Our Ambassadors

I found CrossFit in 2011 and have been a trainer ever since. I use the methodology and material to help cure the world’s most vexing problem, surrounded by my tribe.

Having coached over 20,000 hours of classes and being inspired by the many hard-working and world class coaches we have at our gyms, Coaches Congress was an opportunity for me to learn, network, reconnect and grow my business.

As a coach I am yet to find another event that gives me the tools, the passion and the education to thrive in my career. I am truly honoured to be in a position to assist the growth of our gyms and make a difference to the lives of our current and future members.

Jake is 40, a father of 3 and a full time CrossFit Trainer on the Isle of Man. He also loves Bench Press. A lot.

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.

With nearly 15 years in the CrossFit world, Fran has trained over 800 coaches and gym owners across Latin America, Canada, Japan, and Spain — helping them build sustainable, profitable, and purpose-driven businesses.

As co-creator of Courage and CrossFit Coraje, he has developed a unique philosophy that blends business strategy, conscious leadership, and community culture — leading his affiliates to achieve multiple Top 6 worldwide rankings and even a Top 1 global result in CrossFit Open participation.

His mission is to inspire fitness professionals to live lives grounded in growth, health, and wellbeing — and from that foundation, to build businesses that reflect abundance, purpose, and long-term impact.

For nearly 15 years, Karl Gullö has been a co-owner of CrossFit Södermalm in Stockholm. Despite being involved in several other projects within the fitness industry, spending time at the box remains the highlight of his week — meeting members, learning from other coaches, and being part of a community where everyone helps each other improve a little every day.

Coaches Congress has played a major role in Karl’s journey. The first year he attended alone and felt nervous not knowing anyone, but the event’s welcoming atmosphere and inspiring lectures made a lasting impression. Returning every year since, Karl has continued to grow as a coach, owner, leader, and person. Now, as a CC Ambassador, he’s passionate about helping others feel at home, connect with great people, and leave inspired with ideas they can apply right away.

Over the years, Karl has also helped grow IntensivePT from a small garage project into Sweden’s largest PT education provider, hosted more than 250 episodes of the Swedish podcast PT-Podden, and become a partner at Mana, developing tools that simplify life for boutique studios.

Alex’s aim within the fitness industry for the past 15 years has been to bridge the gap between mental and physical health. Having coached in many different socio-economic areas, abilities and countries. His aim was to bring this link to as many lives as possible. In addition to the work within the coaching scene, Alex is a published Author and a Podcast Host for ‘The Nomadic Podcast.’ Hosting open conversations about all topics, sharing stories and exploring other avenues that mental and physical health are connected. One of Alex’s values is to ‘be curious’ to explore all avenues and to try and learn as much as possible to give as much back as he can. Coaches Congress has encapsulated this since the start and it is Alex’s great honour to represent them in the Australia region.

Meet Patrick Claffey, our dynamic addition to the Coaches Congress ambassador team! Patrick came on board helping our London team in early 2024.

Patrick’s journey began in the fitness industry at a young age, and his commitment to fostering growth extends to owning and managing gyms in Manchester, UK.

Patrick has a passion for CrossFit, learning and helping people and businesses develop. See you at the congress!

I bought my gym Wicklow Strength and Fitness in 2020, having been a coach there since 2014.

Following our relaunch, my team and I have become regular attendees to the Coaches Congress events in recent years. I attribute a lot of our recent growth to the Congress as it allowed my team to learn from the best minds in the whole fitness community. We have met people from all over the globe who we now get to call friends.

I believe the reason my team has gelled so well with the Coaches Congress team is that they have similar values toward their customers. We aim to “do it with a smile” while providing the best possible solutions to our clients and making sure they have fun along the way. That’s the way attendees will feel leaving the CC events each year. They get THE BEST service and have a lot of fun along the way.

I’m excited to work with the Coaches Congress team as I want more gym owners and coaches to benefit the way my team and I have. It will be my honour to help you along the way!

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.

I’ve owned BoxLife in Roskilde for 6 years, and I’ve been doing CrossFit for 12 years. I’ve taken the long journey from ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’ to ‘okay… I think it got this!’ I hope to meet a lot of great people, that I can share my mistakes with, and learn more from!

I’m a CC-ambassador because I love to help elevate the CrossFit professionals in Scandinavia. By supporting great events like Coaches Congress, a fantastic gathering of knowledge and skills, and even better, like minded people. Together, we can build epic stuff!

If you are a Danish gym owner or coach – or aspiring to be – I’d be honoured to help you. Please reach out, as I’d love to share my experience from Coaches Congress. Let’s gather a lot of Danes and meet up!