2022 CPTN Personal Trainer Online Summit Speaker Biographies
Andreas Breitfeld, BSA
Looking back to an extensive career in fitness, both as an editor (Fitness Tribune Switzerland, Shape Germany) and educator, Andreas nowadays works with selected athletes. He educates mainly fitness professionals on health optimization and Biohacking. His focus is preparation and regeneration levels, establishing routines to optimize these slightly underrated processes. Besides educating and teaching, he is working on his first book on Biohacking in Sports. For more information, please visit www.breitfeld-biohacking.com.
Rex Chen, CPTN-CPT, ACSM-GEI
Rex Chen is the creator of the EOXi® Indoor Cycling Program and Certification based on his U.S. patented App. Rex started in the fitness industry as the first club Personal Trainer in Taiwan 25 years ago. He is the Personal Trainer Education Facilitator at True Fitness Taiwan Chain, Master Trainer at Johnny G Spirit Bike, Strength and Conditioning Coach for Chung Hwa Telecom Women’s Pro Basketball Team. Rex is also an Indoor Cycling Instructor at Taiwan Adventist Hospital, where he started the hospital’s famous infertility and Pre-natal Indoor Cycling program.
Jill Cressy, BPHE, MEd
Jill Cressy is a Health & Fitness Programs Supervisor with the YMCA of Greater Toronto. She is a certified fitness leader, yoga and mindfulness teacher, coach and trainer. Jill has presented for various organizations, facilitated interactive workshops, delivered virtual coaching sessions, and collaborated with partners to support community engagement and well-being. For more information, please visit www.ymcagta.org.
Emiliano De Bianchi, CPT, CGFL
Emiliano De Bianchi is a 30 year+ veteran of the fitness industry. He was a professional karateka, winning several Italian titles and a Junior World Cup. Over the years, Emiliano has occupied the fitness group trainer, sales consultant, technical director, and fitness manager roles. He has also worked as a Master Trainer with several international fitness companies: Mad Dogg Athletics and Spinning, Schwinn Fitness Academy, TRX and Flowin Friction and more. He currently works as a management consultant to fitness centres, helping them develop and manage their technical teams and implement specific projects. For more information, please visit www.emilianodebianchi.it.
Ryan Fahey, BA, BEd, CPTN-CPT
Ryan is a 3-time author, speaker, and wellness educator passionate about wellness. He is the Owner of FaheyConsulting, which aims to help people and organizations move from good to great. His latest book, How To Thrive In Remote Working Environments, which supports the well-being of remote workers globally, recently hit #1 on Amazon in Canada and cracked the top 40 books on entrepreneurship in North America. Originally from Nova Scotia, Ryan has dedicated his life to pursuing wellness and is widely considered a thought leader in the wellness & education sectors. For more information, please visit www.faheyconsulting.org.
Brandon Green, RTSm, CMSS
With more than seventeen years as a veteran personal trainer and ten years as an international leader in biomechanics & fitness business education, Brandon Green is the Owner/Operator of Newmarket, Ontario’s largest personal training studio, Strata Internal Performance. Brandon is also the founder of Fitness Pro Mentors, a personal training business education platform designed to help trainers and gym owners build lucrative and sustainable business models. In August of 2020, Brandon launched the Fitness Pro Mentors Podcast, showcasing interviews with industry titans who offer valuable MBA-level business tips, tricks and insights for listeners. For more information, please visit www.stratainternalperformance.com.
Elizabeth Hoffmann, BA, E-RYT 500
Elizabeth Hoffmann is the Director of Urban Bliss Yoga, founded in 2006 in North Carolina. She received a degree in Dance, Kinesiology, and Choreography in 1986. After exploring dance for many years, Elizabeth entered the fitness world, became a presenter for major fitness companies, and travelled worldwide to share health and wellness with others. This worldwide journey would lead her full circle back to yoga. Elizabeth learned from the late Georg Feuerstein, with whom she studied for three years totalling over 800 hours and continues to be inspired by the masters. She is certified on the 1,500-hour level and holds an E-RYT 200 & E-RYT 500 status with Yoga Alliance. For more information, please visit www.urbanbliss.com.
