OUR CREDENTIALS ARE UNSURPASSED, OUR EXPERTISE UNPARALLELED.

MEET THE TEAM. Click to view bios.

Education M.S., Exercise Physiology & Sports-Medicine, Indiana University B.S., Exercise Science, University of Houston CPT; PES, National Academy of Sports Medicine CSCS, National Strength & Conditioning Association Experience   - 31 years in the fitness industry   - Personal Trainer   - Corporate & Community Wellness   - Club Management   - National Lecturer - Apex Fitness Group   - Director of Education - National Academy of Sports Medicine   - Interim Director - National Academy of Sports Medicine   - Director of Education - Apex Fitness Group   - Research & Development Manager - Apex Fitness/24 Hour Fitness   - Research & Development Director - dotFIT, LLC   - Richard has over 30 years experience in the fitness industry. After obtaining a Master of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology & Sports Medicine from Indiana University, Richard began his career as a very successful personal trainer and advanced to instructing personal trainers as a Master Lecturer for the Apex Fitness Group. Richard's administrative and technical skills led him to become the Director of Education for Apex Fitness and once the company was acquired by 24 Hour Fitness he moved to the position of Research & Development Manager. Ever tied to the passion and mission of Neal Spruce, Richard's transition to Research & Development Director for dotFIT, LLC is a natural.   - With over 30 years experience, Richard has grown through all levels of the fitness industry. He has worked at developing and implementing the tools necessary for personal clients to be successful in reaching their fitness goals, for trainers to acquire the knowledge and systems necessary to positively impact their clients and employers, and the tools and systems for health clubs to be successful in fitness and in business.

Richard H. Stewart Director of Research & Development, dotFIT Advisory Board Member

Steve Shassberger is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine currently in residence at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Dr. Shassberger served as Director of Research for Apex Fitness for 12 years during which time he worked closely with Apex founder Neal Spruce to develop the bodybugg system. Dr. Shassberger has also consulted for American Specialty Health and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Most recently he assisted dotFIT in the development of the dotFIT Me nutrition and exercise program.

Dr. Steve Shassberger dotFIT Advisory Board Member

Michael works closely with the product development team, studying peer-reviewed journals and other publications for the latest research on effective ingredients for dietary supplements and other relevant nutritional information. Michael also coaches and trains numerous VIPs including participants on the hit television show, The Biggest Loser. Michael first began working with Apex Fitness and dotFIT founder Neal Spruce in 2000, and has traveled across the US, lecturing and educating prospective personal trainers in weight control, nutrition, performance nutrition, exercise and supplementation.

Michael Oviedo Research & Development Specialist, MS, NASM-PES

Kevin Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC was hired by the Department Exercise and Sport Science University of North Carolina in July 1995, and was appointed Department Chair in July 2005. Kevin heads up the sport concussion program at UNC, while also serving as the Research Director for the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes. Kevin's teaching responsibilities include Cadaver Anatomy, Therapeutic Modalities, Human Anatomy, and Research Methods & Statistics in Sports Medicine. Kevin's research is focused on the assessment of sport-related concussion and the long-term effects of concussion. He has been the recipient of over 15 funded research grants on this topic, and has published over 45 journal articles and five textbook chapters related to concussion in sport. He serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Athletic Training, and is on the editorial boards of two other journals. Kevin was the recipient of the 1997 Kenneth Knight Outstanding Research Manuscript for the Journal of Athletic Training, the recipient of the 1999 NATA-REF New Investigator Award for Athletic Training Research, and the 2006 Medal for Distinguished Athletic Training Research. He was awarded Fellowship in the American College of Sports Medicine in May 2003, and was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education in September 2006. He and his wife Amy have 4 children Jacob, Nathan, Adam, and Tessa.

Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz A.T.C

Gay has been in private practice for the past 23 years as a nutritionist for individuals, corporations, professional athletes and sport teams, local and national celebrities, restaurant chains, and medical institutions. Because of her varied background in fitness, hospital and clinic settings, Gay has expertise in several nutrition specialties, including diabetes, obesity, eating disorders, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, environmental nutrition, sports and athletics, and pregnancy. As a licensed and registered dietitian, Gay is able to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for the nutritional management of medical conditions such as gestational diabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol, food allergies, and eating disorders. Gay is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN), which includes training in complimentary alternative modalities, therapeutic supplementation, diagnostic testing and functional nutrition, and education in therapeutic applications for vitamin and mineral supplementation. She is a member of The International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN). Gay is the author of The Pocket Personal Trainer, a pocket-sized book of information on exercise and nutrition, and has published articles in national magazines, and newspapers. In addition, she has appeared on radio and television programs. She is on the advisory board for dotFIT, for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and on the board for the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists. Gay has earned a bachelor's degree in clinical dietetics and a master's degree in nutrition and exercise from Texas Woman's University. She is a member of many professional associations, including:   - American Dietetic Association   - The International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN)   - Sports and Cardiovascular Nutritionist   - National Academy of Sports Medicine   - American College of Sports Medicine   - North American Association for the Study of Obesity   - International Association for the Study of Obesity   - Institute for Food and Development Policy   - Texas State Board of Dietitians   - North Carolina Board of Dietitians and Nutritionists   - Florida Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council   - Ohio Board of Dietetics

Gay Riley MS, RD, CCN

Eric Plasker, D.C., is a man on a mission. That mission: To help every man and woman in America live to realize "a long life, well-lived." Fit and energetic, Dr. Plasker is a prime example of The 100-Year Lifestyle in action. He brings a wealth of talent, drive, and experience to his work, capitalizing on his roles as: Wellness expert A graduate of Life Chiropractic College and former owner of two highly successful family practices, Dr. Plasker is the founder of the Council on Family Wellness for the World Chiropractic Alliance. Leader in the health care field In just 5.5 years, he has become one of the leading names in the $8.2 billion per year chiropractic industry. Dr. Plasker is recognized as an innovative wellness expert by more than 60,000 chiropractors in the U.S. alone, who employ over 110,000 people and see an estimated 30 million patients per year. His columns and advertisements reach over 60,000 doctors 24 times per year. With the launch of The 100-Year Lifestyle, he is expanding his message directly to the public and building relationships with the fitness industry, including Gold's Gym (3 million customers), where he was just named as an exclusive member of their Fitness Institute; celebrity trainer, media personality, and Results Thru Research founder Doug Caporrino; along with the American Council on Exercise, to name a few. A master networker and relationship builder, Dr. Plasker vows to become the #1 salesperson for everything good for you, as he stands for people living their ideal 100-Year Lifestyle. Health care entrepreneur Since 2001, he's sold more than a half-million copies of his health and wellness guides, audiotapes, CDs, DVDs, and related material, which have been distributed in more than 14 countries. Dr. Plasker?s wellness messages and products have reached nearly one million people around the world through his global network of doctors. Media personality Dr. Plasker is a mediagenic powerhouse. Featured on the Discovery Channel's Forever Young and Connecting With Kids television network, he's shared the stage with such luminaries as Dr. Barbara De Angelis, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Dr. Deepak Chopra, to name a few. Speaker Dr. Plasker runs 11 workshops per year, and speaks on numerous other platforms, appearing before 15,000 health care professionals around the world each year. From February 15-June 18 and July 10-December 24, Dr. Plasker is on the road getting his message out about the 100-Year Lifestyle-at least 60 days a year.

Eric Plasker D.C.

Dr. Padua is the Director of the Sports Medicine Research Laboratory and Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. He is an adjunct faculty member in the Departments of Orthopaedics, Biomedical Engineering, and Allied Health Sciences. Dr. Padua serves as the Director of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Research Institute, whose mission is to provide scientifically valid, evidence-based assessments and interventions for the effective promotion of physical fitness, performance enhancement, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation conditioning. In addition, he is the acting Chair of the Research Committee for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation. Dr. Padua received his B.A. degree (Exercise and Nutritional Science, emphasis in Athletic Training) from San Diego State University (1996) and M.A. degree (Exercise and Sports Science emphasis in Athletic Training) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then proceeded to the University of Virginia and obtained his Doctoral Degree (PhD in Sports Medicine, 2001). His primary research interests focus on neuromuscular control of knee and lumbo-pelvic stability, identification of risk factors associated with knee injury (focus on ACL injury), identification of evidence based prevention strategies for ACL injury, and validation of performance enhancement training techniques. Current research includes investigating predictive factors for ACL injury, biomechanical comparison of ACL injury prevention interventions, examination of modifiable neuromuscular factors that contribute to knee valgus angle and anterior tibial shear force, validation of clinical movement assessment techniques to predict muscle imbalances and injury risk, and validation of corrective exercises commonly used for injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Dr. Darin A. Padua PhD, ATC

