Marcia Dernie (she/they)
@MovewithMarcia
TIWL Training : Disability is not a Bad Word; How the Body Works; Practicing Inclusion

Dr. Marcia Dernie  is a doctor of physical therapy, black spoonie, and powerlifting strongwoman. She is the owner of @MovewithMarcia which provides both free and affordable resources to help people move better through mobility exercises and yoga. Marcia also co-hosts the @DisabledGirlsWhoLift podcast. 

Louise Green (she/her)
TIWL Training: Size-Inclusive Training

Louise Green is a celebrated Author, Influencer and Award-Winning Fitness Trainer who has been changing the narrative of our fitness culture since 2007.  She is the author of The books, Big Fit Girl and Fitness for Everyone, with a third book, The Fitness Myth, in the wings. 

Green is a Master Trainer, banking over 30,000 training hours specializing in fitness for larger bodies. 

Louise is the Founder of Big Fit Girl, now a brand, a fitness App, a published book and a monthly column at SELF Magazine – her work has impacted thousands of people from around the globe.  Louise also established the Size Inclusive Fitness Academy after realizing there was a gap in education for trainers and how it was impacting accessibility for larger bodied clients.  Louise is now and ACE Education Partner and offers Size Inclusive education to wellness professionals and brands on the importance of accessible fitness for all. 

Louise regularly lends her expertise to the media and has partnered with many National brand campaigns helping hone the messaging that fitness has no size, most recently featured by Reitmans, Sport Chek, Mattel-Barbie and Muscle Milk (Pepsi Corp.) 

Justice Roe Williams (he/him)
@FITNESS4ALLBODIES
TIWL Training : Reframing Masculinity & Gym Culture, Fitness 4 All Bodies

Justice Roe Williams is a Certified Personal Trainer, head coach at Kettlebell Justice, founder of The Queer Gym Pop Up and BodyImage4Justice, Executive Director of Fitness4AllBodies, and the co-editor and author of the anthology Deconstructing the Fitness Industrial Complex. 

Based in Boston, Williams is a trans, body-positive activist that has been creating safe spaces for queer and trans bodies since 2013. He advocates for fitness being for everyone and the importance of trainers and fitness professionals using their status as gatekeepers to “act as a shield” to protect their clients and create safe, affirming practices and spaces.

A key component of his work has been working with people of all backgrounds to address and dismantle toxic masculinity and how it operates within white supremacist patriarchal culture—particularly in fitness. His work has been featured in Refinery29, Good Housekeeping, NPR, Pink News, and Boston Neighborhood Network News, and more.

Hannah Wydeven (she/her)
@solcanafitness
TIWL Training: Trauma Informed Business Practices | Solcana Fitness

Hannah Wydeven is the proud owner of Solcana Fitness in Minneapolis, MN. Since opening the gym in 2014, Hannah has made it her mission to create a welcoming and safe space for all people to reach their fitness goals. Solcana specializes in working with marginalized folks, especially those within the LGBTQIA+ community.

Hannah and her staff of trainers provide a unique and supportive environment for their clients. The gym's focus on inclusivity and diversity is evident in their in-house 12-week Coach training program, which Hannah herself has developed to provide her staff with the tools they need to create a welcoming environment for all clients.

Hannah has over a decade of experience in coaching and training, and a background in education.Her commitment to creating a safe and inclusive space has earned Solcana Fitness a reputation as a place where everyone is welcome.

Hannah has completed the TIWL course, and the trauma-informed yoga course out of the Boston Trauma Center. As a former teacher she has also received training in trauma-informed teaching and child development. 

Ilya Parker (he/they)
@DECOLONIZINGFITNESS
TIWL Training: Chest Training Series, Decolonizing Fitness

Ilya is a Black non-binary spoonie currently living in North Carolina. Ilya worked as a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant for 10 years primarily in level 1 trauma centers and home health settings. He then transitioned into medical exercising coaching in 2015 and started providing low cost mobile fitness services for trans and gender expansive people. From there Ilya established Decolonizing Fitness LLC in 2018 which is an online educational and resource network helping folks divest from toxic fitness culture. 

Ilya is also a grassroots organizer and writer with their work being highlighted in the second edition of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves published by Oxford Press and Reclaiming Body Trust: A Path to Healing and Liberation. Ilya has also been featured in Ebony, Men’s Health, Shape and Self Magazine

MARTIN SIMMS
@siponit

Martin Simms, Founder of Thrive Elite Academy, where they cultivate Therapeutic experiences through Sports & Exercise.

After witnessing the tragic heart attack death of his 33 year old neighbor at 14 while playing basketball at his house, being able navigate school work & sports proved to be an impossible task. Trauma impacted his life early, & shaped everything that followed. 

Struggling to make sense of what he witnessed throughout young adulthood, he turned to the gym as his profession. His motivation was to help prevent future heart attacks, but he found that the emotional & psychological barriers had as much to do with his clients being unhealthy as their diet or lack of exercise.

He started studying the brain. He studied with world-renowned Dr. Bruce Perry on how childhood traumas can linger for life & started implementing the Neurosequential Model into Youth Sports & Exercise Programs. His program was nominated by the Jr. NBA for 2021 Program of the Year in its 1st year for the focus on maintaining the Mental Health of the young participants during the beginning of the Pandemic lockdowns.

JO WATKINS
@jo_somaspace

Jo is a Level 3 personal trainer and exercise on referral practitioner based in the Uk. She specialises in working with clients to develop a healthy and sustainable relationship with exercise in either a 1 - 1 or group setting. Her key interest is in using strength training as a tool to manage mental health conditions and aid recovery from trauma. Jo believes we can all regain autonomy in our lives and develop better relationships with our bodies if we are provided safe and welcoming space. Jo is also the co - founder of the SomaDymanic project which links working with the body and psychoeducation.

BRANDON CHEIN
@ brandon_chien

Brandon teaches self-development through physical training in flexibility, movement and strength. One of his specialties is the sport of Olympic-style weightlifting, which streamlines physical fitness and teaches fear management. With a decade of experience as an athlete and a coach, Brandon handles beginners with gentle encouragement and brings healthy challenge to intermediate and advanced lifters. He especially enjoys working with people who love CrossFit and other movement practices like martial arts, dance and acrobatics.