FOUNDER | MASTER COLORIST
Claudia Cruz founded Skye Studio to create a space for the modern woman to feel uplifted, and beautiful from the inside out.
Claudia has been doing hair for over 13 years. She specializes in blonding/balayage, color corrections and lived-in, dry haircutting techniques. Her passion for hair keeps her staying up to date on the latest trends, and constantly learning new techniques to enhance her guests’ experience.
Claudia loves giving her clients the hair of their dreams and is certified with Bellami Pro Extensions, offering sewn in Volume Wefts, Hand Tied Wefts, Tape-Ins and K-Tips.
When not behind the chair, Claudia is out spreading her knowledge on hair + salon business to other stylists. Her work has been featured in multiple magazines + on hair social media pages such has Behind The Chair, Modern Salon, American Salon, Masters of Balayage; and she has also had partnerships with top companies, such as Schwarzkopf Professional and Redken. Her work has led her to be nominated 3 times in the Behind The Chair One Shot Awards.
Beyond her busy life in the salon, Claudia is also a mom to 2 beautiful children, Alonzo (11) and Alessia Skye (6). She enjoys traveling, finding out of the ordinary experiences, and all things ‘self-care’ to keep her showing up as her best.
CLAUDIA CRUZ
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CLAUDIA CRUZ |
MASTER HAIR CUTTER | RAZOR SPECIALIST
Mia DeFabio specializes in both precision and razor cutting. She has a versatile skill set, but she truly enjoys working with clients who embrace their natural texture and beauty. Razor cutting has become one her signature techniques, using the razor to create texture, movement, and to add an edgy modern look to any classic hair cut.
Mia offers IBE (Invisible Bead Extensions) and Hand Tied Sew In Wefts. Before Mia joining our team, she advanced her training at the ARROJO Academy in Manhattan. Mia has been a craft hair stylist for 8 years and continues to bring her own unique style to the area.
When Mia’s not doing hair, you can find her cruising the Hudson Valley in her vintage ‘75 Cadillac. Mia loves to adventure new countries and experience their culture and cuisines.
MIA DEFABIO
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MIA DEFABIO |
MASTER COLORIST | STYLIST
Elaine’s passion for working with hair started as early as her childhood when she found herself styling and braiding her friends hair at sleepovers, before school dances, and even just for fun. Elaine graduated from Paul Mitchell The School in 2014 with honors and began working as a stylists soon after graduation. Elaine has over 10 years of experience doing lived in balayage/highlight colors and loves doing braids or up-dos for special occasions.
Her favorite thing about being a hair stylist is the opportunity to express her creativity and provide guests with an unforgettable experience that leaves them feeling beautiful both inside and out.
Elaine recently began offering Extensions services, as she just became certified with Bellami Pro.
When Elaine is not doing hair, she keeps busy at home with her children Henry, Emilia, and Isabelle. She loves spending time with family and experiencing the beauty nature has to offer by hiking or exploring new places.
ELAINE MERRYMAN
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ELAINE MERRYMAN |
STYLIST | BLONDE SPECIALIST
Hannah has been with our team for over five years.
Hannah went to BOCES in High School, as part of the Cosmetology Program, and finished her training at Capri Cosmetology Learning Center. She has worked closely with salon owner, Claudia, as her main assistant for over two years now, along with assisting our other artists as well. In that time Hannah has excelled and learned so much, landing her the position as a New Talent Stylist, taking on color services of her own.
Hannah specializes and enjoys doing blondes, and is also certified in Extensions with Bellami.
When she isn’t in the studio, Hannah is working at her family’s 200 year old farm, spending most of her time in their brewery, bartending.
HANNAH KENT
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HANNAH KENT |
STYLIST | COLORIST
Casey's work is defined by her attention to detail and versatility. Since her start in the beauty industry her commitment to ongoing education allows her to deliver fresh and innovative looks tailored to individual preferences. In 2021, Founder Claudia Cruz offered Casey a position on the team. Her desire to thrive in a modern environment and craft a thoughtful client experience brought Casey to Skye Studio.
Today, a wide range of clientele is familiar with her expertise. Beyond extension installation, blonding and coloring; Casey's skill set extends to upstyling and makeup, ensuring clients look their best for special occasions and bridal events. From conventional hairstyling to bridal artistry, Casey excels in tailoring effortless results for every client. Casey is certified in Bellami Extensions, Brazilian Blowout, K18, Olaplex, and Amika Branding.
Apart from technique, Casey believes in building relationships based on trust and understanding. Her goal is simple: to make every client feel their confidence from within, leaving with a style that exceeds expectations.
CAsey Ramirez
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CAsey Ramirez |
HEAD HAIR ASSISTANT | NEW TALENT STYLIST
Meet Ella, one of our newer additions to the Skye Studio team! Ella found her love and creativity for all things beauty when she was a child.
Ella graduated at the top of her Dutchess BOCES class in 2022. Since then she has received her Bellami Extension Certification as well as developing her craft. She has recently broadened her talents into makeup, opening herself to all beauty opportunities.
Ella is looking forward to meeting and creating relationships with all of Skye Studio’s clients.
Outside of the salon, Ella enjoys seeing the good in life by exploring new places, listening to various genres of music and opening most of her time hiking and going to the gym.
Ella rinaldi
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Ella rinaldi |
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR | RECEPTION
Meet Emily, our full time receptionist and media coordinator.
She focuses on our social media pages and all communications for the studio. She also works closely with brides via Skye Bridal and Claudia to plan events and outreach. She is a recent SUNY Cortland graduate, with a BA in Communications and Marketing.
She has found a new love of the beauty industry. She enjoys learning the different processes and techniques used in the studio to build knowledge for the content she is creating. She currently heads all communication via Skye Bridal, planning and coordinating outside bridal party services for 2025-2026 weddings.
Outside of the studio, Emily spends her time with friends and family. Emily is also a part of a few sports clubs, playing and coaching travel and varsity volleyball almost daily. She loves to travel and explore different places local and far!
Emily Beck
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Emily Beck |
HAIR ASSITANT | STYLIST TRAINEE
Meet Dominick, or “DJ” for short!
He found his love for hair at the age of 4. Dominick graduated BOCES in 2023, and is currently studying at TGI Advanced Hair School. Since then, he has received his Bellami Extension Certification. His passion and goal in the hair industry is to master blonding and be labeled as a color specialist.
Dominick is looking forward to creating relationships with all of Skye’s clients while learning from our amazing stylists.
When he’s not in the salon, Dominick loves spending time with friends whether hiking, traveling, soaking up the sun, or shopping. Dominick truly seems to find the bright side of every situation and we cannot wait to see his growth at Skye!
