Time to get to know ME!

Born and raised in Glenview, a northern suburb of Chicago, the oldest of 4 kids, with strong Irish & Italian roots, and a love for sports. My parents started me in gymnastics when I was 3, soccer when I was 5, and springboard diving when I was 9.  I have always loved to move, push myself, and be the best I could be in my sports.

After competing on the varsity girls soccer team and diving team at GBS all 4 years, I went on to play Division I soccer at Penn State University on the women’s cub team.  I was very fortunate to play sports at a highly competitive level.

Besides sports, I became passionate about the human body and fitness. Actually, I have my mom to thank for inspiring me to go into the fitness field since she became a personal trainer and cycling instructor when I was in high school.  Kinesiology was the perfect major for me. One of my classes at Penn State was to become a fitness instructor. Thus, I began teaching various fitness classes as an undergrad.  I also became really interested in weight training, conditioning, speedwork, agility, and improving my overall fitness.  So, I became a strength & conditioning coach intern at Penn State working with Women & Men’s Soccer and Rugby. 

After receiving my B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State, I came back home to the Chicago area and starting working at Athletico as a Physical Therapy Intern.  I really enjoyed working with athletes, but wasn’t thrilled to work with the general public.  So, I received my CSCS (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist) through the NSCA (National Strength & Conditioning Association). I started training athletes at the Park Center in Glenview for strength, speed, and conditioning.  I also became a soccer coach at the Glenview Soccer Club where I was a player.

A mentor of mine encouraged me to go back to school to earn my teaching credential.  I took him up on the advice and I received my Master of Arts in Teaching Physical Education & Health from Concordia University.  Over the last 20 years, I have taught Physical Education & Health at the high school and middle school levels.  At Evanston Township High School, I also coached varsity girls cross-country, freshman girls soccer, and taught yoga to various sports teams.  When I coached athletes during season or the off-season, I would create strength, speed, and conditioning workouts as well as lead restorative yoga and meditations.

I am passionate about coaching athletes, helping them improve physically, mentally, and emotionally, and making a positive impact on their lives.  I believe in the power of change! I want my clients to be the best athletes they can be, feel good about themselves, and achieve their peak performance. I even want to help athletes earn scholarships (this is something I wished I had received) and play at the next level.

When I am not coaching, you can find me traveling, practicing yoga, hiking, biking, skiing, rock-climbing, camping, going to concerts & festivals, attending sporting events, and learning to speak Spanish.

I have a Master of Arts in Teaching Physical Education from Concordia University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Penn State. My credentials are listed below:

One of my mottos is to treat yourself like you would treat your best friend. Talk to yourself like you would talk to your best friend. Rather than be your worst enemy, be your best teammate! Although this concept might sound simple, it is not easy to implement. I have worked with soccer, basketball, lacrosse, football, volleyball, baseball, gymnastics, golf, cross-country, badminton, and water polo athletes on this concept and they have seen positive results.  Athletes can recover better from mistakes if they are trained the right way.

The human mind is truly powerful! When athletes tap into this power, they can do extraordinary things!  Thus, it is imperative for athletes to train their mind the RIGHT way.

I want clients to love their life, feel good about themselves, and make a difference in their lives. I also want athletes to achieve their peak performance and ENJOY the process. I even want to help athletes earn scholarships (this is something I wished I had received) and play at the next level.