Dr. Titchenal earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in nutrition with minor emphasis in exercise physiology and physiological chemistry at the University of California, Davis. He also is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). Currently, he teaches and conducts research as an associate professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His research focuses on nutrition and human performance. Among his most visible activities, he and his wife, Dr. Joannie Dobbs, have written over 400 newspaper articles on nutrition and health for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin newspaper during the past 10 years. In addition to publishing articles in professional journals, chapters in professional publications, and books, Dr. Titchenal is developing a website on nutrition for sports and fitness professionals that is located at www.nutritionatc.hawaii.edu. Over 400 of the Star-Bulletin articles are archived at this website. Also, in collaboration with Dr. Dobbs, Dr. Titchenal provides content for the "Got Nutrients?" website at www.gotnutrients.net that provides daily health and nutrition tips. Dr. Titchenal has personal experience competing in triathlons and bike racing in Hawaii and California and has completed the Honolulu Marathon 20 times. For recreation and fitness, he currently surfs and runs trails as his major activities. He also enjoys good food, beer (especially locally brewed) and wine (in moderation of course) and appreciates fine art (earned a B.A. in Art at the University of Hawaii before going into nutrition).

C. Alan Titchenal PhD, CNS

Scott Pullen is Fitness and Nutrition Program Coordinator for dotFIT. He has his MS in Exercise Science & Health Promotion, Rehabilitative Sciences, and holds multiple certifications from NASM. Pullen assists in supplement research and formula design, research and writing on all aspects of nutrition and fitness and curriculum development. He is also a presenter and educator, and Director of dotFIT Sponsorship.

Scott Pullen Fitness & Nutrition Program Coordinator for dotFIT, MS, NASM

After graduating from UCLA in 1991, Wendy worked as a teacher in San Jose, CA. Her personal experience of losing 40lbs gave her the confidence and inspiration to apply her love of teaching and help individuals achieve similar results as a personal trainer at 24Hr Fitness using the Apex Nutrition and Fitness System. She went on to become a staff member at Apex Fitness, helping facilities to implement the extremely successful system. She is an NASM certified trainer and has previous experience as a coach for the bodybugg system. Wendy is currently a part-time dotFIT coach and is passionate about motivating clients to attain dramatic results using the dotFITme and exerspy system.

Wendy Houghton NASM CPT Phone Coach, dotFIT

Jim has been in the fitness industry for more than 15 years. He started out as a professional football player in the US and Canada, and spent several years as "Lazer" on the hit television show American Gladiators. Jim joined Neal Spruce and the product development team at Apex Fitness in 2000, and is a founding staff member of dotFIT.

Jim Starr-Kalafat VP Product Development, dotFIT

Kat Barefield, MS, RD, holds a bachelor's of science degree in athletic training and a master's of science degree in sports nutrition. She is a registered dietitian and member of the American Dietetic Association. Kat has been a NASM Certified Personal Trainer since 1997 and is also a NASM performance enhancement specialist (PES). She also holds the Health and Fitness Specialist certification from the American College of Sports Medicine, and has over 12 years of experience in the health and fitness industry and has helped numerous individuals reach their health, fitness and weight management goals. Kat served as a National Instructor for the Apex Fitness Group for several years creating and delivering exercise, nutrition and weight control workshops, seminars and certification courses. She was part of the development team for the bodybugg calorie management system and is currently the manager of Research and Development for dotFIT, LLC. Kat enjoys writing and developing e-learning tools including consumer articles, nutrition and weight control programs and services, continuing education courses, product demos and interactive tutorials.

Kat Barefield R + D Manager, dotFIT

Odd Haugen is a business executive with a passion for strength and fitness as well as a competing strongman who mentors up and coming strength athletes. Prior to his current role, Haugen was VP of Operations for Apex Fitness Group (now owned by 24 Hour Fitness). Haugen held various roles within 24 Hour Fitness, including CEO of operating entities in Europe with nearly 140 clubs. He joined 24 Hour Fitness via the merger with Gym Masters, Inc. (GMI) in early 1996. As a principal shareholder and founder of GMI, Mr. Haugen grew the company from a single club in Richmond, California, to a chain of clubs with gross revenue of $10,000,000 plus per year. Prior to merging with 24 Hour Fitness, Inc. GMI was honored three years in a row as one of Inc. 500's fastest growing companies in the nation. Haugen was featured on the June 1993 cover of Club Industry.

