FIT BEACH 2010
Conference Presenters

Amy Bomar,

Amy Bomar is an accomplished fitness presenter who has worked as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and fitness program director for more than 18 years. Through her company, FIT Launch, Amy presents a full series of ACE CEC-approved courses at in-house workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest, and at international fitness conventions. She has presented at World Fitness IDEA, FACT Fest, CAN-FIT-PRO, HAFP (Hawaiian Association of Fitness Professionals), and Fit Beach, Jamaica.

Amy is also an ACE Faculty Master Practical Trainer for both Group Fitness and Personal Trainer. As a Master Trainer for Resist-A-Ball she teaches all of the Resist-A-Ball certification courses, including Yoga on the Resist-A-Ball. Amy is trained in Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga, certified by YogaFit, and a graduate of the University of Washington’s certificate program for Sports Medicine and Human Performance. She holds certifications from both ACE and AFAA, as well as a Bachelors Degree in Holistic Nutrition. Through her company FIT Launch, Inc. Amy provides Education and Business Services to trainers and instructors throughout North America.

Doug Briggs,

Doug Briggs, Ph.D., is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS, *D) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a NSCA Fly Solo Mentor. Doug has been involved in strength and conditioning for over 30 years. He is a competitive Olympic weightlifter who won the 2002 and 2005 Pan American Masters Weightlifting Championships, setting a new Pan American Masters Snatch record in 2002. Doug has also won the 2005 and 2007 USA Weightlifting Masters National Championships. He was named male “Athlete of the Year” for the 2002 New Mexico State Games and “Athlete of the Month” for his participation in a 36-week International Natural Weightlifting Case Study sponsored by Flora Health. He has held over 100 state records in Olympic weightlifting.

Currently Doug is the Director of Human Performance for the U.S. Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) activity at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he has been for six years. He is also a faculty member in the Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (PERD) Department at New Mexico State University. Subjects that he teaches, or has taught, include anatomy, motor development, principles of strength & conditioning, personal training, test & measurements, as well as beginning, intermediate, and advanced women’s and Olympic weightlifting. Doug has also written for numerous magazines including Pure Power Magazine, Bliss Now, and the Army Times, to name a few and has two published books; “Sixteen Weeks to Weight Training Success” and “Built for Strength: A Basic Approach to Weight Training Success for Men and Women.”

Previously Doug owned a Powerhouse Gym for 12 years and a personal training studio that became an Olympic-style weight training facility that produced numerous collegiate national champions and national level athletes. Doug has acted as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s teams of USA Weightlifting (USAW) at the World University and College Championships and the Young Louis Cyr Competition in Canada in 2000. He is a USA Weightlifting Regional Coach and has previously served as President for three terms, and as Secretary for the New Mexico Local Weightlifting Committee (LWC) of USA Weightlifting.

Fort Bliss MWR has hosted the 2006 and 2009 USA Weightlifting Masters National Championships and the 2007 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Pan American Masters Weightlifting Championships.

Doug has one son, Alexander Maximus, who was the world’s youngest registered weig months. Alexander currently trains with weights, plays basketball, football, Little League baseball and tournament select baseball.htlifter and competed in his first contest at the age of 11

Denise Cox,

Denise is Vice President of Fit Bodies, Inc., has been with Fit Bodies since it’s inception, 1988. Her realm of duties include world wide sales and marketing functions. An ACE certified personal trainer, member of NSCA, ACE and IFAA specializing in training “Baby Boomers” and “Weekend Athletes”. A water fitness specialist working in the water to rehab injuries and to motivate the “non compliant”.

Denise’s methods of training encompass Pilates, Boot Camp, BOSU, Kickboxing, Speed - Agility and Aquasize to get clients moving and have fun doing it! An ACE Certified Lifestyle and Weight Management Coach, has recently just moderated the Atlanta Journal Constitution/Olde Towne Athletic Club Biggest Loser contest with over 100 participants losing an aggregate of over 2,867 pounds!

