Our Ambassadors

Originally from the USA, Valerie has been living in the Tri-Border area where Germany meets the Netherlands and Belgium since 2013. She is passionate about connecting the worldwide CrossFit community together, starting in her own area. As the Military Affiliate Manager for CrossFit GK in Germany, she loves introducing CrossFit to members from 17 different nationalities. She also coaches at three local CrossFit affiliates in the Netherlands (CrossFit the Forge, CrossFit Zitterd, and CrossFit Heerlen), where she enjoys developing both members and coaches.

Coaches Congress embodies on a global scale what Valerie has been developing in her local community. Bringing affiliate owners and coaches together to improve the services we offer and the message we bring to the world is only possible if we have sustainable business practices. While we are all at different points in that journey, we can help each other along the way. That’s why Coaches Congress is such an amazing opportunity!

I’m a former IT professional who made the leap into full-time coaching six years ago, and I haven’t looked back since. Based in India, I now work with individuals and teams to unlock potential through mindset training, functional fitness, and business strategy.

What drives me is impact. Whether it’s through powerful coaching conversations, helping gym owners build systems, or pushing someone to their next breakthrough, I aim to lead with purpose and inspire others to do the same.

I firmly believe that great coaches build great communities. And that’s why Coaches Congress is such a valuable space. It’s not just about education. It’s about transformation. It challenges your thinking, sharpens your skills, and connects you with a global network of coaches and business owners who are just as passionate about growth as you are.

If you’re serious about taking your coaching or fitness business to the next level, and want to:

• Level up your coaching game
• Improve sales and member retention
• Build and lead a rock-solid team

Coaches Congress is where you need to be. It’s where the future of our industry is shaped, by people who care deeply about coaching and public health.

I am a former combat athlete, turned easy-going family man. I run two CrossFit gyms in Lappeenranta, Finland. CrossFit Lappeenranta is ~13 years old and CrossFit Lappeenranta Varikko is in its 10th year. I am also the “president” of Finland’s longest running functional fitness competition – Karjalan Kovin.

I started as a box owner because of my love for training and coaching. It grew and I realized that being an owner is more than just coaching. If I wanted to keep going I needed to learn more about business, leadership, marketing and entrepreneurship.

I spent a lot of time reading books/ blogs, listening to podcasts, etc. Lots of information to choose from, some good and some bad!

What I love about Coaches Congress is that they do the heavy lifting to find speakers with the best information, working practices, and years of experience at failing and succeeding in gym business.

Originally from Canada, I’ve been living in Germany since 2005. I discovered CrossFit Passau in 2019 and quickly realised that running a Box and helping others lead a more fit and active lifestyle is my calling. When the opportunity arose to get involved on the business side, it just made sense.

At the box, I coach CrossFit, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Nutrition; Outside of the box, I am a Project Management Trainer and Coach.

Therefore, I jumped at the opportunity to work together with Coaches Congress, as it’s the perfect marriage of my passion with my professional expertise. I am always grateful for the insights and practical experience that are shared by professionals in the speeches, as well as the sharing of ideas and tips between other coaches and business owners. Each visit to Coaches Congress has helped my team and I improve our processes, better serve our members and make running a CrossFit Box that much more enjoyable.

I’m really excited about working with Coaches Congress. Why? Easy- I want to do my part to help more gyms be successful, as a successful gym can help more people lead an active, healthy lifestyle. The more people that lead an active, healthy lifestyle, the more we’ll see a reduction in disease and health issues around the world.

I’m the happy owner of Mars CrossFit in Belgium, CF Level 3 coach, and passionate about sharing my knowledge to people around me and need my help in their everyday life.

Coming from a martial arts background, my core values are Modesty – Ambition – Resilience – Strength, MARS. In my everyday life, I’m excited to work with professional athletes to everyday folks who are striving to become better people in their life.

Becoming a CC ambassador is a natural thing to me – it means that I can help more people grow businesses that help the world becoming a better place. Taking part in this year’s edition was eye-opening. From the atmosphere of the event, to the value of the different speakers in the line-up, everything at CC is done perfectly so that proactive business owners can just thrive with new practices coming back to their gyms.

You want to grow ? It’s the place to be.

My partner and I run CrossFit XV in Split, where I wear many hats — coach, client success manager, and the person you’ll likely talk to when you’re thinking of joining. With a background in kinesitherapy, exercise science, and a Master’s in philosophy, I bring a unique approach to coaching — asking the right questions and helping members connect with their fitness journey on a deeper level.

I’ve been coaching CrossFit for seven years and am also a PN SSR-certified coach through Precision Nutrition, which allows me to support clients with habit change and lifestyle coaching. As a member of Two-Brain Business, I’m constantly refining how we operate our gym, ensuring we provide the best service to our clients while growing and evolving as a business.

As an ambassador for Coaches Congress in the Balkans, I’m proud to be part of a community that has shaped how we run our gym and how we connect with coaches and gym owners across the region. If you’re in the Balkans and want to talk about coaching, business, or just share experiences, I’m here.