Chris Leyva is an O2X Instructor. Chris began his journey in human performance as a division 1 athlete, playing football at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Shortly after his tenure with the Golden Panthers, he enlisted in the military completing multiple deployments to the Middle East as a Gun Team Leader with 1st Ranger Battalion.After his time with Ranger Regiment, he then went back to school to pursue a degree in Exercise Science at George Washington University in Washington, DC. During that time he also interned in the Georgetown Sports Performance Department, working with all 29 sports teams and the Iron Hoya’s VETMAG program serving Active Duty and Veteran Status students at Georgetown University. While with the Iron Hoyas he earned his USAW L1-L2 certifications and is working towards his NSCA-CSCS. In his spare time, Chris enjoys participating in recreational sports, specifically football, continuing an education in physical therapy, lifting heavy, and is known to be a connoisseur of tacos and Cuban cuisine.

Matt McDowell is an O2X Instructor who works full time as the Chief of Training & Special Operations for the North Charleston (SC) Fire Department. He is also a Maritime (Law) Enforcement Specialist at a Port Security Unit in the US Coast Guard Reserve and works for the South Carolina State Fire Academy as an Education Specialist where he develops curriculum and instructs.Matt is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana and grew up an athletic nomad. Having recreationally competed in judo, soccer, hockey and speed skating, he formally competed at high levels in baseball, basketball and tennis. After an interesting high school athletic career, he was invited his senior year to train at the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina before playing Division 1 tennis at The Citadel in Charleston (SC).After joining the fire department, he immediately became interested in the Firefighter Combat Challenge. Training for competition, and learning from his successes and failures, led to him becoming a personal trainer. He has used that knowledge and experience to help develop and grow health & wellness programs for numerous fire departments, recruit schools and individuals.Matt is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Specialist. He has degrees in business and occupational safety & health and is currently a graduate student in intelligence and security studies at The Citadel. He is the owner of Kinetic Development Group consulting and has presented at the national level on topics to include firefighter safety and survival, leadership and resilience.

Samantha Hamilton is an O2X Instructor, Firefighter/EMT, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach dedicated to providing top-tier injury prevention, strength, and conditioning for tactical, college, high school, and youth athletes. As the founder and owner of a fitness studio specializing in tactical and elite athletes, Samantha’s impact goes beyond individual training. She has worked to transform her department in Concord, Massachusetts, fostering a healthier workplace by introducing pre and post-shift workouts, monthly challenges, and health facts posted to a whiteboard. While also being married to a firefighter, Samantha can understand the challenges of a work/life balance within the tactical population.Her commitment extends globally, having trained athletes and first responders in various countries, stemming from her study abroad experience in Ireland. With a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Science, and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Trauma Informed Care, Samantha exemplifies a passion for continuous learning.Beyond her professional achievements, she actively supports organizations like Military Friends Foundation, Tough Ruck, and 22Mohawks, raising over $100,000 for veterans and first responders. Samantha’s relentless pursuit of self-improvement is evident in her participation in 12 marathons and annual competitions such as the Arnold’s in Strongman. O2X is not just a job for her; it’s her happy place, and her dedication to personal and collective well-being is unwavering. Outside of work, you’ll find Samantha at the gym, exploring the world, playing with her dog, or discovering new ice cream places.

Nick Hawkes is an O2X Assistant Instructor. Nick currently holds a position of Master Coach and Education Mentor at CrossFit Invictus in San Diego, California. Nick is one of only a handful of people that has earned the title of Crossfit Level 4 coach. He also holds numerous other certifications including FRCms (Functional Range Conditioning mobility specialist), Kinstretch, CPT, and ELDOA L3. Nick is also a United States Navy Veteran, serving multiple combat deployments to the Middle East as an Aircrewman.

Jessica Silva is an O2X Assistant Instructor. Jessica has been in the first responder world for most of her career. She started out as an EMT in San Jose and San Diego. After a military relocation to Virginia, she moved to the other side of the radio as a 911 dispatcher for the City of Virginia Beach. After receiving her BS in Criminal Justice, she participated in an internship with Virginia State Probation and Parole, and subsequently worked for the City as a Community Corrections Officer for domestic violence offenders. In 2011, she started volunteering with a Wilderness Search and Rescue team and shortly thereafter started training as a K9 handler. She and Nash, the dog, worked numerous searches for missing persons, downed aircraft, and cold case human remains searches throughout the state under the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, in conjunction with both state and local police, fire departments, and rescue personnel. In addition to raising two children and riding out 14 post 9/11 deployments, she served as Ombudsman for a SEAL command for several years, was part of the shaping of resiliency programs for special forces spouses and families, and is the author of a children’s book about deployment. She currently lives in Colorado, with her husband, who has recently retired after 27 years in the SEAL teams, enjoying the empty nest life.

Zach O’Neil is an O2X Instructor who has been involved in the fire service since 2019. He started his career as a call firefighter and was later hired as a full time firefighter/EMT in 2020 for a town in the metro Boston area. Prior to going full time in the fire service, Zach worked for the City of Worcester’s Division of Emergency Management. Most recently, he assisted in the City’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Zach has a B.S. in Emergency Management and is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He played soccer while at the academy and served as team captain his senior year. It was during his time at Mass Maritime when he found his passion for human performance. Zach also trained for and ran the 2018 Boston Marathon which further motivated his interest in fitness and wellness. Zach hopes to share his passion and motivate others within the tactical athlete community. Zach currently lives in the Boston area where he enjoys grilling, hiking and snowboarding in his free time.

Luke Cuneo is an O2X Instructor. Luke is from Ashland, MA and graduated from the Dexter School in Brookline, MA in 2014. Luke was named team Captain of his football team for 3 years and named New England Player of the Year his senior season. After high school Luke went to Furman University in Greenville, SC to play football and be a part of the Army ROTC program. Luke played football for all four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences. In 2018, upon graduation from Furman University, Luke commissioned as a 2nd LT in the US Army.After college Luke attended Infantry training down in Fort Benning, GA. Upon completion of his training he traveled to Schofield Barracks, HI to serve as an Infantry Platoon Leader from September 2019-June 2021. While in the Army, Luke started to compete in the sport of CrossFit. Luke tried out and was selected to the US Army Warrior Fitness Team in 2021 and serves with the team currently. He has been to CrossFit Semifinals as a team member and has his CrossFit Level 1.