When she is not training she can be found on her road bike, swimming, running trails or on the tennis court. Her daily motto “Life is meant to be fun, live it!”

Joseph Dugan,

Master Instructor with Spin Fitness
15 Year of experience in the Fitness Industry
ACE and AAFA Certified

Family:  
Spouse - Enita (19 years of Wedded Bliss)
Child -  Colin (7 year old Ball of Energy)
Home:
Linwood, NJ

Things I spend my time doing - Being a husband and father; Working (My non-fitness career is Financial Advisory Services with Morgan Stanley); Swimming; Spinning Instruction (As a Master Instructor doing Orientations & CECs and teaching classes at my home gym in Somers Point, NJ); and Travel.

Gay Gasper,

Missy Hawthorne,

Melissa Hawthorne RN, BSN CSCS has been a Registered Nurse for 27 years with emphasis in critical care and cardiology as well as spent 6 years in medical sales for a major medical and cardiology device corporation. With 21 years experience in the fitness industry, some of her certifications in both group fitness and personal training include, ACE, AFAA, ISCA, Johnny G. SPINNING, Mat Pilates and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) for the NSCA. Missy is a skin care specialist and fitness consultant for The Plastic Surgery Group Inc. Cincinnati, and is owner of Priority Fitness Personal Training and Wellness. She served as group fitness director for Bally Total Fitness for 17 years but is presently training clients at Living Longer Proactive Health Strategies, Cincinnati. Missy is an international workshop presenter and is currently a Master Trainer for Resist-A-Ball Inc., ISCA personal training, and Promise Enterprises for Kickboxing. Missy has also played and an active role in the development of the strength and conditioning program for the Cincinnati Reds minor league teams, spring training 2002. Missy is often asked to share exercise and fitness tips for FOX 19 TV or "Stretch on the Square" Channel 12 TV. Missy served as chairperson for the City of Hope’s Workout for hope 1989-2000,and continues to serve on the national wellness board for the City of Hope Research Hospital in California.

"Approach those ‘impossible’ goals by breaking them into workable daily
activities. Think of it this way: How do you create a garden where there wasn’t
one before? You start today by removing one rock at a time!"

June Kahn,

IDEA
FITNESS
INSTRUCTOR
of the YEAR
2009

June Kahn, developer of BEAM-LATES™ is the Director of Education for Beamfit™ LLC. She is the founder of June Kahn’s Bodyworks, LLC, and the Life Studio Coordinator for LifeTime Fitness in Westminster Co. As a program developer and continuing education provider for the fitness and mind/body industries, June is best known for bridging the gap between traditional Pilates and Fitness.

June co-authored Morning Cardio Workouts, published by Human Kinetics USA and contributes regularly to print and media including Shape, Weight Watchers, Living Fit, Fitness, Fit Pregnancy and Health Magazine as well as appearing in over 20 DVD/Videos. Heralded by Self-magazine as one of the "Top 20 Personal Trainers" in the USA, June has appeared on QVC and local media networks.

In addition, she is the Education Manager for Stamina Products, Inc., a Pilates equipment manufacturing company best known for their AeroPilates® line of Pilates home and commercial equipment. She is also the designer of Pilates Bowflex Training Program for Nautilus Health and Fitness Group.

A certified Pilates practitioner for both Mat, Reformer and Apparatus work, she is a Peak Pilates MVe Trainer and the developer of both Pilates Matwork Fundamentals and Pilates Matwork Small Apparatus Specialty Certificate programs for SCW Fitness.. June is a ACE, AFAA & ACSM Certified Health Fitness Instructor, and has been recently named finalist for the 2009 IDEA Instructor of the Year Award to be announced in August 2009 in Anaheim CA

Wayne Martin,

Wayne Martin is licensed by the state of New Jersey as both a massage therapist and a bodywork therapist. He is a trained shiatsu practitioner and yoga therapist. For seventeen years, he has maintained his membership in the American Organization of Bodywork Therapies of Asia. Since 1994, Wayne has been a member of, and certified by The Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, in both massage and bodywork modalities. He has taught yoga for 20 years and has had his own yoga practice for the past 25 years.

