SCW Fitness Education, the largest provider of continuing education in the world, establishes the SCW Diversity Task Force designed to recruit and mentor presenters of color along with varying ethnic backgrounds to create unity and inclusion in the fitness industry. It comprises a varied group of high-quality, loyal leaders joining together to help facilitate this goal.
Their mission is to impact the health and fitness industry and get more people of diverse backgrounds to exercise. We hope to do this by expanding our presenter roster. Currently, the fitness industry lacks a mixture of race and ethnicity. We strive to embrace more people of color and diversity as leaders. SCW, along with other professional fitness conferences, do not get many applicants of different backgrounds. In efforts to recruit, we have instituted several practices over the years. The Fitness Idol contest at each MANIA® encourages applicants to compete for workshop leadership positions helping encourage instructors of varying qualifications to take the leap toward presenter.
“It is imperative and time for a ‘call to action’ to develop our industry and create diversity, unity and inclusion,” remarks Sara Kooperman, CEO of SCW Fitness Education and WATERinMOTION®. “I realize that this is going to be large effort, but this is something that we have never shied away from. SCW has always supported women as leaders in our industry and I feel equally as committed to embracing a deeper diversity message.”
SCW would like to introduce the SCW Task Force members:
> GAIL BANNISTER-MUNN is the Flexibility Specialist, Core, Yoga, Pilates Coach with the New York Jets football team and owner of The Bannister Method Studio. She is the Regional Group Ex Manager Crunch Fitness Locations (Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn). Gail teaches several different class formats at national conferences and is a Fitness Consultant for professional athletes, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB. She holds numerous certifications in several disciplines.
> SIRI CHILAZI, MBA, MA, has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College. She is a Research Fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program and is a recognized expert in promoting gender equality. Siri is a master trainer for Cardio Yoga® and RAQ THE BARRE® by RAQISA®, and her other specialty certifications include Pilates, Barre Above® and Balletone®.
> RONNIE FULTON is a Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist, a Certified Personal Trainer, and a Licensed Massage Therapist with a passion for helping people to feel better in their bodies. As the creator of Rollassage, a group exercise format that uses massage tools to increase flexibility, minimize pain and improve performance, Ronnie has taught thousands to embrace simple self-care strategies. With over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, she regularly hosts sold-out workshops.
> SHELDON MCBEE, MS, is Director of Personal Training at Universal Athletic Club and Director of Education and Training for World of Dance Fitness. He is an ACE certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor with over 19 years of experience in health and fitness. He is an experienced international presenter, lecturer, educator, business consultant, and fitness content developer. He has presented at IHRSA, IDEA, Canfitpro, MACMA, SCW, and other industry conferences. Sheldon has been featured in Club Business International Magazine and has presented on video for Les Mills and Beachbody. Sheldon is based out of Lititz, PA.
> DANE ROBINSON is a certified fitness professional through the NASM and created the SCW Marketing and Sales for Personal Trainers Certification. After spending 10+ years working his way to the top, Dane impacts 100’s of people in private and group training classes and 1000’s of people across the country as a fitness coach on the “Daily Burn 365” in New York City.