Brooke DeForte Rich is an O2X Instructor. Brooke completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters of Education in Counseling degree at the University of Maine. While at college, Brooke competed as a Division 1 runner for the track and field team. She served as a captain for the women’s indoor and outdoor NCAA collegiate track teams. Early on Brooke developed a passion for the connection of mental and physical health and how they both contribute to overall performance. After several years working in the mental health field, Brooke went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Post graduation, she worked at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital caring for children and their families. Currently, Brooke is a National Board Certified Counselor, a trained health coach and works as a Registered Nurse in a school setting. She is a lifelong athlete and has competed in many adventure races, triathlons, and endurance events. Brooke lives in Southern Maine with her family and enjoys lifting weights, hiking, being on the water, running, and traveling.

Matt Stoneback is an O2X Instructor. Born and raised in Quakertown, PA, Matt attended East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. There he obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Athletic Training. While obtaining his master’s degree, he became a volunteer Firefighter. After graduating he practiced as an athletic trainer and later was hired as a professional firefighter in Frederick County Maryland where he currently works.Matt truly loves his job as a career firefighter. Having an educational background in injury prevention and rehabilitation has given him the opportunity to train with and educate others in his department on how every aspect of health and human performance impacts career longevity. After discovering O2X and their focus on tactical athletes, Matt felt he could offer a unique perspective being a firefighter with a master’s degree in athletic training. Matt emphasizes proper technique and training with a purpose, all the while pushing yourself to be the best you can be. He wants to use his background and skills to educate others on how to develop healthy habits for long and fulfilling careers. Matt believes the history of the fire department is strong but there is a need for positive change in the health and wellness part of this profession and he wants to be a part of that change.Matt enjoys fishing, hunting, traveling and taking new classes both in fire and rescue as well as health and safety. He hopes he can bring a positive impact to O2X and bring change to the fire service all across the country.

Nate Larkin is an O2X Instructor. Nate brings 16 years of career experience from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Currently at the rank of Lieutenant, Nate is assigned to T425 in Reston, VA. His passion for training is focused on the psychological and physiological stressors which the mind and body are subject to during training and on the fire ground. Previously, Nate was the Operational Training Unit Lead in the Field Training Branch where he managed, developed, and instructed numerous training classes during conferences both nationally and internationally. Nate is also a current H.O.T. Instructor at FDIC.

Christine LaVopa is an O2X Instructor. Christine earned her B.S. in Physical Education with an emphasis in nutrition at Queens College in New York. She went on to attain her personal training, strength and conditioning and nutrition certifications leading to over 17 years of experience in the health, wellness and fitness industry. She enjoyed playing competitive level softball in high school and also competed in fitness competitions at the national level. As a wellness coach, she creates adaptable strategies and solutions for her clients. Her clientele ranges from professional single women to busy mothers, specifically military mothers. As a military spouse and mom, she has an appreciation and a great deal of gratitude for how challenging the military life can be so when she gets to help military members and their families, it brings an extra degree of accomplishment. Living healthy and being fit is her daily routine and when she isn’t helping clients she is learning more about fitness, nutrition and wellness to further serve her clients at a higher level.Although health and wellness is her passion, the second biggest joy in her life is her family. Spending time with her husband and kids. She’s also a true beach bum and enjoys the sun and sand at every opportunity.

Joseph “JT” Tardiff is an O2X Instructor who has been involved in the fire service since 2021. Before his career as a firefighter, JT worked as a State Special Police Officer for 10 years. JT has also been involved in coaching athletes since 2014 after he competed in the New England CrossFit Regionals where his team placed 8th overall. There he found a passion for fitness and living an active lifestyle and wanted to further his knowledge by obtaining his CrossFit level 1 & 2 trainer certifications. JT has worked with athletes in the class and individual settings to pass on his knowledge of fitness and overall health. He also played baseball and rugby growing up which helped shape his team mentality which he incorporates in his classes.

Patrick Farr is an O2X instructor who became an entrepreneur over ten years ago by taking the leap from the corporate world and opening a juice & smoothie bar called Quench Juicery. Since opening location #1, the business has expanded to 4 separate locations throughout New England, two of which have subsequently been sold off, and the remaining locations have now been franchised. Patrick is also active in the CrossFit community, being a former co-owner of CrossFit Overthrow, and holds his CrossFit L2 Trainer designation. Patrick holds a B.S. in Economics/Finance from Bentley University. Being a lifelong sports and fitness enthusiast, Patrick is a 6-time marathon finisher and enjoys sharing his knowledge of nutrition (Quench Juicery) and strength and conditioning (CrossFit) with like-minded individuals. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys spending time with his wife, Emily, and doing anything physically active in an attempt to burn off the endless energy of their three young rowdy boys. He looks forward to a lifetime of physical activity and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to teach his young boys how to one day grow up to become great men.

lima Mims is an O2X Assistant Instructor. In 2001 Alima began volunteering with a local fire department in South Georgia, his volunteer work would later lead him to relocate to Augusta, Georgia where in 2007 he would be hired as a fulltime firefighter. Alima currently has nearly two decades of fire service experience. He has a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration and is working on his Master’s in Homeland Security. He has his Health and Safety Program Manager and uses this to guide agencies on both injury prevention and fitness. Alima is a certified CPR instructor for The American Heart Association and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with the State of Georgia. His hobbies include obstacle course racing, traveling, and helping others achieve their fitness goals. He also has a passion for health and as a result, obtained his nutritionist certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine to help others become more physically active within the different lines of work. Alima currently works for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security and has been with the agency for 4 years now. He is a liaison for the GSAR (Georgia Search and Rescue Teams) across Georgia and the regional Hazardous Material Teams, which includes the deployment and dispatch of these units in the event of a disaster throughout Georgia.

