Hiiii, I'm Lisa!
I am a dually-certified, strength and conditioning specialist with experience in the defense, professional, corporate, and private sectors over my 13 year career.
Fitness has been my saving grace. When everything else felt uncertain or overwhelming, the gym was my constant—a place where I could find solace, strength, and clarity.
But my journey isn’t just about reps and sets. Fitness carried me through some of the most difficult times in my life guiding me through many transitions and challenges, trials and tribulations.
It wasn’t just exercise that brought me peace. Dialed-in nutrition, journaling, meditation, and other wellness practices became essential tools in taking back control. Through these practices, I learned that fitness is not just about building a stronger body; it’s about building a resilient mind and an unbreakable spirit.
This holistic approach to wellness is at the core of Solstice Strength, where my mission is to help you find the same consistency, strength, and clarity that fitness has brought to my life—no matter where you are in your own journey.
My journey started in Wisconsin, where I golfed competitively for six years before transitioning to track and field at Concordia University Wisconsin where I ran sprints and threw javelin. If you ran 400s and actually enjoyed them, we can’t be friends… I have my Masters (MS) in Applied Exercise Science, and Bachelors (BS) in Exercise Physiology.
In my late teens, I discovered the power of fitness. I started working in the industry during my freshman year of college, and never looked back. Fitness became my anchor as I juggled the demands of being a full-time student, collegiate athlete, and starting my career.
I used to think more was better—spending hours in the gym with long, grueling sessions. Warm-Up. 45-60 minute strength session. Cardio for 20-30 minutes. Cool-down. I believed it was the only way to get both the physique and performance I wanted. This was impossible to maintain. That approach led to burnout, guilt, and frustration. It made me upset with myself for not “committing enough” to find or make the time for these long sessions. All of this led to inconsistency and repetitive start-stop cycles. I stayed fit, but I didn’t feel good, and then life started to pile more and more on my plate.
After graduating, I opened a gym in southeastern Wisconsin, building it from the ground up into a thriving business. Even then, I struggled to find time for my own workouts. It was ironic, really—owning a gym but feeling like I had less time to be active. I knew there had to be a better way.
While owning and operating this gym, I concurrently had the opportunity to provide coaching to the U.S. Army, worked with numerous collegiate athletic teams, and did a brief stint with Chicago Blackhawks Hockey.
Through working with all of these different populations, I developed a programming style that was both efficient and effective. My clients could see results in less than an hour a day, without needing to work out every single day.
As my career evolved, I realized that fitness was about more than just performance—it was about enhancing my life outside the gym. After my college athletic career ended, I focused on using the gym to fuel my love for outdoor activities. Snowboarding, biking, alpine hiking, and golf were the things I love(d), and the gym became the place that allowed me to enjoy them fully.
When I moved to Okinawa, Japan in 2020, I added scuba diving and freediving, to my list of hobbies. It was also in Oki that I was able to continue my career as a strength coach when I started working with Air Force Special Warfare at the 31st Rescue Squadron.
My time with the 31 RQS was my favorite position I’ve held, but life brought me back to the States in 2022, where I accepted a new position with the Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland. There, I worked primarily with candidates during the Pre-Dive phase of the Special Warfare pipeline.
Now, I’ve shifted my focus to running Solstice Strength full-time. Solstice Strength was born out of the need to consolidate everything I’d learned into one platform, allowing my coaching to be accessible to more people. By applying the same principles that transformed my own life, I’ve helped countless clients achieve their goals efficiently and effectively. The results speak for themselves.
— FAST FACTS —
Top Clifton Strengths
Relator | Learner | Communication
Enneagram
2 / 4
Current Location
Cape Town, South Africa
Favorite Place
Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Non Fitness Hobbies
Cooking, Snowboarding, Diving, Bachata
Favorite Food
Steak & Tuna Sashimi
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Master of Science, Applied Exercise Science
Bachelor of Science, Exercise Physiology
National Strength & Conditioning Association – Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
National Strength & Conditioning Association – Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC)
Dragon Door Publications – Progressive Calisthenics Certified Instructor
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association – Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association – Level 1 Tactical Strength & Conditioning Coach
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) – Certified Personal Trainer
American Red Cross – Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS
Westside Barbell – Conjugate Tactical: Training and Implementation Protocols Seminar; The Dash II
National Strength & Conditioning Association – Professional Member & Conference Attendee
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association – Professional Member
USA Track & Field – Level 1 Coaching Seminar Certificate of Attendance
Perform Better – Functional Training Summit Attendee
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Wisconsin Junior PGA Golf Athlete
NCAA Division III Track & Field Athlete
Marine Corps Marathon Finisher
