FORTIFIED COACHES

From childhood until my time in college as a two sport athlete, team sports and training were part of my existence. As an adult, fitness has played a big role in my personal evolution.

I obtained my Physical Therapy Doctorate in 2013. Since then, I have continued to refine my personal approach to health and wellness. CrossFit and functional fitness-based exercise has the best blend of human capacities while allowing full expression of human movement and design.

My purpose now extends beyond my personal journey to all the people that come through the doors of Fortified Fitness. My goal is to help members change the choices they make effecting their health, improving their mental and physical fortitude, while fostering community and relationships.

Thank you for trusting us with your health and fitness. I hope this community plays a small part in leading to your life fulfillment.

My introduction to fitness began at an early age. I played sports growing up and my parents exercised daily. I developed my love for fitness when I was in college. While playing collegiate basketball, I enjoyed the strength and conditioning more than the actual sport.

I was introduced to CrossFit in 2018 while finishing my Doctorate of Physical Therapy. I had pre-conceived ideas of what CrossFit was. Most of these ideas stemmed from what I had heard from the physical therapy and strength and conditioning communities.

What I found was the complete opposite of what I had heard. I found a training methodology that prioritized functional movement patterns with an emphasis of moving people forward on the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum.

I also found a community that was invested in the betterment of themselves and others. The latter is not typically seen in traditional gym settings.

My passion for CrossFit comes from the methodology and the community. I hope to use my background to help coach and empower our members to achieve their goals.

Lifestyle behavior changes to health, wellness, fitness, and improving daily habits is my foremost passion. Fortified Fitness is more than just a gym; it’s a place where genuine, long-lasting relationships within a community of people choose to make a difference in their fitness and exercise life.

I have a long history in athletics and was fortunate enough to start weightlifting and learning gymnastics and Olympic style technical exercise 15 years ago. With a Masters degree in advanced exercise physiology and a doctorate in physiotherapy as well as many different experiences coaching division 1 athletes; I have a strong understanding of how the science meets movement performance to make drastic changes in an individuals’ wellbeing.

The knowledge and experience base allows me to efficiently and effectively coach complex and technical movement patterns while reducing the risk of injury and simultaneously optimize performance.

Crossfit has been a part of my life for a number of years now. Initially, as a collegiate athlete, I was focused on performance benefits, and now as a coach my goals include providing a safe environment where adaptation can help our members achieve their fitness goals while nurturing the fun in our community. Between coaching in the gym and nutrition coaching, there is nothing I love more than witnessing people commit to their health and well-being. I am constantly focusing on consistency in movement, nutrition, and lifestyle and look forward to sharing those characteristics with our members.

I began athletics by playing team sports at the age of four, then narrowed my focus to ice hockey and continued to compete throughout a collegiate and semi-professional level. Along the way I had the opportunity of being coached by some of the sports world’s top collegiate and professional trainers.

My training of others started at about age 16, by working with athletics in Special Olympics. As former owner of CrossFit Forbidden, I was responsible for CrossFit and other sport-specific training, conducting fitness and body assessments, minor-nutritional counseling, injury rehabilitation and weight management with an emphasis placed on achieving a similar variety and intensity for each individual, regardless of skill/athletic level and/or physical handicaps.

I am highly motivated and excited to help others reach their health and fitness goals and to perform at their peak potential.

My introduction and intrigue with fitness and the capabilities of the amazing human body began at a young age. As a basketball player from as long as I could remember, that intrigue was motivated by a drive to become the best I could in my sport. That led me to a career at the collegiate level and a short stint professionally in Europe. I was inspired by my experience as an athlete and love of service to pursue and complete a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. After completion of my Doctorate in 2014, I found myself looking for a new challenge, and was drawn to Crossfit due its inclusion of weightlifting, gymnastics, and other functional movements, but more importantly the atmosphere.

As a member of a team for almost my entire life up to that point, I loved the community of encouragement during every workout and actually found that was what truly kept me coming back. My passion now is longevity. Having treated people of all ages and levels of wellness as a physical therapist, I have a better understanding of how important it is to continue to push and challenge our bodies and minds, while minimizing risk of injury, as we age for improved quality of life. I am a servant and hope to improve the lives and longevity of others by sharing my knowledge, as so many others have done for me.