Hans Olson is a O2X workshop instructor. He currently works with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In this capacity, he works with the Department of Defense, Special Operations Command, and the intelligence community transitioning next generation technologies to keep the U.S. at the forefront in the global competitive environment.Hans previously worked as a Senior Vice President with Teneo Risk. In this role, he led strategic engagements and advised CEOs, management teams, and executive boards on issues relating to cyber and physical security risks and mitigation strategies, crisis preparedness, planning, management and response.He was the Cyber Engagement Manager supporting the U.S. State Department’s Global Engagement Center. Their mission is to lead, synchronize, and coordinate the U.S. Government’s interagency technology efforts to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation.Hans was also the Assistant Undersecretary for Homeland Security, and the Senior Advisor for Antiterrorism and Cybersecurity, Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In this role, he oversaw multiple agencies and the Homeland Security Grant Process for the state, as well as developed comprehensive antiterrorism and cybersecurity policies.Prior to his role with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Hans was the CEO of SubSea Energy North America, an innovative energy company that developed micro-hydropower systems for the Department of Defense. Earlier in his career, Hans was a civilian intelligence officer with the Department of Defense and a Navy Reserve intelligence officer working primarily with the special operations community. He has multiple overseas tours, including two deployments to Afghanistan.Hans holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MBA from Babson College, and a MA and BA from the University of New Hampshire.

McKayla Stoneback was the first On-site specialist for O2X. She started with O2X as an On-Site Specialist for Frederick County Fire and Rescue Services in Frederick, Maryland. She has worked with the tactical population for over eight years now, implementing annual movement screenings, pre-habilitation programs, tactical strength and conditioning programs, and developing an overall health and wellness program for career fire departments. Since then, she has relocated to the Midwest and continues to work as an O2X Workshop Instructor. McKayla graduated with a B.S. Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition. Her experience in human performance started on the athletic side, working with athletes of all ages and ability levels. From there, she wanted to expand her experience and knowledge in the human performance field and became involved with the tactical side of human performance. Kayla then went back to continue her education and graduated with a Masters of Science in Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation: Sports Performance & Conditioning from Southern Utah University. She chose to complete her Master thesis research within the tactical population. Her research was focused on identifying the significance of the relationship between the physical demands of firefighting and the physical fitness qualities of firefighters. Her research was then published. In addition, McKayla is also a certified Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist and Athleticism Coach. Outside of work you will find Kayla spending time with her family and friends, enjoying the outdoors. Her and her family enjoy working out together and staying active. Kayla enjoys fishing, camping, hiking, hunting, and staying active with her husband, kiddos, and their dog Koda.

Kortney Leazer is an O2X instructor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Kortney was a collegiate athlete while studying Criminal Justice and Spanish at the University of Lynchburg and joined the Virginia State Police after graduation. While working full-time, Kortney completed her Master’s of Science in Human Performance in 2024. She is currently working with local law enforcement and fire departments to enhance their physical performance and wellness.

Sara Hendershot is an O2X Thrive Specialist. Sara is a lifelong athlete and competitor. She grew up in Boston, MA where she developed a love of sports from an early age. During her high school years, she moved to Simsbury, CT where she was introduced to the sport of rowing. Immediately drawn to the nature of the sport, she realized that this highly technical craft rewarded relentless hard work, and she committed herself to the goal of competing in college.This lead Sara to be recruited to row at Princeton University where she became her team’s Captain, a two-time All American, and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. Upon graduation, she earned her way onto the United States Women’s National team and became a two-time World Champion and 2012 Olympian in the Women’s Pair where she finished in fourth place. Through this journey, she faced several bouts of injury, which lead her to study human movement and physiology and develop a passion for coaching and high performance.After retiring from the sport of rowing, Sara has taken the lessons she learned from professional sport and applied them to performing in business and life. She has developed a career in brand marketing for health and fitness companies, where most recently she helped build a sports nutrition brand from before its launch to its fourth consecutive year of growth. She is also a performance consultant to the Harvard Women’s Rowing Team, an avid mental health advocate, and she continues to compete in athletic events like the NYC and Chicago marathon. Sara now lives in Cambridge, MA with her husband Mike, son Maverick, and French Bulldog Bron.

Ray Norton is an O2X Instructor and Resilience Specialist. He began his fire service career in 1987 as a volunteer firefighter at Tarpon Springs Fire Rescue in Florida and was hired on full-time a year later; became a paramedic in 1989; and in 1994, he began working for the Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue District. He is currently a District Chief in charge of command of control of incident operations and management. During his career he held positions as Driver Engineer, Lieutenant, Training Chief, EMS Chief and assisted with the Operations Chief position.In 1990, Ray began working as a medic in a Level 2 adult and pediatric trauma center (Bayfront Medical Center), and soon joined the crew of Bayflite, the hospital’s aeromedical program specializing in trauma. It was the busiest trauma response helicopter in the nation with 97% of calls being scene responses. The program provided services for All Children’s Hospital for pediatric and neonatal transports. He also became one of the primary preceptors for the emergency room and Bayflite.Ray also worked at the Pinellas Fire academy teaching mostly live fire exercises to new recruits and coordinated with other training chiefs in the county to provide inter-agency training drills.During his off hours, Ray joined his wife to start up a nonprofit she co-founded for combat veterans where he functioned as the fitness and event coordinator. This organization utilized alternative therapies to assist Veterans with PTS transition back to civilian life and help with stress management. He also taught martial arts (Kali-stick and knife fighting) as an alternative modality to help manage stress and be present in the here and now. Ray recognized the overlapping need for these modalities and helped guide the program to provide services to first responders with PTS.Ray is a lifelong practitioner of martial arts, owns a martial arts school and has a passion for fitness. He became a yoga instructor and co-owns and manages a yoga studio with his wife Janel where they also provide services for veterans and first responders.

Myron J. Burns, PhD is an O2X Resilience Specialist. Dr. Burns completed his undergraduate studies from Howard University in Washington, DC and graduate training in Counseling Psychology from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. In addition, he has completed post-doctoral training in health psychology from the University of Miami. Dr. Burns is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Novasoutheastern University College of Psychology.He has instructed a variety of courses in psychology, counseling, and substance abuse. Dr. Bruns has worked with individuals, families, first responders, and military personnel on processing trauma and stress, depression, drug use, and stress management. His research interests are in health, personality, resiliency, and stress process variables. Dr. Bruns is a native Floridian, and when not working, this self described “military brat” can be found in the gym or traveling abroad.

