NIU). In addition to teaching at NIU, he has also taught at the University of Illinois and Illinois State University. Since then he has instructed hundreds of students and shared his passion for riding with each one. Larry has taught both the MSF and University of Oregon courses.
An avid rider, Larry averages over 30,000 miles of riding per year. He does a lot of long distance riding and is a member of the Iron Butt Association (IBA), the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum (MTF). When he’s not teaching or heading off into the sunset, Larry rides with two local clubs, the Chicago Region BMW Owners Association (CRBMW) and the Top Cats. He is also active as a member of the Patriot Guard Riders.
Larry is a member of the State Motorcycle Safety Administrators Association (SMSA), the American Motorcycle Association (AMA), and the American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education (ABATE).
Sherri Rompala
Sherri comes from a family of motorcycle riders. She was born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin and being the only girl with five brothers, it was pretty much all there was to do! Sherri started her first encounter with shifting at the age of 16. Before that, it was mini bikes, dirt bikes, four wheelers or anything she could get her hands on.
After many moves around Wisconsin and Illinois, Sherri settled in the Chicagoland area in 1995. After raising her two sons, she decided to take a motorcycle safety class to see what it was all about.
It didn’t take Sherri long to rediscover her long time passion for two wheels. Not long after taking her own safety course she was teaching the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic Rider and Experienced Rider Courses for Northern Illinois University. In 2003 Sherri continued her education by attending Harley Davidson’ Rider’s Edge instructor training school. She currently teaches for the motor company’s Riders Edge program in Wisconsin.
Sherri is extremely dedicated to motorcycle safety and teaching is her way of contributing to the community and the sport of motorcycle riding. Her passion for riding clearly comes through as an instructor. There is no better witness to that than the laudatory remarks her students write and say about her. Nothing is more gratifying to Sherri than watching a student learn the fundamentals of riding a motorcycle and developing the skills necessary to become a safe motorcyclist.
When asked why she rides a motorcycle Sherri is quick to respond, “For those who have experienced the joy, no explanation is necessary; for those who have not, no explanation is possible.”
Sherri is a member of American Motorcycle Association (AMA) and the Motorcycle Rider’s Foundation (MRF).
Kathie Hiatt
Kathie was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. Kathie was a self-proclaimed “tom-boy” and says that she has participated in almost every sport ever invented (including playing on a women’s football team) – and has the equipment to prove it!
Kathie always enjoyed muscle cars and motorcycles, and after attending DePaul University, she decided to take one of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses and fell in love with the sport. Unfortunately, family life interrupted her plans to own a bike. She retired from her job as a National Business Development Manager, and decided on a second career as a Personal Trainer.
When her three sons became teens, she mentioned getting a motorcycle to her husband. Although he wasn’t keen on the idea, she purchased her first bike from a friend (a 2007 Harley Street Glide) and took another motorcycle class as a refresher. Kathie says she remembered how much she loved being on a motorcycle the second she started weaving through the cones in class! Kathie says: “I think I am one of those people who is born to ride; every time I heard the bikes going by, the desire to go out and ride got stronger and stronger. I just knew my life would not be complete unless I began to ride.” Kathie’s best friend joined her in the adventure and they have been riding partners since the beginning. Soon, her husband realized that it was something she was serious about and he got a bike too!
Kathie was contacted by Harley-Davidson to participate in their Women’s “WE RIDE” publication, and was a featured speaker for Harley-Davidson at their 105 Anniversary Celebration. Kathie decided to unite her passion for motorcycling with her passion for teaching others to become safe riders; she became a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Coach in 2009, and followed that with becoming a Rider’s Edge Coach with Harley-Davidson in 2010.
Kathie’s enthusiasm for teaching and motorcycling comes through in her teaching style – she is an energetic and entertaining instructor who works very hard to help her students realize their dream of riding a motorcycle. Kathie’s only regret in life is that she didn’t begin to ride a motorcycle sooner, but she says: “I would rather have fewer years doing something I absolutely love and have passion for than a lifetime of regret of not having done anything!”
Kathie is a member of AMA and is part of the Harley-Davidson “Start a Spark” Mentoring program.
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