DC Fit Week Team

DC Fit Week's team is comprised of professionals in all areas of health & organization. Check out those preparing for & guiding you through the week.

Rahiem & Charlotte Swann, DCFitWeek
Melanie Spring, Sisarina
Chris Cooks, nGAGE DC
Lauree Ostrofsky, Simply Leap
Chad Hamilton, Health by Hamilton
Cori Sue Morris, Bitches Who Brunch
Matthew Brock, Divergent Planning

Organizers: Rahiem & Charlotte Swann, DCFITWEEK

We stay in shape by working out 4-5 days a week at our fav spot: Sport & Health. We enjoy a combination of walking, running, and strength training. All of this from a couple who couldn't survive 10 minutes on a treadmill or a simple walk around a lake. It has been a fight, but worth every struggle. Ok, Charlotte’s weakness is still Ghirardelli chocolate/caramel squares and Rahiem’s weakness to this day is Swedish fish. (The red ones to be clear!)

The biggest thing we learned is never to give up. No one is a failure who continues to try. It takes patience, perseverance and the knowledge that you can succeed if you push forward. Every *little* step counts.

Rahiem & Charlotte are the Founders of DC Fit Week. Charlotte being the CEO and Rahiem the COO. We are extremely passionate about health and nutrition not only for ourselves but for everyone around us.

Website: dcfitweek.com | Twitter: @FitSwann @charswann

Co-Organizer & Marketing Lead: Melanie Spring, Sisarina

"As a self-proclaimed stress-case/insomniac, I've found running as a passion and stress-reliever. Strapping on my Vibram Five Fingers at 6am and hitting a trail helps me find my zen along with solving the world's problems while enjoying nature. To keep myself in shape, I sign up for road races and put myself on a training plan that includes weight training, speed training, and long runs. Gold's Gym has BodyCombat, BodyFlow & BodyPump which helps me stay focused and push myself.

What I'm eating is a big piece of the fitness puzzle too - making healthy food at home and bringing leftovers to work for lunch the next day has been a huge money saver and allowed me to keep fit. It's amazing what the food we eat can do to us but wine, coffee ice cream and tater-tots are still weaknesses of mine."

Melanie Spring is the Principal & Project Director of Sisarina Inc, a web marketing firm in Bethesda, MD. Sisarina does websites, logos, marketing materials, social media training, marketing plans and more. Her company's goal is to help small businesses and non-profits get started and/or market themselves the best way they can while saving money and time. When asked what she would do if she won the lottery she answered: I would do what I do for free.

Website: Sisarina.com | Twitter: @sisarina

Logistics Lead: Chris Cooks, nGAGE DC

"Like most people, time management is the main obstacle I encounter when it comes to regular exercise. My fitness activities consist primarily of resistance training, playing basketball and a 10,000 steps a day walking program. I also try to practice moderation when it comes to my diet.

My goals for DC Fit Week are to learn more about nutrition, motivate myself to start running consistently and to increase my financial awareness."

Chris is an IT Consultant and co-founder of the nGAGE DC networking group.

Website: nGAGEDC.org | Twitter: @ccooks3 / @ngagedc

'Team Mind' Leader: Lauree Ostrofsky, Simply Leap

“I stay fit by taking naps. This self-proclaimed turtle knows that rushing is for amateurs. If I trust my instincts I can make quick decisions, and if the answer isn’t clear I know not to rush it. Taking a walk, or a nap, might be the hour I need to let everything fall into place.

Ok, this turtle occasionally runs too. I completed my first 5K in 2010 and plan to take on another this spring. My favorite moments though are spent in nature, ambling around and stopping to smell and photograph the roses.

I have my own coach and financial planner, to help keep me on track. I know how useful it can be to say my goals and wishes out loud, and hear them reflected back. It makes them more real, and with it my commitment to making them happen.”

Lauree coaches individuals and groups to get clear on what they want and create a plan to go after it, no kidding. Through her business, Simply Leap, she helps clients see life and work as a playground, full of opportunity to design it your way, and to see the lighter side of nearly any situation. She works with women, writers and people wanting and growing their own businesses.

