My fitness journey began at age 11 when I ran track and field at my military school. I beat records for the 1600 meter (1-mile) event and 3200 meter (2-mile) event and I’ve enjoyed the thrill of improving in sports performance ever since. Following my military school running days, I had a very short-lived cheerleading phase due to scoliosis. I’ve had scoliosis all my life, but as I got older, the degree of my spinal curvatures became threatening to the point of needing surgery. To prevent further curvature and to straighten my spine, my back was fused. This put an end to my tumbling days. At age 13, I had my back operated on to correct my scoliosis; a long metal rod was inserted on each side of my spinal column from the top of my thoracic spine to the bottom of the lumbar spine with several screws in between.

Despite the fusion, I ran track and cross-country for all 4 years in high school. I was recommended by my coach to start a strength-training regimen to improve my running performance. Listening to my coach’s advice, I was in the gym 5 days a week using weight machines and fell in love with the feeling of lifting weights. Lifting weights gave me discipline and routine at a young age as I learned more of what my body could do while having metal rods on each side of my back. Thanks to my coach pushing me to go to the gym, I built confidence in my body’s ability to build strength with a huge ‘limitation’.

Knowing I was capable of lifting weights with my fusion, I became fascinated with the human body and the concept of how other people could overcome various limitations with a balance of corrective exercise movements and stretching techniques. I loved fitness so much that I went to college and studied Exercise Science. At age 21, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Longwood University. Developing a never-ending curiosity for how nutrition aids in performance, I continued my education to obtain a Master of Science in Nutrition from George Mason University. At age 27, I’ve worked as a personal trainer and nutrition coach for 8 years at multiple fitness clubs.

As several clients I’ve trained have or have had some form of limitation in the body (due to an injury, surgery, pregnancy, etc.), I wanted to learn in further detail how to improve my skill in coaching corrective exercise movements. Working hundreds of hours in physical therapy offices, and applying to physical therapy schools, I have gained knowledge in the mobility and corrective exercise in a more clinical field. I finally achieved my dream goal and got accepted into a Doctorate program for physical therapy school.

As exciting as the acceptance into PT school was, I formed my own personal training brand instead- Beyond Movement Improvement (BMI). BMI emphasizes on quality movement for each client to safely progress in their strength. As I enjoy working with a variety of clients, my passion comes from helping people with minor injuries, or limitations. I find the most satisfaction when I can progress my clients from corrective exercise to compound strength lifts.

I want to teach all new and current clients that most limitations start in their head, and they are capable of achieving whatever goals they set their mind to. I truly want my clients to be able to apply the discipline they’ve built in their fitness routine to other aspects of their life. This includes making conscious decisions that will improve their quality of life.