Lauren Simmonds is an O2X Resilience Specialist. Lauren Simmonds has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 2015. Lauren went to the University of Central Florida for her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and continued her education at Nova Southeastern University where she obtained both her Master’s and Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology.Lauren completed an internship at the Southern Arizona VA in Tucson, AZ and residency at the James A. Haley VA in Tampa, FL. Lauren continued her work with the military/Veteran population at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, NC, working primarily with the 82nd Airborne Division.In 2019, Lauren went through support assessment and selection for AFSOC-GSU and began her career with Special Operations. Presently, Lauren is working at the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, NC. Lauren has extensive experience with trauma focused interventions for the treatment of PTSD (combat and MST), as well as the treatment of TBI, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance.

Dr. Elizabeth Werly is an O2X Mental Performance and Resilience Specialist. She has a foundation in clinical psychology and works as an operational aviation psychologist for the United States Army. Dr. Werly has provided individual and organizational consultation for military personnel in both training and deployed environments.Her training focuses on performance enhancement in high stress, fast-paced environments with extreme performance expectations. Her work focuses on education, self-awareness, and advanced resilience training for individuals and teams in order to build and foster a culture of well-being for continued advancement and peak performance. Dr. Werly has been working with the military since 2015 and has deployed twice in support of combat operations.Her areas of expertise include: performance enhancement, advanced behavioral consultation, resilience and mental performance, personnel selection, executive coaching, leader coaching and development, training and program support, performance psychology, generational trends, and program evaluation.Dr. Werly currently lives in Nashville with her Husband Dan and their son, Jack.

Dr. Shumi Rawlins is an O2X Resilience Specialist and a licensed clinical psychologist. In 2005, after completing her training and licensure as a Psychologist, she earned her commission in the United States Navy. She later went on to serve in the Reserves. Dr. Rawlins has spent over 15 years combining her clinical work with her experiences as a military spouse in order to support active duty service members and their families as a clinician and teammate. In her role as an embedded psychologist at a Special Operations command, she became highly experienced at recognizing and addressing the outcomes of working in a high-risk environment and teaching strategies for strength and resilience. By having a specialization in assessment and selection, Dr. Rawlins has developed an understanding of the personalities and characteristics of those drawn to working in high-risk environments and necessary techniques for success and effectiveness.

Kally Swibes is an O2X Resilience & Mental Performance Specialist. She currently works for Versado Training – a company out of Raleigh Durham, specializing in adult learning within the life science industry. Prior to Versado, Kally worked in the advertising industry in Chicago and helped start a program called Athletes Connected, a collaboration between the University of Michigan and the NCAA. Her work with Athletes Connected allowed Kally to speak to Student Athletes at the University of Michigan and around the Big Ten about her struggles around mental health. The goal of these workshops was to normalize the topic of mental health and to promote help seeking in student athletes – a group who generally does not reach out for help when struggling with mental health issues.Kally now speaks with student athletes and organizations around the country using her story to demonstrate the power of human performance and how it contributes to the success of every individual.

Andy Haffele is an O2X Resilience Specialist and former Navy SEAL. After graduating from high school in a small-town in southern Wisconsin, he was appointed to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. While attending the Naval Academy, Andy studied Computer Science and participated in intercollegiate boxing. He graduated from Annapolis in the spring of 2001.Upon his U.S. Naval Academy commissioning, Andy received orders to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL(BUD/S) training in Coronado, CA. He started the SEAL training pipeline in the fall of 2001 and earned his SEAL Trident approximately 2 years later. Andy’s first duty assignment was to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team ONE (SDVT-1) in Pearl Harbor, HI where he reported in November 2003.After only four months of training in his first SEAL platoon, he was critically injured during a training exercise in Hawaii on March 18, 2004. He was accidentally shot in the upper right chest from approximately 15 feet away with a military assault rifle. Despite the near fatal wound, he survived the initial injury but sustained severe nerve damage to his entire right arm/shoulder. Andy continued therapy and received numerous surgeries to improve the function in his arm for nearly four years while remaining on active duty. The injury resulted in permanent nerve damage and he was subsequently medically discharged from the Navy.After leaving the service, he has worked in the Information Technology sector. Andy currently works for a law enforcement agency in the Rocky Mountain region, where he assists the agency with technological needs and is involved with their special tactics unit.Since his time in the military, Andy has felt very fortunate to get a second chance at life through his unique experiences. He looks back on everything that took place in a positive aspect and shares his story with military personnel, first-responders, and Christian organizations around the country. Andy and his wife have been blessed with three wonderful sons and currently reside in the mountains of Colorado.

Jennifer Pugh is an O2X Resilience Specialist with expertise in mental health skills training. Her areas of focus include acute and chronic stress management, emotion regulation, anger management, effective communication, crisis intervention, mindfulness, and cognitive restructuring. Jennifer served for many years as a staff clinician at her local VA hospital, engaging servicemembers, veterans, first responders and government employees in a variety of mental health treatment modalities. She now owns her own practice and teaches graduate clinical courses at Boston College. Jennifer received her B.A. in Psychology from Boston University and her MSW with a focus in veterans and military families from Boston College. After graduation, she went on to complete an academic fellowship at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. She is currently licensed to practice clinical social work in Massachusetts and New York, and is certified in Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy. Her professional experience includes the provision of individual psychotherapy, group therapy, clinical case management, and psychoeducation training in both inpatient and outpatient mental health settings. With personal ties to law enforcement and the military, Jennifer appreciates that the optimization of mental wellness is an integral part of maximizing human performance. Following the same advice she gives her clients, her free time consists of eating fun foods, getting outdoors, catching quality zzz’s, and working up a good sweat.

