NESTA Faculty & Advisors
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our Offices
President &
CEO
Dr. John Spencer Ellis
Each week, over one million people enjoy a wellness and personal development program created by John Spencer Ellis. His programs are implemented in the top resorts, spas and health clubs. John is the CEO of National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), the Spencer Institute for Life Coaching, and the Get America Fit Foundation. He is the VP of Business Development for MyNutritionStore.com, and on the Advisory Boards of the National Health, Wellness and Prevention Congress, Exercise TV, Sleep Number Bed, Medical Wellness Association, Irvine Valley College, Life & Leisure TV and Health Journal Television. He is a Fellow of the National Board of Fitness Examiners, the author of How Badly Do You Want It? - Your Ultimate Guide to Optimal Fitness, The Compass, The Well Couple (2009), and a contributor to Power of Champions and Peak Vitality. He's the former Fitness Editor for OC Flair magazine and created Adventure Boot Camp, the largest fitness boot camp system in the world. His TriActive America signature series of outdoor exercise equipment is used worldwide. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Reality, SPIKE and ESPN. He is the fitness and lifestyle expert on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Orange County and Daybreak OC (KDOC news). John has also appeared on Starting Over, Life Moments and Camp Reality. He is the executive producer of the documentary The Compass. He hosts The Fit Show, Core 360 Personal Gym infomercial, PersonalTrainerTV.com, The OC Body, The Spencer Power Hour radio show, and the Ms. Fitness U.S.A. and World pageants. He stars in the workout DVDs Playground Boot Camp & Kung-Fu Fitness, created programs used by Cirque du Soleil, the U.S. Secret Service, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, and consults the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships). John was nominated for induction to the Fitness Hall of Fame.
John holds two bachelors degrees (business & health science), an MBA, and a doctorate in education. He also completed doctoral level studies in naturopathy. He holds fifteen certifications including massage therapy, plyometrics, self-defense, fitness kick boxing, fitness boxing, nutrition coaching, water fitness, exercise rehabilitation, golf conditioning, Pilates, personal training, clinical hypnotherapy, sports hypnosis, PACE circuit training and yoga. John is a member of the American Sleep Association, National Sleep Foundation, and the American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine. He holds a 2nd degree black belt in kung-fu, completed the Ironman triathlon, and finished 5th at the U.S. National Biathlon Championships. His medical training includes a license in radiological technology, a medical assisting certification, and training in McKenzie rehabilitation. He has specialized training in ropes course facilitation and corporate teambuilding. John was nominated for the California Community College Distinguished Alumni Award.
See
a special message from the President
 Senior Vice President
Scott Gaines, BS has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences from University of California, Irvine and is currently completing his Master's Degree in Human Movement from A.T. Still University. He has been in the fitness industry since 1994 as a personal trainer, fitness manager and martial arts instructor. Scott has worked for several companies prior to NESTA, including 24 Hour Fitness and the
prestigious
Sports Club Company. He is a national speaker on Biomechanics for the fitness industry and is the developer of the NESTA Biomechanics Specialist as well as the designer of 3DBioMech visuals used in the course. As V.P. of Program Development for NESTA, Scott's primary concern is developing new and innovated ways to create quality programs, founded in science with practical applications that benefit fitness professionals and their clients.
 Vice President of Program Development
Mark Baines, BBA, MS, CSCS, PES, CPT received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree (BBA) in Business Management in 1993 from Gonzaga University. He also obtained secondary teaching certification in social studies at Gonzaga and secondary teaching certification in English from the University of Washington. He recently received his Master of Science Degree (MS) in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from the California University of Pennsylvania and is currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) in the Executive MBA Program at California State University, Fullerton. He currently holds certifications as a Certified Strength Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA and holds training and specialist certifications from the NASM (PES), NESTA (CPT), ISSA (CFT), and NCCPT (CPT). He worked as a junior high teacher, high school basketball coach, cross country and track coach for more than five years before working as a personal trainer and strength coach for the last six years. He taught social studies, English, math and computer applications for four years in Seattle, WA before moving to southern California to train for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Mark ran at the collegiate level at Gonzaga University, but his times fell short of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. He still trains today in the 400 and 800m dash. He now instructs the Orange County Adventure Boot Camp in Irvine, CA and continues to work independently with young athletes and teams as a strength, speed and performance coach. He currently instructs NESTA workshops for personal fitness trainers in the United States and Asia, and presents annually at industry trade shows and conferences across the U.S.
 Registered
Dietitian/Exercise Physiologist
Christopher
R. Mohr, PhD, RD holds a bachelors degree
in Nutrition, from Penn State University, and a
master’s
degree in Nutrition Science from the University
of Massachusetts. He is also a Registered Dietitian.