Website: SimplyLeap.com | Twitter: @simplyleapcoach

'Team Body' Food Leader: Chad Hamilton, Health by Hamilton

"I stay in top shape by eating real things. What that means is that I, in a sometimes empty attempt, try to eat food that my body will recognize and therefore help me thrive. For example, packages, boxes, long ingredient lists are not a part of my personal dietary theory. I like to eat in abundance things that grow from the earth, with a minimal amount of pristinely raised animals when my body asks for it. OK, I lied, I like ice cream and fine brew at times as well. Hey, health comes in many forms, but that’s for another time.

By feeding myself real things, my body is able to recover at optimum efficiency from the vigorous physical training that I enjoy. Most notably, Crossfit and Muay Thai. Being a retired professional Muay Thai boxer, I’ve had a great deal of first hand knowledge on how to properly fuel the body. In combination, is me and my bioindividual wellness routine."

Chad counsels and consults with individuals, families, schools, corporations, and local businesses on how they can better support their livelihood through dietary changes. Chad has also made himself available to Whole Foods Market in DC to reach an even broader base of his community. Beyond that, Chad has also been live-in nanny for a little girl with Down Syndrome for the past four years. She is treated through food-therapy in conjunction with conventional western medicine in an effort to combat her personal issues stemming from her developmental disability. All of which is in his masterplan to reshape the way that America approaches food, which he believes will lead to the destruction of obesity, diabetes, heart-disease, and all other food related illness.

 

Website: healthbyhamilton.com  | Twitter: @EatRealThings

'Team Body' Fitness Leader: Cori Sue Morris, Bitches Who Brunch

"With a hectic schedule, exercise keeps me sane. For pleasure, I run four or five times a week. It's a great time to be alone, work through my mental to-do lists, and enjoy the District. For a challenge, I do Crossfit three times a week, because I'm bad at it, and what doesn't kill me will only make me stronger. For balance, I head to yoga once a week to de-stress, stretch, and relax.

I believe in eating what you want, when you want (a cupcake a day keeps the doctor away) with two caveats: You have to actually be hungry (no stress eating!) and it has to be real food (if you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it!). I don't eat processed foods, and I strive to buy as much local, organic, and sustainable food as possible.

I'm passionate about the connection between our food, our health, the environment and the societal consequences, which is why I support charities like D.C. Farm to School Network and Farm Sanctuary."


Cori Sue is a government contractor, graduate student, and co-founder of Bitches Who Brunch, a D.C. restaurant blog. She's a pescetarian, yogalates instructor, and longtime runner.

In October, she completed her first marathon (The Marine Corps Marathon) with a time of 3:38, qualifying for the Boston Marathon and raising more than $1,200 for the Washington Humane Society. She'll culminate Fit Week with a lap around D.C. during the National Half Marathon. Sometimes, she still brags about holding her high school record for the mile.

Website: BitchesWhoBrunch.com | Twitter: @CoriSueMorris / @BtchesWhoBrunch

'Team Finance' Leader: Matthew Brock, Divergent Planning

"I stay physically fit by making the gym a priority. Being a morning person, I tend to find working out in the morning best suits my daily schedule. Lately, fear of losing my Foursquare mayorship at my gym has added a little extra motivation. Running helps keep my mind healthy as it gets me away from the usual distractions being in front of a computer often causes. During much of the year, I squeeze in a round of golf each week and try to walk the 18 holes in about 3 hours. My wife can attest, I am in an obviously better mood the weeks I get my round in.

Being financially fit is important since I believe in practicing what I preach. The key, for me however, is not handling it all myself. My business partner handles most of my financial planning. I have found the accountability and structure helps me stay on track much more than I would if I tried to handle it myself"

Matt began his career in the financial services industry in 2003 and now, along with his business partner, runs a financial planning firm, Divergent Planning, LLC. Matt oversees operations, business development and directs financial planning systems. He holds various licenses and designations including the Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards’ CFP® certification making him a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. Securities and Investment Advisory Services Offered through H. Beck, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC. H. Beck Inc. and Divergent Planning are not affiliated. Securities and investment advisory discussion may not be held throught the Twitter account listed below.

Website: DivergentPlanning.com | Twitter: @matthewbbrock