Arno Ilgner is an O2X Resilience Specialist with expertise in stress management, resiliency, and all things mental training for tactical athletes & first responders nationwide.Arno distinguished himself as a pioneering rock climber in the 1970s and ‘80s, when the top climbs were bold and dangerous first ascents. These personal exploits are the foundation for his unique physical and mental training program–The Warrior’s Way ®. In 1995, after a thorough search of the literature and practice of mental training and the great warrior traditions, Arno formalized his methods, founded the Desiderata Institute, and began teaching his program full time. Since then, he has helped thousands of students sharpen their awareness, focus attention, and understand their athletic (and life) challenges within a coherent, learning-based philosophy of intelligent risk-taking. Arno considers the joy and satisfaction in the effort – the “journey” – intimately linked to successful attainment of goals, the “destination.”Arno has taught clinics across the U.S.A. and abroad. He holds a BA in geology, spent several years operating his own geological consulting firm in the Wyoming oil fields, acted as Chief Financial Officer for an industrial tool distribution company, attended the Army Ranger School, and served a non-combat tour of duty in Korea. He currently resides with his family near Nashville, Tennessee.

Dan Cnossen is an O2X Resilience Specialist. Dan was raised on a 5th-generation family farm in Topeka, Kansas. After successfully completing SEAL qualification training in 2003, he deployed numerous times in support of global special operations. As a SEAL platoon commander, he was severely injured in 2009 in Afghanistan, resulting in the amputation of both legs above the knees. Turning to sport for recovery, Dan eventually began training full-time for the US Paralympic Nordic ski team. He has since competed for Team USA in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Paralympic Winter Games and is the first male athlete to win a gold medal for the United States in biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision target shooting. Dan holds a BS in English from the U.S. Naval Academy, MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and MTS from Harvard Divinity School. He has been working with O2X since 2018 as a resilience specialist.

Coleman Ruiz is an O2X Leadership and Resilience specialist. Coleman is also the Co-Founder and Director of Performance at the Mission Critical Team Institute. The MCTI develops research and practice for the Selection, Training, and Professional Development of Mission Critical Teams, defined as small (4-12 agents) integrated groups of organically trained and educated experts dealing with complex adaptive problems. Mission Critical Teams operate in immersive, but constrained (300 seconds or less), temporally constrained environments where the consequence of failure can be catastrophic. Mission Critical Teams, as examples, include Wildland and Urban Firefighters, Trauma Surgeons, Hostage Rescue teams, elite sports teams, Special Operations soldiers, etc.Coleman is also an Advisor and Partner at the Liminal Collective, reimagining the future of what is possible as a Human 2.0, Humans 2.0, and Humanity 2.0. The Collective helps create, plan, organize, and execute against some of humanity’s boldest endeavors ranging from space flight and deep-sea exploration to reimagining the future of national security and elite sport. The Liminal Collective serves as the operational planning arm for “never been done” events, and serves the individuals training for performance under pressure in high consequence environments.Coleman is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Officer. All-together, he served six operational combat deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He’s served as troop commander, joint task force commander, and executive officer at various levels of Naval Special Warfare and served in U.S. Embassies in both Yemen and Kenya working directly with the Ambassador’s country team. Coleman also served as a Training Officer at both the basic and advanced Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) training schools.Coleman has served as a trainer, educator, and advisor for over a dozen collegiate teams, and professional athletic organizations. He serves as a US Naval Academy Trustee for Athletic and Scholarship Programs and serves as a Senior Fellow at the US Naval Academy’s VADM James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership.Since completing active duty service in 2011, Coleman has also served as the Executive Director of Carry the Load in Dallas, TX, a 501(c)3, as a board member at Tip of the Spear, a veteran-focused non-profit, and member of the Station Foundation’s veteran transition programs. Lastly, he often serves as a Mentor at COMMIT Foundation transition workshops, where senior retirees or high-potential veterans are creating their path into the private sector.Coleman graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in Mathematics and earned an MBA in Finance at the Government School of Business & Public Policy from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.He lives in Annapolis, MD with his wife Bridget Ruiz and their three children, Coleman (age 16), Ben (age 14), and Oliver (age 10).

Geoff Krill is an O2X Resilience Specialist. Geoff is also an adventure athlete, professional skier and public speaker, who first found skiing when he was 12 years old when his family moved from Georgia to Connecticut. He continued to ski recreationally through college until suffering a spinal cord injury in a snowmobile accident in New Hampshire in 1995. As soon as he received the “ok” from his doctor, he learned to ski sitting down. Geoff went from student to instructor that first season with New England Disabled Sports at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. He now serves as the Executive Director of Eastern Adaptive Sports. Geoff is a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) National Demonstration team, which allows him to travel across the country to share his work at other mountains. He is also a PSIA examiner in the Eastern Division and spends much of his time leading clinicians and training others in the sport he loves. Some of Geoff’s important wheelchair “firsts” include being the first mono skier to tackle Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mt. Washington and the first hand-cyclist to travel the three notches (Franconia, Crawford and Bear notches) and 100 miles in one day. He currently lives in North Woodstock, NH with his wife, Heather and two children, Carver and Greta. As his wife puts it, you can always find him out trying to save the world one wheelchair at a time.

Emily Cook is an O2X Mental Performance Specialist. Emily never let go of a dream to compete in the Olympics. Sidelined by two broken feet only days after making the 2002 Olympic Team, Cook watched her hometown Olympics from a wheelchair, and missed three World Cup seasons while healing. She persevered and returned to compete, reaching the top of the World Cup podium numerous times as well as reaching her Olympic dream three times: 2006 in Italy, 2010 in Vancouver and in 2014 in Sochi. After retiring from Olympic competition, Emily joined the audio brand, Skullcandy to design and bring to life the Skullcandy Human Potential Lab. In The Human Potential Lab Emily spent time with some of the world’s top athletes helping them pursue their individual dreams and contribute to the communities around them and investigating the science between music and human performance. Today, Emily is traveling the world with the US Ski Team, coaching the next generation of champions to reach their own Olympic goals. She has coached our country’s best including guiding World Champions Ashley Caldwell and Jon Lillis to the top of the podium at the 2017 World Championships. The highlight of her coaching journey was accompanying the team to the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Korea.

Dr. Durant is a Dorchester, MA native and rugby player. He is a clinical psychologist and the co-director of the PACES institute at Mass General Hospital, specializing in Sports Psychology (Performance and Character Excellence in Sports). Dr. Durant shares his own story of resilience, and how to tap into your own resilience in times of challenge and adversity.

