IDEA Member Spotlight

SUE CONRAD • Member Since 2011 • Sitka, Alaska

Sitka—a 14-mile long island in Alaska—doesn’t have big fitness facilities. But it does have Sue Conrad, an ACE-certified personal trainer, yoga teacher (RYT 200) and Tabata™ boot camp instructor. She is also Schwinn^® cycling and Spinning^® certified. Sitka’s population is limited, and Sue strives to create a safe and comfortable environment that meets the needs of the island’s diverse demographics, both in the gym and in her volunteer work. She coaches for both Girls on the Run and Boys Run and teaches yoga as part of the Strengthening Families Program for Sitka Tribe of Alaska. She wants to see more fitness professionals focus on individually customized fitness programs for their clients to cultivate realistic expectations and lasting change.

DEBRA APLIS • Member Since 2018 • Grapevine, Texas

“Moving is moving!” says Debra Aplis, and she moves her clients to make positive life changes in many ways. Debra runs mylittle healthcoach.com, coaching clients 100% online. After receiving encouragement from her peers at the IDEA^® World Convention, she also made the leap to work with clients one-on-one. Her favorite fitness memory is the time she beat her first 5K time on a very difficult route. She was so shocked she nearly passed out on the spot! She loves 5Ks because she loves walking—but she completes longer distances through “virtual races,” online challenges that let her “travel the world” and reward her with some pretty impressive bling. Those medals hang next to her front door and keep her inspired to stay active.

MALLORY HIEFIELD • Member Since 2016 • Portland, Oregon

Mallory Hiefield lights the way as the “Spark Wellness Champion,” promoting wellness at the healthcare office where she works. An ACE-certified personal trainer with both Schwinn^® and Les Mills BODYPUMP™ certifications, she also teaches group fitness classes on the side. The community aspect is her favorite part of group fitness, and Mallory has been a member at local club Bethany Athletic Gym since it opened. She volunteers at the food bank, and she also spearheads a running group in her office. “The Les Mills Live BODYPUMP class was one for the books,” she says of her experience at the IDEA^® World Convention in San Diego this year, adding, “Squatting with over 800 participants in a room being taught by master trainers? Definitely not going to forget this for a long time!”

If you would like to be featured in this section or know an IDEA member who stands out in the fitness crowd, email a brief description of your (or your colleague’s) fitness activities and achievements and a high-resolution digital photograph (at least 300 dpi, in focus, well-lit and at least 3” × 3” in its original digital format) to content@ideafit.com. Please include your IDEA member number, if possible. You (or the colleague) must be an IDEA member to be considered for this section.