• Bachelor of Arts from VCU
• NASM Certified Personal Trainer
• NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist
• NASM Behavior Change Specialist
• USAW Level 1
• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

Heather found fitness at VCU while earning her degree in Art History. She started out with Strength Training, Zumba, and Cycling, and eventually obtained her PT Certification in 2014 before diving into Kickbox Fitness for a few years. Heather found RVA Performance Training in May of 2019 and has loved experiencing the supportive community and personal growth ever since. Fitness is a passion that she uses to connect with and help people - she strives to support others in being healthy, strong, and living their lives as fully as possible!

• Bachelors in Kinesiology/Health Sciences
• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate
• Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification

Kathryn began CrossFit in 2014 to gain a competitive edge as a swimmer. She immediately fell in love with the sport and the community it provided. She received her degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences from William & Mary. While a student she earned her CrossFit Level 1 Certificate and began coaching in Williamsburg, VA. She holds a Precision Nutrition-L1 certification. As a coach, Kathryn loves working with every person that walks through the door. She strives to keep our members safe and strong so that they can live healthy and fulfilling lives. Kathryn is currently working towards her Masters in Public Health with a Nutrition concentration at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

• Bachelor's in Exercise Science
• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder
• USAW Level 1
• Licensed Massage Therapist

Caleb started CrossFit in 2016 to stay healthy after high school. He soon realized weightlifting was much more his speed and continued with it during his time at VCU. Caleb started at RVA PT as an intern in 2019 and has stuck around ever since. He loves creating new challenges for his members every time they come to train and enjoys pushing people to become better versions of themselves. Caleb also owns and operates a massage therapy service here at our location!

• ISSA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
• ISSA Nutrition Specialist
• ISSA Certified Personal Trainer

Reiley found CrossFit in 2016 to stay healthy in high school. She continued CrossFit through college at James Madison University. During this time, her love for training and helping others
reach their health goals deepened. Reiley started her fitness career as a Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Coach at Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond. As a coach, Reiley is committed to helping her clients succeed. She works to foster a positive and encouraging environment for members while making sure they stay challenged and are reaching their goals. You can find her coaching group classes and working one-on-one with clients through personal training and nutrition coaching!

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder
• USAW National Level Coach
• NAS National Competitor 2010 and 2011

Jake started training while he was still a student at VCU looking for new and more effective methods of training. Along with a couple of friends, he started RVA Performance Training out of the backyard of his Fan house in 2007. Jake quickly became enamored with all things strength. He competed in the Strongman from 2008 to 2013, including two appearances at the NAS Nationals (‘10 and ‘11).

Jake started the RVA Weightlifting team and RVA Barbell program to further develop strength athletes and coaches, working with everyone from beginners to national champions.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

Kat has played a variety of sports throughout her life, but started actively training in 2007 while pursuing a Masters of Social Work degree at VCU. Since then she has trained and competed in strongman, olympic weightlifting and CrossFit Regionals in 2010 in the team division. She also has experience training during pregnancy.

Her passion at RVA Performance Training is our female members - encouraging them to push themselves, try new movements and overcome their fears in the gym. She loves watching our members’ confidence grow over time as they become healthier and stronger.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder
• Precision Nutrition Level 1
• USAW Nationals 2017 and 2021 Champion (63k/64kg)
• Former Level 10 gymnast

Jaci is an olympic weightlifter by training, but comes from a 15 year gymnastics background where she competed both nationally and internationally for the USA. Her professional coaching experience includes five years of competitive gymnastics coaching, making her the go-to person for any of your gymnastic issues at the gym.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

After growing up and playing soccer all his life, fitness has always been in Alex’s blood. After college, Alex joined Boise Crossfit in 2016 and immediately fell in love with the sport. Having tried big box gyms with all sorts of machines and equipment, having the structure and low barrier to entry allowed him to grow and appreciate the sport even more. After moving back to the east coast in 2017 and joining a gym in Northern Virginia, he acquired is L1 and has enjoyed coaching ever since.

Alex works hard to acknowledge and understand what drives each individual member, so you will often see him socializing with people around the gym, always with a smile on his face. His passion to see individual growth and development in everyone who walks in is what keeps him coming back to coach each class!

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

Josh is an Athletic Trainer at Ft. Lee and Performance Coach here at RVAPT. He holds degrees in Kinesiology and Athletic Training from Penn State and South Florida respectively allowing him to come up with warmups and some awesome modifications when there’s any discomfort with our class movements. He has a huge passion for fitness and helping others obtain a lifestyle to be confident and healthy. Outside of work Josh loves to unwind, binge watch the new “in” show and go for long walks with his pup, Macy.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

Sarah, her husband, and three boys recently moved to RVA from California where Sarah coached weightlifting, CrossFit and group fitness. She is CrossFit L2, USAW L1 certified and a competitive Olympic Weightlifter herself.

Since moving to the east coast, Sarah continues to compete in the sport under her home team SoCal Weightlifting. Sarah enjoys coffee and donuts and is passionate about nutrition and barbells. In fact, she’s so passionate about barbells that she ranked #3 worldwide in the 2018 IWF World Championships and recently took gold at the 2021 Master’s Pan American championships.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

• Bachelor's in Exercise Science
• CrossFit Level 2 Certificate Holder
• USA Track and Field Level 1
• USAW Level 1

Brandon has coached VCU athletes from all sports and has worked with weightlifters and CrossFitters for nearly eight years. His passion for strength and conditioning started in high school, where he quickly outgrew the globo gym scene and sparked an interest in Olympic Weightlifting. After training with strength and conditioning coaches at VCU, he knew he wanted to work in the field. As the program director for Performance RVA, Brandon continues to work on and improve his personal goals, while helping others reach their own fitness goals.

• CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Holder

Kayla joined RVAPT as a member in 2021 and was immediately drawn to the sense of community and hard work ethic of both the coaches and members. She has always held an interest in the mental health benefits of exercise especially after graduating college in 2016 and transitioning into a less mobile lifestyle at a desk job. Kayla is continuously inspired by the coaches and instructors at RVAPT who are always pushing her to improve in the gym and found this motivation translating into her personal and professional life as well. Kayla joins the RVAPT team eager to continue to learn and hopes to spread some of that inspiration and motivation to the members she is grateful to now instruct.