Odd Haugen President & COO, dotFIT

Craig Pepin-Donat Chief Marketing Officer, dotFIT

Craig is an established authority in the fitness industry. Starting as a nationally certified personal trainer in 1981 and rising to the top of his profession, Craig was president for the prestigious New York Health and Racquet Club chain in New York City and he held the position of president for the largest club chain in Northern California, 24 Hour Nautilus. After the company's massive expansion and brand transition to 24 Hour Fitness, Craig was elevated to the position of executive vice president of sales and marketing worldwide where he operated more than 450 health and fitness clubs in 11 countries. Craig has visited over 40 countries while studying health and fitness trends worldwide. As an entrepreneur, Craig also owned and operated his own fitness company that was voted "Best Club" in his home town. During his career, Craig has researched and purchased millions of dollars worth of fitness equipment, dietary supplements and other fitness related products. He is the author of two books, and he has written and developed numerous professional manuals, audio and video training programs based on his simple formula for success, which have had a positive impacted on the health and lives of millions of people.

Micheal Clark CEO, NASM

Dr. Micheal Clark, DPT, MS, PT, CES, PES, CPT, joined NASM as president, chief executive officer and partner in March 2000. An industry visionary, he is the creator of NASM's exclusive Optimum Performance Training™ (OPT) method used by thousands of health and fitness professionals worldwide. Clark's innovation and leadership have redefined NASM as a global leader and authority in education for fitness, performance and sports medicine professionals, which empowers individuals to live active and healthy lives. Recognized as one of the top physical therapists in the industry, Clark has rehabilitated, reconditioned and trained hundreds of professional and amateur elite athletes. His list of athlete-clients includes a MLB Cy Young award winner, world champion figure skaters, NBA All-Stars, NBA Rookies of the Year, NBA Most Valuable Players, NFL All-Pros, The World's Strongest Man, national champions, Olympic gold medalists and hall of fame athletes.

Neal Spruce Founder & CEO, dotFIT

Neal Spruce is chairman of the board for the prestigious National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and founder of dotFIT Worldwide. Neal is a fitness specialist, author, licensed teacher, researcher, bodybuilding champion, personal fitness consultant and speaker. Prior to creating dotFIT, Spruce founded Apex Fitness, a research and development company that eventually became part of Fitness Holdings World Wide, the parent company of 24 Hour Fitness USA, Inc. While with Apex, Spruce and his team developed fitness programs used in over 1500 fitness facilities worldwide, currently serving over 500,000 new participants annually. Spruce also created the revolutionary bodybugg® calorie management system, which in 2005 received the "Best of What's New in Personal Health" award from Popular Science and was featured on NBC's hit television show, "The Biggest Loser."

• 
  Neal Spruce
  Founder & CEO,
  dotFIT
• 
  Micheal Clark
  CEO,
  NASM
• 
  Craig Pepin-Donat
  Chief Marketing Officer,
  dotFIT
• 
  Odd Haugen
  President & COO,
  dotFIT
• 
  Kat Barefield
  R + D Manager,
  dotFIT
• 
  Jim Starr-Kalafat
  VP Product Development,
  dotFIT
• 
  Wendy Houghton
  NASM CPT Phone Coach,
  dotFIT
• 
  Scott Pullen
  Fitness & Nutrition Program Coordinator for dotFIT,
  MS, NASM
• 
  C. Alan Titchenal
  PhD,
  CNS
• 
  Dr. Darin A. Padua
  PhD,
  ATC
• 
  Eric Plasker
  D.C.
• 
  Gay Riley
  MS, RD,
  CCN
• 
  Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz
  A.T.C
• 
  Michael Oviedo
  Research & Development Specialist,
  MS, NASM-PES
• 
  Dr. Steve Shassberger
  dotFIT Advisory Board Member
• 
  Richard H. Stewart
  Director of Research & Development,.
  dotFIT Advisory Board Member