Dr. Jess (Harmon) Moffitt, Psy.D., is an O2X Mental Performance and Resilience Specialist. She has a foundation in clinical psychology and works as an operational psychologist in the United States Army. She specializes in personnel selection, advanced behavioral consultation, and resilience and mental performance training for special operation forces. She has provided individual and organizational consultation for military personnel in both training and deployed environments. Her training focuses on a resilience based model of performance enhancement in high stress, fast-paced environments to prevent and mitigate the impacts of work and familial related stressors in these settings. Her work focuses on education, self-awareness, and advanced resilience training, for individuals and teams, in order to build and foster a culture of well-being for continued peak performance over time in high stress environments. Dr. Moffitt has been working with the military for the past twelve years. She has multiple combat deployments and has spent over 24 months in combat environments, providing psychological support, including traumatic event management to individuals and teams in both Afghanistan and Iraq. She works with service members and their families to provide preventative stress management training, as well as teaching individuals how to develop and maintain resiliency and growth in the aftermath of trauma and loss. Her interests expand to working with those in demanding environments to develop and maintain peak psychological performance over the course of their career and beyond retirement or job transition. She was born and raised in Colorado, but currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and two children.

Hunter Barnhill is an O2X Resilience Specialist and a former U.S. Air Force pilot with over 700 hours logged in the B-52H Stratofortress, and over 600 hours in the T-6A Texan II. As a B-52H pilot, Hunter led his crew in accomplishing a variety of missions. Missions including nuclear deterrence, close air support, air-to-ground, direct attack, and counter-drug. In 2015, Hunter volunteered to be an Instructor Pilot and was thus tasked with the crucial and vital role of instructing and producing the Air Force’s next generation of highly skilled and capable pilots. On Easter Sunday 2017, Hunter suffered a seizure caused by a previously undetected brain tumor which required immediate surgery to remove. Hunter was subsequently diagnosed with malignant brain cancer, thus cutting short his military aviation career. The diagnosis led Hunter to develop a deeper respect for resiliency and a new-found passion for teaching others how to implement the life-saving and life-enriching skills into their own lives: “I had received hundreds of hours of resiliency training from the Air Force for the purpose of instructing other Airmen. Even in passing along those resiliency skills to others, I had failed to internalize and apply those skills myself, but that all changed when I received my cancer diagnosis.” The skills and techniques he once used to teach undergraduate pilots now enables him to teach and instruct thousands in developing and building their own resilience. Hunter resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife Crystal, son Nolan, and dog Riley. Despite being found medically unqualified to fly, his passion for aviation continues. He enjoys studying leadership, is a proud Ohioan, and a die-hard Ohio State Buckeye athletics fan, especially football and hockey. Most of all, he loves seizing opportunities to strengthen his faith and spending quality time with his family.

Dr. David Meyer is an O2X Resilience Specialist who is also a licensed psychologist with a focus on PTSD/trauma. While attending college for environmental science and psychology, he worked as an EMT/firefighter with the US Forest Service. In his 14 years of fire/EMS experience, he served as a wildland firefighter, EMT, engine foreman, and helicopter rappeler with the Jackson Helitack before deciding to shift his career toward psychology, with an emphasis on trauma and work with first responders and survivors of trauma. Dr. Meyer earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Dakota with a specialization in Disaster Psychology through the Disaster Mental Health Institute. He responded with the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Team and worked with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand. Dr. Meyer completed his internship with the Salem, Virginia VA and postdoctoral training through the Boston VA Healthcare System and Boston University. For his postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Meyer served as the project director of an NIMH funded longitudinal study focused on risk and resilience in firefighters, working with recruits throughout the US and Canada to identify potential factors that increase resilience. Dr. Meyer went on to work with the Maine VA Healthcare System as a member of the PTSD Clinical Treatment Team for five years, where he offered trauma focused treatment to military, veterans, and first responders. Today Dr. Meyer is part of Health Psych Maine, a group practice in Waterville, Maine, where he works with clients on managing stress, treating symptoms of PTSD, and mood disorders. He specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and empirically supported treatments. He has worked with multiple law enforcement agencies and corrections facilities as well as being included in a Maine Public Broadcasting documentary, A Matter of Duty. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors with his wife and two daughters, running, carpentry, and making maple syrup.

Michael DeVries is an O2X Resilience Specialist. He is an Army Psychologist with over 18 years of experience working with high performance teams in the military and civilian sectors. Michael has his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University. Prior to the military, he worked as a facilitator for corporate team building events. For the past 11 years, he has worked with Special Operations units across the Department of Defense. Michael is board certified in Organizational and Business Consulting and is a certified business coach. His areas of expertise include executive coaching, leader coaching and development, assessment and selection, training support, performance psychology, and program evaluation through data analysis.

Dr. Art Miller is an O2X Resilience Specialist. He earned his doctoral degree in Psychology from Pacific University in Oregon and then joined the US Air Force where he completed his Internship at Wright Patterson AFB Medical Center. He worked as a clinical psychologist at AF hospitals in NC and NM before moving into Operational and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Psychology. He has served as the Chief of USAF SERE Psychology, SERE Medical Flight Commander, Command Psychologist for an AFSOC unit, and he is currently the JSOC Deputy Command Psychologist. His primary duties involve providing subject matter expertise on all psychological matters relating to Assessment and Selection (A&S), training, organizational health and resiliency, current operations, and behavioral health services. During his career he has supported the majority of Special Operations Command (SOCOM) units as well as the Intelligence Community (IC) with A&S, SERE support, consultation, and special projects He served as the USAF Operational Psychology Fellowship director during his time at JSOC and has multiple deployments to Afghanistan, Qatar, Jordan and other locations in both clinical and operational roles. He is married to a Social Worker who is retired from the USAF and currently works at JSOC leading the Behavioral Health Program. In his off time he loves training for triathlons which gives him an excuse to travel the globe to race.

