Sarah is a wife and mom to four amazing kids! She has always loved fitness. Sarah ran cross county and track in high school has completed four marathons, has run too many half-marathons to count, and completed her first Half- Ironman the summer of 2020. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with friends and family, baking, camping, and working out at CrossFit Bluegrass or on her peloton!
Sarah is a registered nurse and worked at Baptist East in Louisville for many years until her third child, Nick, was born. Nick was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum at 18 months old. Since then, Sarah has pursued ways to help Nick be the best he can be! She is certified as a Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, learning healthy and holistic methods to promote wellness. Sarah is also a certified Autism Fitness Certified Pro giving her the tools to meet athletes where they are and help them increase their fitness level through power, stability, and strength! She most recently completed her certification as an Adaptive and Inclusive Fitness Trainer via Special Strong.
Sarah is excited to be a coach for Rise Fitness! She is passionate to fill a need for individualized inclusive training and for each athlete to feel accepted, accomplished, and challenged with the Rise Fitness program!
Nick is a highly motivated/energetic adaptive trainer who is passionate about helping athletes of all abilities reach their individual goals. At RISE, he currently assists with the planning of different functional exercises/movements for classes and coaches an athlete through them, hoping that it benefits them in their day-to-day life.
Nick has helped establish RISE Fitness from a single class of just 7 athletes to 40+ in total across multiple classes and counting. He is a current exercise science student at Abilene Christian University Online and currently holds certificates from the following companies/organizations:
• Asanas for Autism and Special Needs
• American Heart Association
• Strong Education
• Adaptive Training Academy
• ISSA (International Sports & Science Association).
Nick is excited to keep developing both personally and professionally as a coach/adaptive trainer. He hopes to continue to grow, reach new heights with the athletes he works with, and keep creating an environment where movement belongs to everyone.
Sarah has been a physical therapist for over a decade, working primarily in pediatric and neurological populations. She then saw a tremendous need for incorporating more fitness into these patient populations. She then obtained her personal trainer and health coach certification and was thrilled to be able to join Rise Fitness, where she gets an opportunity to use her backgrounds together! Her biggest passion is showing her 4 girls how important movement is for our mental and physical health. You may get a chance to see her daughter, River, helping manage alongside at Rise Fitness.
Tammy is a wife and a mom to 3 children. She has spent the last 3 years as a fitness coach at Fit Body Bootcamp. She has also been coaching for the Special Olympic Train 4 Life program for the past year. She has a passion for fitness and helping others find their inner and outer strength.
Tammy loves spending time with her family, reading, and spending as much time as possible outdoors, hiking, fishing or golfing.
Tammy has a daughter, Stella, with Down Syndrome and Autism, which is what ignited her passion for helping those who need a little extra help. She has watched Stella fall in love with fitness and wants to help others do the same.
Tammy is a certified personal trainer as well as a certified group fitness instructor. She has also received a certification in Special Olympics Inclusive Fitness Training.
Tammy is a strong believer in using fitness to live a longer and stronger life.
Jesse has been a teacher at Sacred Heart Academy for over 10 years. He has been teaching Biology and helped pilot and start the IB Sports, Exercise, and Health Science class there as well. Teaching the Sports class has given him a new perspective on the aspect of health and wellness he hopes he can spread to others. He has coached football and softball and has a passion for lifting. He has competed in multiple competitions and has found a new passion for teaching and coaching fitness. He loves being a part of the RISE family and showing that fitness belongs to everyone! Outside of teaching and coaching at RISE, he loves board games, being active outside, and being with his family; you might even see his daughter Scarlett helping out at RISE as well.
Alex graduated from the Kentucky School for the Blind in 2023. He has a twin sister and lives with his mother and father. Alex loves meeting new people and working out with his friends. Yoga is his favorite workout and he is even more excited to be helping coach yoga classes. Alex has worked in the past at PELO in Middletown, the Louisville Zoo, Simpsonville Food Pantry, and Play It Again Sports. Alex is extremely excited about working at RISE and looks forward to meeting all of our athletes.
I’ve worked in the field of special education and behavior analysis for over 18 years, beginning as an instructional assistant and growing through roles as a special education teacher, community living supports, and now as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My passion for this field began more than 20 years ago, when I was presented with the opportunity to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters in Lima, Peru. This orphanage/institution houses primarily children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities who were left without any resources to survive. It wasn’t the life-changing experience I had initially set out to find, but it became one that changed me and my life forever. That time opened my eyes to the beauty of service and human connection, inspiring me to change the course of my professional journey.
Today, I serve individuals across the spectrum of disabilities and ages, focusing on helping each person blossom by building confidence, independence, and connection. My approach is person-centered, community-building, compassionate, and understanding. I love learning in all its forms, whether expanding my professional knowledge or exploring new hobbies that help me see the world in fresh ways.