With an (E RYT 500) level of membership in THE YOGA ALLIANCE, he holds their highest professional rating. Wayne also is a professional member of the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOGA THERAPISTS.

Wayne uses skills developed in his personal yoga practice to deepen and expand his techniques in Thai massage. Using his knowledge of yoga, shiatsu and Thai massage, he is better able to serve his clients.

David Mesirow,

David Mesirow is the founder of Beamfit™ and creator of Beaming™, his revolutionary NEW program which integrates physical and emotional balance, laying the groundwork for overall health and well-being – a lifestyle of “Complete Fitness.” David used his years of experience as a fitness professional to take a long hard look at fitness and the fitness industry. “Taking classes is not enough,” David says. “Your very being needs to become integrated into the class experience releasing yourself on all levels, allowing the experience to transform you from the inside out.” This “whole” experience then carries through in all aspect of your lifeThis dynamic, multi-faceted approach to reform fitness programming is the culmination of David’s 29 years of experience as a recognized leader and top educator in the fitness industry coupled with his social work education.

Over the course of David’s tenure, he held many prominent positions including National Assistant Director of Group Exercise Programming for Bally Total Fitness, Reebok Master Trainer and Avia Select Athlete. His accomplishments also include program developer and director at a variety of highly respected fitness facilities in the Chicago area for decades, utilizing his skills, in particular, as an aquatic exercise expert and choreography specialist. David holds certifications from ACE and AFAA and has been rewarded numerous fitness accolades, including the 1994 Windy City Instructor of the Year award, and the Chicago’s BEST program award in 1993, 94, 95 and 96.

Given his formal education in Social Work, David has always been active in humanistic causes as exemplified by his commitment to The City of Hope, Workout for Hope as a National Leadership Council member. Continuing on this path in the 21st century, David, through his company Beamfit™, will be donating a percentage of all revenue to the Special Olympics which is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.

Suzelle Snowden,

Suzelle has been a fitness professional since 1985 and is the owner and founder of Fit Bodies Inc. Her company started as an aerobic studio and instructor training center and now provides travel opportunities to fitness and tennis professionals to exotic resort destinations.

She holds an ACE and AFAA group fitness instructor certification, an ACE personal trainer, a Johnny G Spinning instructor, and many others.

Suzelle is also the program director for the Jeff Galloway Marathon Training program in Cincinnati, where she trains over 100 people throughout the year to complete the goal of successfully finishing a marathon. Her passion for fitness and wellness not only inspired her to create the traveling program but to expand on her own training. She has completed over 30 marathons, 2 50 mile trail races and is training for her first 100 mile race. Suzelle stars in her own fitness show which airs twice weekly on a local cable channel and has been on the air since 1992.

Marianne Wells,

For more than twenty years, Marianne Wells has been teaching and studying yoga around the globe. Her numerous workshops, yoga training immersion retreats, and private practice have inspired tens of thousands of honest and dedicated students and instructors both domestically and internationally. Her always evolving curriculum promotes personal study, balanced living, and unceasing growth.

Born and raised in the yoga lifestyle, Marianne is a natural teacher. Integrating her yoga upbringing and her formal training into a positive and compassionate teaching style, her classes are tailored to fit the needs of each and every student. Her classes are said to be "deceptively strenuous, yet surprisingly gentle" as she blends Vinyasa flow and the principles of body alignment into a mindful yoga awareness. Her approach is to offer a warm, comfortable space to inspire and enhance everyone's experience.

Her in-depth knowledge and practice of the countless branches of yoga and yoga instruction have been honed through years of yoga teaching as well as deeper studies under the supervision of various leaders in the yoga world, including that of B.K.S. Iyengar, and the study of Eastern Philosophy at the University of Saint Thomas. It is her steadfast belief that yoga is for everyone and that a student selection process, a seemingly new trend in yoga instruction, is contrary to the study and practice of yoga. All are welcome to flow and grow in their practice with Marianne.