About me

I decided to become a personal trainer in 2014 after moving to Portland from the United Kingdom. I fell in love with the life-transforming power that strength training had on my physical and mental health in the U.K. Not only was I healthier in my 40s than I had been in my 20s, but I found something that actually helped to reduce stress and anxiety. Seeing these physical and mental changes propelled me to gradually change my family’s nutrition into a creative and sustainable lifestyle for all members to enjoy. After previously pursuing a career in education with an emphasis in art, I found that personal training combined my love of creative instruction with the ability to inspire through relationships. It was a job made in heaven, and I enjoy it just as much today as the day I started.

The best part of my job is meeting people from all walks of life. Just like a work of art, every person I train is unique and therefore needs an individualized plan. Whether it be helping a client regain confidence and strength after quadruple bypass surgery or helping a client tackle late night stress eating and build healthy habits, I want all of my clients to have a solid quality of life and to age gracefully.

Specialties

I specialize in creatively teaching my clients new things that will keep exercising interesting and showing them what they need to know to get results. I love partnering to set realistic nutrition goals that are tailored to their busy life and can be adhered to forever. I am passionate about cheering them on when they show up as we celebrate what their body can do. Having entered middle age myself, I have a strong focus on joint-friendly yet challenging exercises to keep my clients moving joyfully well into their later years. I’m always asking myself, “What impact will doing this exercise have on the body in the years to come?”

Clients often mention that they love how I hold them accountable for the goals that we have set together. Recently someone said, “You aren’t just concerned with how I perform during our scheduled workout. You care about how I move, what I eat, and how I live on all the other days I don’t see you.” So whether my clients need to add more movement into their life, lower their stress, or they just want to feel more comfortable in their clothes, our partnership in accountability makes that possible.

Philosophy

Everything is better with strength training! Granted, problems don’t magically disappear, but they become more manageable when you regularly complete the stress cycle through exercise. Not only will you be physically healthier, but your mood will be elevated and your anxiety will decrease. What we do together in the gym spills over into other areas of your life.

Outside the gym

Originally from Texas, I moved to Portland eight years ago via Cardiff, Wales, with my husband and two children, adding two tiny terriers along the way. The beauty of the Welsh countryside made Portland a perfect fit as I love cultivating my green thumb in any way possible. Because of my background in art, I gravitate towards creative home projects, and I am avid artistic illustrator for my website and Instagram profile. Just like in exercise, I am always dreaming up new ideas!