Dr. Joe Hassell, Ph.D. is an O2X Mental Performance and Resilience Specialist. Dr. Hassell is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been working for over 8 years as an embedded clinical and performance psychologist for the military Special Operations community. Dr. Hassell has over 20 years of experience working with adults, teens, and children and has worked with many special populations including veterans, department of corrections staff, sheriffs’ departments, corporations, all branches of the military, active duty and retired special operators, and combat support staff.Dr. Hassell’s passion lies in assisting individuals and teams to perform at their highest level. Elite performers are aware of the importance of physical training; however, mental training is oftentimes less understood and/or overlooked, and it’s essential to unlocking one’s full potential. Dr. Hassell practices mental performance training in the following areas: goal attainment, values living, character optimization, stress regulation, mindfulness, sleep, resilience training, cognitive enhancement, breathing training, public speaking/briefing, team dynamics, leadership training, and injury recovery. Dr. Hassell has also found that sometimes the lines of clinical and sport psychology are blurred and therefore he has focused his career on mental health problems that impede optimal performance, brain health, post-traumatic growth, and works on a multidisciplinary treatment team supporting traumatic brain injury rehabilitation and recovery. Dr. Hassell has a B.A. in psychology from Rowan University, an M.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Alliant International University. He received specialized training in sport psychology and exercise physiology from National University and biofeedback training from Harvard University. Dr. Hassell completed the Advanced Trainer Certification Course (ATCC) on the VirTra combat simulation training program. He is trained to conduct the gold standard sport psychology assessment, The Attention and Interpersonal Styles (TAIS) assessment, and has reviewed assessment results with over 150 special operators.

Jeremy is an O2X instructor who teaches stress management and resilience building. he is a Licensed psychologist who earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology before joining the U.S. Army to provide psychological services to soldiers and consultation to their commanders. After a few years in a clinical setting, Jeremy transitioned to serving in units within the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), where he worked as an operational psychologist providing psychology-specific consultation to maximize individual/unit performance.Since leaving the Army in 2022, Jeremy has shifted his focus towards helping organization leaders maximize their own performance while also creating highly productive and psychologically healthy environments for their employees. He is board certified in Organizational and Business Consulting Psychology. Jeremy currently resides in Opelika, Alabama with his 9-year-old Doberman, Zeke. Most mornings, you can find them running around their small town, chasing sunrises.

Laurie Craigen is an O2X Clinical Resilience Specialist and an Associate Professor in the Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine Program at Boston University’s Chobanian and Avedesian School of Medicine. At Boston University, she has received teaching and faculty awards highlighting her teaching successes and ability to connect with students. She is also an active licensed mental health counselor in Boston, Massachusetts. Laurie received her PhD from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. It was there she developed her passion for working with clients experiencing trauma, grief, anxiety, and depression. Throughout the years, she has developed expertise in working with high performance athletes, clients working in high stress environments, and military connected individuals.Laurie is also an endurance athlete. She grew up swimming and competed at the Division I level in college. As a marathon open-water swimmer, she is in pursuit of the triple crown of open-water swimming; the 20 bridges swim around Manhattan (which she completed in 2023), the Catalina Channel (which she is attempting in the summer of 2023) and the English Channel (which is scheduled for September of 2024). Additionally, Laurie is an ice swimmer and swims year-round in the ocean. She has also competed at the Vermont Winter Swimming Festival in Newport, Vermont.

Maria Trozzi, M.Ed., is an O2X Resilience Specialist. She is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, Director of the nationally renowned Good Grief Program at Boston Medical Center, a consultant to the Child Development Unit at Children’s Hospital, and an author. Her credentials and expertise have established her as one of the foremost experts on child and family bereavement in the country. Most recently, at the request of the Pentagon, she has been hired as the special resilience consultant to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group.She has provided consultation at Littleton, Colorado, at Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11 and in Grenada following Hurricane Ivan. Since 1991, she has lectured nationally to professional audiences in every major city with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton as a regular faculty member of the National Seminar Series.For nearly 20 years, as Director of the Good Grief Program, her training for educators and health professionals focuses on promoting resilience in the face of loss via strategies that strengthen coping skills for families, institutions, and communities. Immediately following 9/11, Trozzi’s principal work expanded to care for the loved ones and their families of the victims of the two planes that had emanated from Boston.Trozzi’s interest in bereavement expands to the grief families experience when a child is diagnosed with a disability, a grief that keeps on giving. Her research is focused on identifying grief touch points – predictable times in a disabled child’s development when parents’ grief is exacerbated. Trozzi’s model for professionals and parents has taken this grief ‘out of the closet’ for both affected families and clinicians that treat them.She is a frequent contributor to both print and electronic media. She has appeared with Dr. Brazelton as co-host of his national television show “What Every Baby Knows” multiple times, as well as several national news programs including “Larry King Live”, Early Show, CNN, NBC, ande ABC.Her first book, Talking With Children About Loss, was published by Putnam-Penguin and continues to be an essential reference for parents and professionals. She has also authored several chapters in pediatric and academic textbooks.She is the parent of two adult daughters and lives in Boston and West Yarmouth. She maintains a private practice dedicated to issues of loss and provides consultation to families facing stressful life events.

Kendra is an O2X Resilience Specialist. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in work with the military and Veteran population. She has worked at the Navy Base in San Diego with active duty service members and their partners. Additionally, she worked for 9 years at the VA, providing counseling to Veterans with PTSD, trauma, and transitional care. Kendra currently operates a group practice in San Diego where they focus on treating adults struggling with trauma, relationship issues, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The group focuses predominantly on working with service members, Veterans, and their family members, as well as other first responders. Kendra is married to a Marine Corps Veteran who is currently finishing his time in the reserves. She has 3 young kiddos and loves to spend her time by the beach in San Diego doing anything active.

Dr. Carlos Garcia is an O2X Resilience Specialist. As a Clinical Psychologist, Executive Coach, and speaker who is dedicated to helping individuals unleash their full potential through high-performance counseling, coaching, and consulting. He is the Founder of The Mastery Group, a company that provides individuals and organizations with the tools to take their leadership and performance to the next level. He is also the Founder of Tampa Counseling and Wellness, a private practice that provides therapy and wellness services to individuals looking to positively transform their lives.Dr. Garcia received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Nova Southeastern University and completed his residency at Rutgers University. Dr. Garcia also served in the armed forces as a United States Marine and as a firefighter and paramedic prior to receiving his doctorate degree. Dr. Garcia draws on his years of experience in both military and professional organizations to teach individuals how to become more masterful leaders and performers. His passion lies in helping others grow and create meaningful and lasting change in their lives. Dr. Garcia strives to help people utilize their natural talents to build a happier and more successful life. He is a true catalyst for those looking to achieve peak results.

