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Press
Contact: Lynne Russo (818) 903-6079 Fitness Experts
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Press
Contact: Lynne Russo (818) 903-6079 Fitness Experts
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A nationally recognized fitness expert, Steve Edwards oversees Beachbody's fitness and diet program development. He also serves as the fitness advisor for MyBeachbody™ and the popular Beachbody Message Boards. A former magazine editor and fitness columnist, Steve has contributed to more than 30 national publications, and he is the author of two books and two films. He's trained some of the best extreme athletes in the world, including North Face Extreme Team's Kevin Thaw and X Games champion Hans Florine. Active in athletics his entire life, he was a college athlete, high school coach, national-level competition rock climber, and he has pioneered more than 500 first ascents in many different countries. He holds numerous speed records on peaks around the world, occasionally competes in adventure races, bike races, and triathlons, and is a current member of the USA Duathlon Team. Steve holds a degree in biogeography from UCLA, certifications in personal training, sports conditioning, performance nutrition, and fitness therapy, and he has been trained as an emergency medical technician.
Tim Avila is a sports nutrition expert and president of Systems Bioscience, a leader in research and development of supplements designed for athletes in training. He has written several diet and supplement protocols and has served as a nutrition advisor to professional and world-class athletes including Shaquille O'Neal (NBA), Ricky Waters (NFL), and Scott Tinley (Ironman champion). He has also provided health and nutrition consulting to celebrities such as Janet Jackson and Linda Hamilton (The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day). Among his peers, Tim is known as the "advisor's advisor," educating other health and nutrition professionals about the cutting edge in sports nutrition and diet.
Formerly "weight challenged," Denis dropped 50 pounds following a 5-year jaunt through Australia, a trip that helped him become the extreme sports and fitness enthusiast he is today. He's been a professional journalist for 17 years, writing on sports and fitness for Outside, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wired, Men's Health, Men's Journal, GQ, Surfer, and Pacific Longboarder. A pescatarian (fish-eating vegetarian) for the last 10 years, Denis credits his French heritage with giving him a natural edge in the kitchen, where his forte is turning traditionally fattening recipes into healthy culinary delights. His sports include swimming, scuba, rock climbing, spelunking, mountain biking, trekking, and—most important—surfing.
Michael George is one of Hollywood's most sought-after fitness experts and certified training consultants, having transformed the bodies of celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Meg Ryan, Christian Slater, Julianne Moore, Sela Ward, and James Spader. His unique training approach is a result of a combination of his health and fitness knowledge with motivational psychology, his diversified athletic talent, and the mind/body connection. Through years of personal training experience and extensive education, Michael developed Fast 10®, a simple total-body fitness program incorporating the ease of resistance band training. In addition to his involvement with Beachbody, you can see him as one of the fitness experts on ABC's hit show Extreme Makeover. Michael is a certified member of the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA).
A native of England, Teeson was a member of the original London cast of Fame—the Musical, wherein he was dance captain and understudy to Tyrone Jackson and Joe Vegas. After several years of performing in various productions, he moved from theatre into commercial dance, where he danced and choreographed for artists such as Kylie Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Diana Ross, Gloria Estefan, Usher, Carrie Underwood, and Tom Jones, with whom he won 2000's Best Music Video award for "Sex Bomb." Eventually, he began to coach artists on body language, stage presence, inner confidence, social know-how, and basically, how to be a star.
Kristi Donovan is an extremely versatile host who has experience in sports, entertainment, fashion, and fitness. Although a "girly-girl" in many ways, this southern belle has been referred to as "one of the guys" because of her enormous passion for and knowledge about sports. 
For the past 20 years, Tony Horton has established himself among the elite in the world of personal fitness training. From Hollywood celebrities and recording artists including Tom Petty, Shirley MacLaine, Billy Idol, Sean Connery, Annie Lennox, and Rob Lowe to the average person looking to lead a healthier lifestyle, Tony's conditioning skills and motivational abilities are consistently in high demand. His training techniques have also appeared in top fitness magazines. Tony's expertise includes circuit, cross, and interval training, weight and resistance training, cardiovascular/aerobic training, post-rehabilitation, advanced stretching, yoga, and kickboxing. The East Coast native incorporates his personal training experience and engaging personality in Beachbody's Power 90®, P90X®, Power Half Hour®, Tony & the Kids!, Tony & the Folks!, and Great Body Guaranteed!™ programs.
Chalene Johnson started studying dance and martial arts at age 3. She continued training in tae kwon do, dance, and aerobics while a student at Michigan State University. After moving to California in the early '90s, she created a group exercise class that combined the sexiness of dance, the hip feel of funk, and the power and strength of kickboxing. Soon Chalene was teaching other instructors how to deliver her unique brand of fitness, and in 1998 Turbo Jam® was born! Chalene's company, Powder Blue Productions, trains and certifies instructors to teach Turbo Jam. Today the program is featured at over 2,000 health clubs and fitness chains in the U.S. and in countries across the globe.
