Group Exercise Instructors
Nikki Kilian: Fitness Coordinator
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Classes: Barre Above & Coach by Color Cycling
Certifications: CPR/AED, Barre Above, Schwinn Indoor Cycling, MixxedFit, NASM Nutrition Certification (in progress) and NASM-CPT (in progress)
Hobbies:Drinking coffee, running, painting, spending time with my family, dancing, and being outdoors
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor:I became a group exercise instructor as an outlet to dance and be creative with hip hop, which awakened a new passion in me for fitness and holistic health. I then branched into new formats, gaining new certifications, and enjoyed learning new ways to work out the body. I love getting my participants excited about making healthy life choices—physically and mentally.
Anya Allen: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Classes: Cycle Coach by Color, Core & Glute Max Out
Certifications: CPR/AED, Schwinn Cycling
Hobbies: Hiking, cooking, exploring new places, and watching movies with my friends
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: When I was recovering from an ACL injury through physical therapy my senior year of high school, I realized how much I loved the workouts on a stationary bike. From there, it wasn’t long until I fell in love with group cycling and other group exercise at Liberty. I wanted to become an instructor to share that joy of exercise with others and to help others stay fit while having a good time.
Charis Brown: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Classes: HIIT 30
Certifications: CPR/AED
Hobbies: Being outdoors, running, watercolor painting, spending time with my family, surfing, anything water related, having long chats with friends, studying the Bible, and reading
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I became a group exercise instructor because I have seen the incredible difference that exercise has made in my life and I want to share that with others. Exercise lifts our mood and gives us mental clarity, energy, and will power. I love the group exercise format because we get to encourage each other together as we experience those benefits. As a group instructor and as a pre-physical therapy student, I hope to inspire people on the journey towards balance in life and taking care of the bodies that God has given us so that we can serve him and those around us to the best of our abilities.
Ellie Kitzmiller: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Classes: Coach by Color and Power Pilates
Certifications: CPR/AED, Cycle Coach by Color, Schwinn Indoor Cycling
Hobbies: I love to shop, explore the outdoors, and hang out with my friends
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I became a Group Exercise Instructor because I wanted to help encourage others in their health journeys: mind, body and spirit!
Emma Kongs: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Classes: 20-20-20, Cardio Kickboxing, and MixxedFit
Certifications: Urban Kick and MixxedFit
Hobbies: I really enjoy being around people doing anything active!
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I became a group exercise instructor because I love fitness, and I especially love fitness in a group setting! It is so exciting to see people come together for one goal and encourage each other to reach those goals.
Amanda Lavender: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Classes: Cycle Boot Camp, Barre Above, Studio Cycling
Certifications: CPR/AED+First Aid, NASM-CPT, Barre Above
Hobbies: Cooking, baking, reading, and anything active
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: The community and accountability aspect of group training is what originally made me fall in love with fitness. I want to share this with others by fostering a positive, encouraging setting in which we can come together to work to be the best version of ourselves.
Kim Mattox: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Amherst, VA
Classes: Power Pump
Certifications: CPR/AED, Les Mills BodyPump & BodyAttack
Hobbies: Chasing my 2 toddlers, eating lots of Mexican food, and working out (of course)
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: From a young age, I’ve always enjoyed dancing, cheering, and staying active, but I’ve never been motivated to go to the gym unless there was a scheduled class. After college graduation, I become more interested in strength training and instantly fell in love with Power Pump! My normal cardio workouts didn’t give me the same results I saw with weight training. I found myself wanting to be more involved and decided to pursue certification. After 5 years of teaching, I’m still loving it and very excited to be a part of the LU team.
Katie McCrum: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Midlothian, Virginia
Classes: Barre Above & Restorative Barre
Certifications: Barre Above & CPR/AED
Hobbies: Dancing, drinking iced coffee, volunteering in elementary schools, and spending time with friends
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: After falling in love with my first barre class at college, I found that it is a great way for me to exercise and complement my dance background. I quickly discovered that I wanted to take it to the next level, so I decided to earn my certifications and become a Group Exercise Instructor. I am so eager to share my passion for barre with others and help them achieve their fitness goals through our classes!
Claire Rabe: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Mendon, IL
Classes: Pilates, Power Pump, Synergy Circuits, Tabata GX
Certifications: CPR/AED, NASM-CPT, Tabata GX
Hobbies: Playing sports, being with friends, hiking, laughing, and being in the sun
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I became a Group Fitness Instructor because I love sharing about my passion of health and wellness. I believe that improvement in your physical well-being improves your mental and spiritual health as well. I love encouraging and impacting others! This job has allowed me the privilege to meet so many amazing people while worshipping God by being a good steward of our bodies!
Evelyn Raingruber: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Modesto, California
Classes: CrossFit, CrossFit Fundamentals
Certifications: CPR/AED, CrossFit Level 1 Certification
Hobbies: Weightlifting, hiking, reading
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I fell in love with CrossFit because of the community and motivation that comes from rallying around each other, sweating together, and seeing one another achieve goals. I started when I was recovering from a serious injury, yet I never felt limited because of the way workouts can be modified while maintaining the same intensity. Every single day I loved showing up and getting stronger than I was the day before while I was surrounded by friends doing the same. I became a CrossFit trainer because I am passionate about showing participants that healthy living is best done in community and I love to share the sport of fitness with others.
Whitney Rumpca: Group Exercise Instructor
Hometown: Cottage Grove, MN
Classes: Yoga Sculpt and 20/20/20
Certifications: Yoga Sculpt Corepower Certification
Hobbies: Running, yoga, lifting, photography, reading, cooking
Why I became a Group Exercise Instructor: I became a group exercise instructor because I am a huge advocate for holistic living. I believe fitness plays a key role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I love how this job gives me the ability to encourage and support college students to take control of their health at a young age so they can reach their fullest potential.