My interest in health and nutrition began in high school. After pulling a groin muscle during a cheerleading tryout I started gaining weight and feeling sluggish. This initiated my passion for fitness classes as I started doing Kathy Smith VHS fitness tapes and fell in love! I went on to study at Miami University, where I earned a BS in Dietetics and an MS in Exercise and Health. While in school I became a certified fitness instructor and started teaching locally at various corporations for TriHealth Corporate Health. Upon graduation, I worked as a trainer and instructor at The Greenbrier Resort and Spa, The Atlantic Coast Athletic Club, and Boars Head Resort in West Virginia and Virginia. After relocating to Cincinnati, I started working with older adults as a Wellness Coordinator at Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community. For the next decade I was an in-home personal trainer in Indian Hill while teaching fitness classes at a local community center and Bootcamps in my backyard and in a rented space. I was also teaching Personal Health and activity courses in Miami University’s Kinesiology and Health department.
In addition, I worked as a Health Coach for Wellness Solutions, where I taught the Beat the METS program. This 12-week program was for GE employees at risk for Metabolic Syndrome and covered health lectures on nutrition, physical activity and stress reduction. Lectures were alternated with individual health coaching sessions that focused on behavior change, personalized strategies and goals. There were also pre/post biometric screenings that measured BMI, Hip to Waist ratio, blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipid levels. Most of the participants started with 3 risk factors and lowered these numbers down to one or two risk factors. When this position ended, I went on to become a Health Coach for Humana Cares, a telephonic health coaching program for at-risk members who had high hospital admissions and chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. I helped members become healthier by using open ended questions, reflective listening, and motivational interviewing to guide them toward reaching their health goals and vision.
Current certifications:
AFAA Group Exercise Instructor
AAAI Personal Trainer
AEA Certified Aquatic Fitness Professional
CPR and First Aid
Physical Mind Institute Mat Pilates
Balanced Body University Reformer I
Hatha Yoga