For more than a decade, Gillian Marloth has dedicated herself to helping others achieve physical wellness through movement by focusing on the body, mind, and spirit. She is an active leader in the fitness industry and instructs her students that "in order to change your body, you have to change your mind." Based on this concept, Gillian created Yoga Booty Ballet® in 1998, after envisioning fitness and fun combined in a joyful and unique class format. Gillian has been a favorite instructor at Crunch gyms in New York and Los Angeles, as well as at New York Sports Clubs, Tribeca Workout, Barry's Bootcamp, Total Fitness, and more. With friend and fitness collaborator Teigh McDonough, she co-owns SWERVE, a movement studio in Los Angeles, where they teach Yoga Booty Ballet.
Teigh McDonough has a passion for the art of movement and teaches it in a way that inspires everyone from the novice to the professional dancer. For more than 15 years she has studied everything from jazz, funk, hip-hop, ballet, and modern dance to kundalini, hatha, and power yoga, and has worked as a professional dancer, choreographer, fitness instructor, and personal trainer in Chicago and in her native California. Teigh takes her expertise and charismatic teaching style to the classroom, where she helps students transform into the next best version of themselves by "freeing the funky ballerina within" through the joy and expression of movement. Teigh partners with longtime friend Gillian Marloth in their Los Angeles-based movement studio, SWERVE, where they collaborate on and teach their popular Yoga Booty Ballet® classes.
With over 22 years of experience as a certified personal trainer and fitness consultant, Melinda Nicci serves as the fitness advisor in the Pre- and Post-Natal Forum on the Beachbody Message Boards. In 1994 Melinda became pregnant with her first child and recognized the need for a pre- and post-natal exercise system. She developed baby2body as a system to tone muscles and maintain fitness before and after childbirth. Her London-based company now conducts group and one-on-one training in locations worldwide. Melinda has over ten different fitness qualifications including the American Council on Exercise, and holds a B.A. in psychology and a postgraduate degree in education from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Andrea Pesce, Wellness Expert
A fitness leader for more than 20 years, Debbie Siebers has developed and perfected a host of challenging exercise routines that target specific problem areas of the body. In 1999, Debbie joined the Beachbody team and used her fitness know-how to create the Thin Thighs Guaranteed!™ video. The popularity of that workout led to the development of Beachbody's highly successful Slim in 6® and Slim Series® programs. Debbie is a certified member of the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.
Mark Sisson has spent the past 20 years researching and writing about fitness, health, and nutrition, and has applied that knowledge to designing state-of-the-art performance and health-enhancing nutritional supplements. He has written more than 50 articles for top fitness magazines and authored numerous books, including The Runner's World Triathlon Training Book, Training and Racing Duathlons, Maximum Results, The Fat Control System, and The Lean Lifestyle Program. He placed fourth in the 1982 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon and fifth in the 1980 USA National Marathon Championships. Mark has a degree in biology from Williams College.
Kathy Smith is one of the most admired health and wellness leaders in America. She is thrilled to have collaborated with the Beachbody team on Project: YOU™, a comprehensive 12-week health and fitness program for men and women. Since 1980, Kathy has been at the forefront of the fitness and lifestyle arena, inspiring millions to pursue a healthy lifestyle. Throughout her career, she has tapped into her personal passion for and journey toward wellness to bring consumers more than 35 fitness videos and audio programs ranging from yoga and Pilates to weight training and kickboxing. Smith has also authored several health and wellness books on subjects ranging from weight training to menopause. Her latest book, Flex Appeal, is geared toward helping women look great and feel sexy at any age.
"Shaun T" is a native of New Jersey currently residing in Los Angeles. Shaun began training at Rowan University where he received his BS in Sports Science and a minor in Theater/Dance. Shaun has danced in theater, TV, commercials, and movies, including The Ten Commandments, Pippin, Applause, Six Feet Under, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has worked with various artists such as Mariah Carey, Nick and Aaron Carter, Elephant Man, Angie Stone, and Deborah Cox. One of Shaun's most notable projects is Kathy Smith's Project: YOU™ where he collaborated with Kathy and choreographed eight instructional videos. From this experience, Shaun created a new fitness program with Beachbody called Hip Hop Abs®—a dance-based cardio program specifically designed to target your abs. It is due for release first quarter 2007. Shaun can be found teaching at many fitness and dance centers in Los Angeles.
Touted as "Hollywood's favorite nutritionist" (Elle), "the queen of lean" (GQ), and "the diet diva" (Vanity Fair), nutrition and diet consultant Carrie Wiatt joined Beachbody to serve as the nutritional advisor for the comprehensive P90X® fitness program. Her passion is sharing the benefits of healthy living with clients. Carrie's Los Angeles-based company, Diet Designs, has attracted a roster of celebrity clients including Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Matt Damon, and Dennis Quaid. Carrie has a master's degree in food and nutrition from California State University, Northridge.