Chris was a sports nutritionist and worked with
most of the 23 Division I teams at the University
of Massachusetts. This experience allowed him to
counsel hundreds of varsity athletes and work with
team coaches to enhance the performance of the players.
Chris provides consultations for individuals seeking
improved athletic performance and wellness, through
his company Mohr Results (www.MohrResults.com). He
is also an industry consultant for a variety of media
outlets and dietary supplement companies. Chris has
written or contributed to three textbooks that are
to be published in 2006 and has also written nearly
500 articles for consumer publications, such as Men’s
Fitness, Men’s Health, Men’s Health Muscle,
and Muscle and Fitness, to name a few. He is an advisory
board member for Men’s Fitness and the nutrition
editor for OC Flair Magazine.
Director
of Senior Fitness
Tammy Petersen,
MSE has had an interest
in improving the quality of life for older adults
for more than 15 years. She has written two textbooks
on older adult fitness and designed corresponding
training programs. Tammy’s educational background
includes Bachelor of Science degrees in both marketing
and economics from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg,
Kansas. She holds a Master of Science in Education
in the area of health and fitness, with an emphasis
in geriatrics, from the University of Kansas, Lawrence,
Kansas. Her professional associations include serving
as an adjunct faculty member of the National Exercise
and Sports Trainers Association and an advisory
board member for the American Association of Personal
Trainers. She also volunteers her expertise as National
Liaison for the National Board of Fitness Examiners
in the area of insurance reimbursement.
 Fitness Expert/Award
Winning Fitness Professional
Norma Shechtman, BS,
MS, MA has talents and expertise that
are well documented, ultimately leading to the
ACE (American Council on Exercise) Fitness Professional
of the Year Award on March 1, 2003. Previously,
in 2002, Norma was nominated as one of the top
three fitness professionals in the world from ACE.
She holds a bachelors and masters degree in education
and a masters degree in kinesiology. Norma holds
certifications in Pilates, personal training, group
fitness, kickboxing, indoor cycling, water fitness
and many others. In addition, Norma travels the
world presenting the latest training information
to fitness professionals.
 Certified
Athletic Trainer
Janet Olsen, ATC holds a BS in Athletic
Training from CSU Sacramento and teaching credentials
in Physical Education and Biology. Her 12 years
experience in an outpatient orthopedic physical
therapy clinic, led to her current position as the
Head Certified Athletic Trainer at Irvine Valley
College where she is a faculty member for the Sports
Medicine and Fitness Certificate programs since
1990. Janet was drawn to sports medicine during
her 10 years as a competitive club and collegiate
gymnast. She served as Staff Athletic Trainer at
the 2003 World Gymnastics Championships and 2004
U.S. Gymnastics Olympic Trials. She is an examiner
for the National Athletic Trainers Association’s
certification exam.
Sports
Medicine/ Certified Athletic Trainer
Jack H. Bauerle, MS, ATC, CSCS earned
his Bachelor’s degree and his  Master’s
degree in sports medicine with an emphasis in Athletic
Training from Chapman University. He served as the
Head Athletic Trainer and Head Strength Coach to Chapman
University from 1989-1993 as a division II NCAA sanctioned
school. In 1994 Chapman moved to Division III and
implemented Football. His responsibilities included
Head Athletic Trainer to the football program and
Adjunct Professor to [then] the Movement and Exercise
Science Department. In 1998, Jack accepted a full
time faculty appointment where he relinquished his
Athletic ties to pursue academia in the department
of Kinesiology. He was later appointed the Program
Director of the Athletic Training Curriculum with
the significant responsibility of pursuing NATA Accreditation
with CAAHEP (Commission of Accreditation on Allied
Health Educational Programs). He spearheaded and secured
the Candidacy Status of the National Accreditation
during January 2000.
Jack has also held appointments in the
fitness industry as a fitness technician and current
consultant in the local Orange County area. He partakes
in regional and national speaking engagements in the
sports medicine arena. Jack still manages his ties
to Chapman University as an adjunct professor to the
Athletic Training and Physical Education Department.
 Water
Fitness Specialist/Business Advisor
Phil Black, BA, MBA has been in the fitness
industry for over twelve years. While he has extensive
experience as a collegiate athlete, certified personal
trainer, group fitness instructor, inventor, and
fitness entrepreneur, his passion and expertise
lies in unconventional water-based training. Phil
was a Navy SEAL officer for nearly six years, spending
the last two years as a Navy SEAL Instructor in
Coronado, CA. He received his undergraduate degree
from Yale University and an MBA from the Harvard
Business School. Phil lives and works in San Diego
with his wife and twin sons. Phil co-developed the
soon-to-be-released Aqualogix Water Fitness Certification
& Business Program.
