Tara Ballard is a Metabolic Effect certified trainer in the personal training, indoor and outdoor techniques. Her areas of expertise include fat loss, figure/bikini/bodybuilding contest preparation, and all-around health and fitness improvement. She delights in helping her clients reach their fitness goals! Tara has also appeared as a fitness model in the My Gym Trainer series of books and OnFitness magazine. In addition to being a Jillfit coach and trainer, Tara works as an IT Consultant for law firms. When she isn’t training clients, Tara enjoys training for Figure competitions, being involved with animal rescue endeavors, and spending time with family and her menagerie of dogs and cats. Check out Tara’s website!
Jillian Teta is the newest addition to the JillFit team and she is very excited to help you reach your health and fitness goals! Jillian is a medically trained naturopathic physician, graduating from one of four medical universities in the country that train primary care physicians in complementary and alternative medicine, including nutrition and exercise as medicine. Jillian has been competing in physique shows since 2008 and has competed in bikini, fitness model, muscle model and figure categories. Jillian is a national qualifier in the NPC organization (figure) and has recently earned her pro card (figure) with the WNBF. Jillian is a contributing writer to several national and regional magazines, covering a wide range of health and fitness topics and lectures extensively, but her main focus of expertise in the realm of healthy digestion and how that influences disease, metabolic damage and fat loss. She enjoys cooking and reading and loves animals and the outdoors. Check out Jillian’s website, Fix Your Digestion http://fixyourdigestion.com
Emily Saunders is a Metabolic Effect Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor with a BS in Business from Wake Forest University. At her two most recent fitness competitions she won the FAME Carolina’s Elite Fitness Model and Swimsuit Categories and the Mountain Pride Muscle Mania Female Fitness model division. Emily is also a signed model with Locke Management in Greensboro. Her photographs have been published in Family Circle, Natural Triad, Skirt Magazine and My Gym Trainer books. Emily enjoys training all fitness levels from the beginner who hasn’t exercised in years to elite athletes preparing for physique competitions. She continues to be inspired by the dedication and hard work of her clients and their incredible progress. Outside of fitness Emily enjoys outdoor adventures, reading, shopping, church activities, and hanging out with her husband and dog.
Kelley Vargo: Kelley is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Exercise Science at the George Washington University while serving as the graduate assistant of nutrition and wellness. She is a Metabolic Effect Group Instructor, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), as well as an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. She graduated from Wake Forest University with her BS in Health & Exercise Science and found her passion for the fitness industry while working alongside Jill Coleman. Also a fitness model, Kelley has been competing in figure competitions for the past 2 years, placing 1st at her very first show. Her future goals include modeling, speaking, writing, and furthering her education in nutrition – ultimately helping others achieve their goals.
Sara Baker: Sara earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, emphasis on Fitness Program Management and minor in Business Administration from Oregon State University. In May of 2007, Sara completed her Masters of Science in Sports Studies from High Point University in North Carolina. Sara’s certifications include NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), ACE Group Fitness Instructor, Schwinn Cycling Instructor and USS Swim Coach/Water Safety Instructor. Sara is the endurance junkie of the JillFit Trainers, having completed 11 sprint distance triathlons, 2 Olympic distance triathlons, 7 half marathons, 1 full marathon and numerous shorter races. Sara loves working out with weights, interval cardio and hot yoga. When she is not training, Sara enjoys watching college football with her husband and bulldog, eating peanut butter, healthy cooking, reading and pretending to know the answers to Jeopardy.
Melissa Wroten (Jill’s personal assistant): Melissa is a graduate from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe with a degree in merchandising and double major in marketing. Melissa has been in North Carolina and with Naturopathic Health Clinic since May 2010. She has been involved in client services for over 25 years. As her experience in customer service has evolved so has her passion in serving others.
