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November 2020 IDEA Member Spotlight

Meet three IDEA members who truly shine.

Member spotlight

Arunima Dutta, MA

Member Since 2017  ::  Assam, India

Arunima Dutta

Like many IDEA members, Arunima Dutta has some impressive credentials, including an RYT 500 certification. But she has another that’s pretty unique: She’s a former Mrs. India World! That’s not really what makes her such a special teacher, though; it’s the empathy that she brings to her practice. “I had just lost both of my parents,” she explains, “and I felt I was on the path of healing when I stepped on my mat; I found yoga to be both physically and emotionally therapeutic and wanted to share the experience with others.” Inspired by attending her first IDEA® World Convention in 2018, she soon opened her first studio. “IDEA gave me the confidence to start,” she says. “Now I own three yoga studios. More than anything, yoga makes me happy.”

Richard Eastwick, MEd

Member Since 2017  ::  Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Richard Eastwick

“I have found the best way to lead is by setting a good example and continuing to exercise vigorously and consistently,” says Richard Eastwick. He certainly practices what he preaches, enjoying HIIT workouts and running 5Ks with family and friends. “I taught health and PE for 38 years, retired and earned a personal trainer’s certificate from The Cooper Institute®,” he explains. A teacher at heart, he has also helped IDEA members learn some new skills. In a 2018 Fitness Journal article about mental intensity, he outlined how building concentration can improve performance and help exercisers achieve their goals. “Leading with enthusiasm is powerful,” he says. Now 73, he continues to demonstrate great leadership for his clients.

Suzi Schumacher Mckee

Member Since 1985  ::  Amarillo, Texas

Suzi Schumacher Mckee

When Suzi Schumacher McKee was 19 and just starting to teach fitness classes, she dreamt of teaching at the Cooper Fitness Center™ in Dallas. When she was 23, she instead opened her own dance and fitness studio. She sold the studio when she was 27, to raise her two children, but stayed involved as a fitness director and instructor, earning more than 19 certifications and becoming one of our early IDEA members. When she was 50, she opened Livewellfit, a studio for women over age 40.  End of story? Nope! When she was 60, she sold that studio to accept a job at, wait for it, . . . the Cooper Fitness Center! “I encourage other women to be brave and create the fitness business dream they so desire,” she says. “I hope to teach until I am 110!”

We’d Like to Put the Spotlight on You!

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 Sandy Todd Webster, [email protected]. Please include your IDEA member number, if possible. You (or the colleague) must be an IDEA member to be considered for this section.

For more information on membership & benefits, go here.

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