 Yoga
Instructor
Kelley Peviani, BA, MA is our Sport Yoga™,
Sport Yoga Kid's™ and Strength Yoga™
instructor. She has been practicing yoga for nine
years and teaching for three. Kelley has been
a certified yoga instructor since 2001. She has
taught yoga to all ages, children and adults,
in health clubs, spas, resorts, assisted living
facilities, community centers, schools, and even
a modeling agency in Southern California. Kelley
is passionate about sharing her knowledge and
expertise about yoga with others. Her compassionate
approach to teaching enables her to instruct and
communicate effectively with all ages and types
of people. Over the years, she has studied with
many talented instructors including Rodney Yee
and Shiva Rey. In the past, she has also taught
Ballet, jazz, and lyrical dance, creative movement,
art, and acting. Kelley is currently continuing
her yoga studies at the University of California
at Irvine. She also holds a masters degree in
education.
 NLP/Sports
Hypnosis/Clinical Hypnotherapy Instructor
Christopher Wayne Morrison, DCH is a professional
Hypnotherapist, Master Practitioner and Master Trainer
of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Since 1989,
“Topher,” as he is known to his friends
and colleagues, has trained tens of thousands of people
worldwide including Olympic athletes, and is acclaimed
as a dynamic presenter on a wide array of topics ranging
from personal growth to sales training. Dr. Morrison
is internationally recognized for his columns on personal
development, keynotes, and leadership training. Creative
and prolific, Topher is the creator of the MusicTrance
series – music specifically created for the
profession of hypnotherapy.
Topher maintains a rigorous schedule
traveling throughout North America, Australia, and
the UK teaching people the importance of hypnosis
and the role it plays in overall mind/body health.
His unique style is at once informative and entertaining,
demonstrating Topher’s instinctive ability to
convey the most sophisticated topics to his audience
in an easy to understand manner.
Between speaking engagements, Topher
resides in Tampa, Florida where he talks with students
about their hypnotherapy practices. He also volunteers
his time to the non-profit agency ACEER (Amazon Center
for Environmental Education and Research) by conducting
seminars at schools and organizations, sharing with
them the importance of preserving our earth’s
natural resources. Topher
developed our Sports Hypnosis course.
 NLP/Communications
Instructor
Al Sargent is
an advisor to NESTA and teaches classes at Spencer
Escape with his wife Marilyn.
Al is an author, researcher and international trainer.
Prior to entering the field of intellectual research
and personal growth, he was a golf professional and
later gained corporate experience working for U.S.
West Corporation.
Based on his research in the field of
neuro-emotional science, his book The Other Mind's
Eye: The Gateway to the Hidden Treasures of Your Mind,
documents the basic cognitive functions of our brain
as they relate to our ability to be proactive in all
aspects of our lives. In The Other Mind's Eye,
Al explains how to access the information in both
hemispheres of our brain, on purpose. This technology,
known as Hemispheric Thinking™, has
developed techniques at the leading edge of resolving
internal conflicts and goal setting.
Along with his extensive teaching experience,
Al's love for bringing more enjoyment and success
into a person's life through increasing their skills
has carried over into his advanced format of training.
Approachable and credible, Al's knowledge and humor
create presentations designed to generate a safe atmosphere
for learning. His passion is to teach groups and individuals
how to be proactive in getting what they want in both
their personal and professional lives.
Al is also a certified Master Practitioner
and Trainer in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
(NLP) and a member of the Institute for the Advanced
Studies of Health.
 NLP/Communications
Instructor
Marilyn Sargent has a
passion for teaching and is currently conducting NLP
and Hemispheric Thinking training internationally.
A Certified Master NLP Practitioner and Trainer and
a member of the Institute for the Advanced Studies
of Health, Marilyn has a degree in Psychology from
Antioch University and maintains a full time consulting
and coaching practice for individuals, organizations
and corporate clients. Marilyn's specialties include stress
management, conflict resolution, decision making and
learning strategies. Her business clients often request
her expertise in teaching negotiating skills as well
as how to improve presentations and create productive
company meetings. An expert in educational development,
Marilyn has also helped improve the learning skills
of those diagnosed with dyslexia, ADD (Attention Deficit
Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive
Disorder), while assisting them in overcoming the
social and emotional difficulties associated with
these disorders.
By understanding the deep structure
of an issue, then breaking it down into manageable
size components, Marilyn is able to facilitate learning
while participants are having fun and experiencing
success. Her teaching style is clear and precise and
she has a gentle compassion for others. Marilyn's
mission is to support others in being the best they
can be, through providing excellence in teaching,
mentoring, and coaching to make a positive difference
in the world!
 Medical
Advisor
Michael Alan Weiss, D.O., F.A.A.P. is a pediatrician practicing in Rancho Santa Margarita,
CA. He is Diplomat of the National Board of Osteopathic
Examiners and the American Board of Pediatrics,
as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Weiss consults NESTA on our growing curriculum
regarding children's health, fitness and weight
management.
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