Karsten Jensen, MSc, CPTN-CPT.M
Karsten Jensen is a periodization coach and expert who has helped world-class and Olympic athletes from 26 different sports, many of whom have won Olympic medals, European Championships, World Championships, and ATP Tournaments. He is author of The Flexible Periodization Method and Performance Optimization With Periodization. Karsten has also published over 160 articles, 21 instructor training manuals, is an international speaker and has conducted hundreds of live, one to four-day workshops. For more information, please visit www.yestostrength.com.
Larry Jusdanis, BPHE, CPTN-CPT, BioSig L4
Larry Jusdanis is an accomplished Strength and Conditioning Coach with more than 20 years of experience. He is a disciplined leader who demonstrates creativity in developing athletes by executing programs that consistently exceed expectations. Along with his business experience, he is results-oriented, embraces change and works productively and comfortably with colleagues and business partners. For more information, please visit www.sst.training.
Iain Kemp, MPT, PT, CPT
Iain is a Physical Therapist from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He currently works out of Norak Crossfit where he approaches his assessment and treatment with a combination of a variety of techniques, including Neurokinetic Therapy, Integrated Kinetic Neurology, numerous Shante and Perry-ism’s, and the entire RockTape FMT platform. In his time outside of the clinic, Iain enjoys working with premier soccer teams, local businesses, public speaking, and running educational, movement-based weekend seminars. For more information, please visit www.rocktape.ca.
Deanna Lawson-Langford, BA, CCF-CMCP, CPTN-CPT.M, OFC-TFL
As the founder of Deanna Langford Coaching, CPTN course conductor, practical assessor, and professor at Sheridan College, Deanna has been educating and certifying fitness leaders and personal trainers for over 20 years. As a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and coach practitioner, Deanna has a passion for creating classes and programs in which people feel successful, seen and safe. For more information, please visit www.deannalangfordcoaching.com.
Kieran Knock, BComm, CAIB
Kieran is an Insurance Advisor at APOLLO responsible for helping individuals and business owners navigate the nuances of insurance. He is a full Canadian Accredited Insurance broker, managing member insurance programs on behalf of several national organizations and associations. He is deeply passionate about adding value to individuals and businesses through mitigating their risk. With a personal love for sports, nutrition and fitness, Kieran practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and hits the gym multiple times per week. For more information, please visit www.apollo.com.
Marc Lebert, BA, CPT, NLP Practitioner
Marc Lebert is the Chief Fitness Officer (CFO) of Lebert Fitness a global leader in developing innovative fitness tools and home of the Lebert EQualizer™, a fitness club owner, Black Belt, Certified NLP Practitioner, International Presenter, Silver Lining Entrepreneur of the Year, NEOS International Personal Trainer of the Year and named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Health Influencers by Optimyz Magazine. For more information, please visit www.lebertfitness.com.
Susan Lee, PhD, CPTN-CPT
Susan Lee is the president of the Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN) Inc. She lectures at the college and university levels on leadership, business and social justice; presents at international conferences; and publishes in peer-reviewed journals and educational platforms to share her research, practices and passions. Susan recently launched her new book and e-book, Online Personal Training: Taking Control of Your Personal Training & Fitness Business and an initiative for individuals 50+ who are interested in wellness, inclusion, creativity and connections, Wisdom Circle 50+, to support the UN’s Declaration for the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030). For more information, please visit www.synergetics-wellness.com.
Ross O’Donnell, BA, CPTN-CPT
Ross O’Donnell is president of Fitness Kickboxing Canada Inc. (FKCI). He is an international fitness and martial arts presenter, a fitness columnist with over 300 published articles and 15 instructor-training manuals to his credit, and author of The Ultimate Fitness Boxing & Kickboxing Workout. Among the many leadership roles he plays, Ross is also a professional MMA coach. For more information, please visit www.fitnesskickboxingcanada.ca.