Lindsay is an O2X Resilience Specialist. She began her career in the Army National Guard as an enlisted member in 1998. She transitioned to Active Duty in 2007 as an officer, and after completing her residency, she served as an embedded psychologist in two units. Lindsay completed a neuropsychology fellowship, completed her board certification in clinical psychology, and ran several clinics until her retirement in 2020. Since leaving the Army, Lindsay has shifted her focus to working to address insider threats within the DoD and intelligence community. Lindsay also has experience working in assessment and selection, which has helped in developing an understanding of the personalities and characteristics of those drawn to working in high-risk environments and necessary techniques for success and effectiveness.

Rob Owens is an O2X Leadership and Resilience Specialist. As a Leadership and Resilience Coach, Rob believes that optimal performance in work and life is contingent on the healthy communities we belong to (and the communities that we create for ourselves). Rob has held leadership roles in various sport psychology and wellness organizations and currently serves as the Division Head for Research and Practice for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. Rob spent most of his professional career in academia designing and implementing professional development programs and teaching courses in leadership, organizational development, coaching, and sport psychology. He retired from academia in 2022 to pursue a career in executive, performance, and organizational development coaching. He is a board-certified leadership coach and a licensed therapist.

Brian Kitching is a former Army Ranger and Lieutenant Colonel with over 20 years of experience commanding high-risk missions in Special Operations and other combat units.In 10+ overseas deployments and 50+ months of combat, Kitching led hundreds of high-risk operations and was recognized on three separate occasions for bravery in battle. Kitching is a recipient of the nation’s third highest military decorations for gallantry, the Silver Star, as well as six Bronze Stars, two awarded for valor.Kitching served as a Downin Scholar at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and as a military fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College in London. His recent assignments include serving as a White House Fellow and Advisor in the Domestic Policy Council and Office of Management and Budget, and as an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Army’s senior-most General, at the Pentagon. His final assignment was at the 101st Airborne Division, where he was the first African American to command the storied 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment (“No Slack”), and he also served as the Director of Operations for the Division.Kitching earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Alabama A&M University, a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Masters of Arts in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Kitching is a lifetime member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

Mark is an O2X Leadership Specialist. As a former Blue Angel pilot, “Blue Angel No. 4”, for the US Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron. He was also a Legislative Affairs Portfolio Manager for the US Navy, which entailed briefing high level leadership. Mark is currently an airline pilot for United Airlines. Mark graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Washington State University.

Jean Gillis is an O2X Running Specialist. Jean is a Certified ChiRunning Coach, USA Triathlon (USAT) Level 2 Coach, Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) Holistic Health Coach, and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Personal Trainer. She began competing in endurance events in 2007, and is a two-time Ironman triathlete, ultra distance trail runner and marathoner. As a USAT Certified Triathlon Coach for the past ten years, she has coached hundreds of triathletes, from sprint to Ironman, to the triathlon finish line. Since her certification as a ChiRunning instructor in 2017, she has been training athletes to use this technique to run more efficiently, and without injury. She works with age-group (non-elite) athletes of all ages who are new to running or triathlon, or who are taking on a new distance. In recent years, she has had the pleasure of training members of the MA Army National Guard in the ChiRunning technique, run training, and mental tactics for the Army physical fitness run test. Jean believes that training for sports is an analogy for life. The skills that you develop through training can help you to perform better in all aspects of your life. In addition to the technical knowledge that she provides, she draws on her health coaching education to assist athletes in finding balance in areas that are outside of training but that strongly influence it; such as work/relationship stress, poor eating habits, and overbooked schedules.

Dr. Maria Urso is an O2X Nutrition Specialist. Dr. Urso is a scientific advocate for optimal health and nutrition. She followed her passion for science and health and obtained her PhD in human physiology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. While that degree led her to a career as a scientist, first as an Active Duty soldier in the Army, then in Medical Affairs for industry, she continues to follow her passion for health and nutrition by serving as an advocate and educator. Her philosophy is that nutrition and fitness should be for life, not a single event (or outfit). To do this, we need to follow scientifically-sound and sustainable practices, not the latest story or fad from the media. Maria uses her education in biochemistry, physiology, and nutrition, as well as personal experiences with competitive running, to develop nutrition and exercise plans that make sense and allow her ‘students’ to eat and train for life. She understands that this is an ever-changing field, and staying on top of the latest research is critical. She has published over 30 papers in scientific journals and several book chapters, but she is most comfortable when using her scientific background to write or speak about nutrition and fitness practices. In her free time, Maria loves to run, swim, hike, adventure travel, and read.

Erik Bustillo is an O2X Nutrition Specialist. He is a Registered Dietitian and former Vice President, ambassador and fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). Erik is also a Certified Sports Nutritionist through the ISSN, a Certified Strength Coach through the National Council on Strength & Fitness- NCSF, and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association – NSCA. He also specializes in reading and understanding blood/lab values that have a direct effect on human physiology and one’s ability to perform. Several fields of expertise are energy improvement, performance recovery, weight loss, working with professional/elite athletes, stress management, inspirational communication, mindset, and habit change. Erik has studied the science of nutrition for many years because he believes that nutrition is an elemental factor with the state of well-being. He has been and is currently involved in conducting research studies as well. His mission is to make this world a better place and he strives to accomplish this by helping others achieve their health and life goals. He believes that with hard work and determination, everyone is capable of accomplishing what they set their mind to. He enjoys training on a regular basis as he feels what we do in fitness (weight room, gym, field, etc.) translates to the real world. He does this by playing sports, getting outdoors, high intensity training, weight lifting, CrossFit™, and improving his aerobic fitness by running and chasing his dog. Erik is passionate about making his patients/clients push themselves harder and further than they ever imagined. His practical approach puts exercise and nutritional science into easy-to-follow steps for action.