Outdoor Bootcamps

 

A little more about me.....

 

I am deeply passionate about fitness and firmly believe that movement is a powerful tool for healing and empowerment. Throughout my own health journey, I've embraced a holistic approach to well-being, grounding myself through mindful nutrition and practices that nurture the mind, body, and spirit. My loyal dog Bella has been my steadfast companion, joining me on countless walks in the woods where I find solace, connection, and true grounding. As I've aged and navigated the rich experiences of my career, I've come to cherish my time profoundly, using it intentionally to be of service, make a meaningful impact, and mindfully hold space for others. I have learned to slow down, set healthy boundaries, and maintain a balance in all aspects of life.

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My Journey of Passion, Expertise, and Wellness

I wasn't always the coordinated athlete growing up, sports intimidated me, and I often felt out of place in them. Plus, we moved every year or two so that made things a bit more challenging. My fitness journey truly began at the young age of 14 with my first job at the front desk of the local YMCA in Enterprise, Alabama. It was there that I started attending group fitness classes and working out in the gym. I soon discovered an irreplaceable feeling that fitness gave me. It grounded me, energized me, provided a foundation of confidence. It became an important place to relieve stress and manage my occasional feelings of depression, loneliness or anxiety.

Two years later, when my family moved to Montgomery, Alabama, I worked at Gold's Gym, continuing to build my passion for health and wellness. By the time we relocated to Ottawa when I was 16 or 17, I had taken courses to become a certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer. I also coordinated and taught some group fitness classes at my high school over lunchtime 2-3 times a week.

Over the years, I worked at a variety of local gyms, including True Forms, GoodLife, the YMCA, and more, as well as corporate sites.

While attending the University of Ottawa, where I majored in Social Sciences with a concentration in Leisure/Recreation, I balanced my studies with part-time work. On weekend nights, I bartended, and during the days, I taught fitness classes at Ottawa U, provided personal training, and worked at other gyms like GoodLife Fitness Clubs as an instructor, personal trainer, and nutrition coach.

By 1999, I decided to run my own business. I craved the freedom of working for myself and creating the lifestyle I wanted. I had felt pressure to sell at certain businesses where I worked, but sales was never a skill of mine. I never wanted to try to talk people into working out.

A seed of entrepreneurship had been growing inside me, and in 2004, I started a business with two friends where we made and sold yoga pants, yoga bags and more. We distributed them at stores like The Workshop in the Ottawa Market and Ramalotus Yoga Studio.

After graduating in 1997, I initially took on the role of Corporate Health and Fitness Coordinator at the Children's Aid Society for two years. Then, as a fitness instructor at Export Development Canada (EDC), I proposed and assumed the same role, dedicating over 10 years to it. All the while, I continued teaching fitness and yoga classes and training private clients. Entrepreneurial at heart, I also established my own fitness business called "Personalized Fitness" alongside the clothing business.

A decade later, I expanded my impact by securing a contract with Elizabeth Bruyere Hospital as their Health and Fitness Coordinator. In this role, I conduct daily yoga, meditation, and fitness classes for the hospital staff, fostering a culture of well-being and vitality.

My commitment to holistic well-being led me to the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN), where I earned a diploma in 2008 and became a Registered Nutritional Consultant. Collaborating with CSNN peers, I co-founded "Collective Wellness," a multi-modality health business offering various services and products.

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My lifelong commitment to community, learning, and education inspired me to complete teacher's college at Ottawa University in 2017, earning a Bachelor of Education in Health and Physical Education.

 

My diverse skill set even extended to the media, where I served as a Fitness Expert on "Today's the Day" at CTV Morning Live for about 10 years. Despite my busy schedule, I pursued further learning, adding creative movement ideas and on-camera experience to my repertoire.

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Presently, I primarily work with private clients and small groups in my studio and outdoors, and I offer a number of different health and wellness-related classes and workshop. I have a great work/life balance that I am proud of.