Glen Owen, BA, CMSS
Glen Owen helps trainers like you grow your fitness business. As a mentor at Fitness Pro Mentors, Glen works with you to teach you the tools to create a sustainable marketing process. Over the past four years, he’s coached and trained hundreds of exercise professionals on how to transform their marketing from upsetting and frustrating to enjoyable and profitable. His aim is for you to have a career you love, which pays you for the tremendous value you bring to the world. For more information, please visit www.stratainternalperformance.com.
Angela Pereira, BSc, RKin, CNP, CPTN-CPT, CPTN-CYS
With almost 30 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, Angela is the owner of First Line Education and a professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship in Humber College’s Exercise Science and Lifestyle Management graduate certificate program. As a Registered Kinesiologist, a yoga teacher, and a holistic nutritionist, Angela links a deep understanding of functional movement with ‘food first’ nutrition to help adults over aged 70 with autoimmune diseases and mobility challenges become the best versions of themselves. For more information, please visit www.firstlineeducation.com.
Dan Ritchie, PhD
Dan Ritchie is a sought-after expert and speaker at national and international events on topics like balance for older adults, the global aging phenomenon, and functional aging training models. With over 20 years of experience, he has extensive knowledge on training the mature adult market and has equipped people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond to achieve their goals and enhance their functional longevity. Dan was the 2014 Personal Fitness Professional (PFP) Trainer of the Year, and then shortly after he and Cody Sipe co-founded the Functional Aging Institute. For more information, please visit www.functionalaginginstitute.com.
Cody Sipe, PhD, CPTN-CPT
Cody Sipe has an extensive background in the fitness industry with 20 years of experience as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, program director, exercise physiologist and club owner. He is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Research in the physical therapy program at Harding University. He has spent his career researching, developing and practicing the most effective training strategies to improve function in older adults. His secondary area of expertise is in the prevention and management of chronic disease conditions, especially those that accompany the aging process such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. For more information, please visit www.functionalaginginstitute.com.
Elsa Storm, CPT
Elsa Storm is the owner of African Storm Fitness & the Founder/President of PAASA (The Professional Aquatic Association of South Africa). She is an educational representative & Master Instructor for Mad Dogg Athletics Inc. Elsa has authored multiple training manuals, articles & training products and has presented at events, and qualified instructors around the globe. Elsa is a leader in South Africa’s fitness/coaching industry and was the first female fitness coach in PSL Soccer. She spearheaded the biggest aquatic business, where she introduced water as the versatile training medium – from high-performance athletes to special population groups. This former radio fitness host now runs a demanding online training business. For more information, please visit www.africanstormfitness.com.
Stuart Wakefield, BSc, RKin, BTS-C
Stuart Wakefield is the Director of Education in Canada for EBFA Global. With over ten years of experience as a Personal Trainer and Registered Kinesiologist, Stuart uses evidence-based barefoot training techniques to improve movement longevity through sensory stimulation, fascial health and foot stability. Stuart teaches EBFA Global’s in-depth lineup of continuing education seminars, including The Barefoot Training Specialist Certification. For more information, please visit www.ebfaglobal.com.
Wayne Westcott, PhD, CSCS
Wayne Westcott is Coordinator of Exercise Science at Quincy College in Quincy, MA. He has authored 30 books, written strength training chapters for 9 exercise science textbooks, published 95 peer-reviewed papers, and served as the Health & Fitness columnist for ACSM’s Certified News. Wayne has served as a strength training consultant to the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, YMCA of the USA, and 6 NFL football teams.
Alwyn Wong, DC, BSc, ART, Med Ac
Alwayn Wong is a 20-year veteran of the health and fitness industry. As author of The Kick Acid Diet®, he has provided nutritional services for individuals and teams, focusing on long-term fat loss and improved athletic performance. Clinically, he has combined his experience with professional athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts with the latest in scientific research to present a non-biased view of health and performance.