I’m all about energy!  I create it, thrive on it, take it, share it, and sometimes even run low on it…only to do it again tomorrow!  I’m a mom, wife, physical therapist, certified personal trainer, professional competitor, and certified group fitness instructor.  I’ve always loved helping people.  There is nothing more exciting and inspiring than to help others reach their fitness goals.  I find it extremely rewarding to watch as people begin to feel better mentally, and physically as they watch their body change, and gain strength.

When I was 11 years old, a family friend was head injured in a car accident.  She spent 9 months in a coma, and eventually learned to walk and talk again with therapy.  Witnessing her journey inspired me to become a Physical Therapist.  As I grew up and pursued my passion at Wheeling Jesuit University, where I received a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, I was a normal college student who began to put on a few extra pounds.  I started going to the gym and decided to try an aerobic class.  I enjoyed it so much that I thought it would be great teach a class.  I’ve continued to expand the classes I teach to include RIBONZ, interval, body burn, pilates, and toning.

While working in the home health field, I found a way to combine my passion for therapy and aerobics with my love of people through RIBONZ.  Many of my patients were struggling to reach into their cabinets and complete other daily tasks many of us take for granted until you can’t complete them.  I found it disconcerting to have a limitation in function without having a disability at this age.  So I began to develop RIBONZ as an aerobics class focused on the functions we require in our daily lives.

I’ve learned things can get really tough along the way, no matter if it’s trying to lose 10 lbs or trying to make it through a hectic work/family week, you just take a deep breath and stride one step at a time. We are human, we all make mistakes and we all have challenges we have to work through.  RIBONZ is progress into a great journey everyone, no matter their ability, can make.