Our Team

Our educators are versatile in their backgrounds and teaching styles. Also, in addition to our regular instructors, many guest speakers from the fitness, health and business industries facilitate specialty topics in our classrooms.

Certifications

  • SFU Bachelor of Business Administration – Human Resources
  • MRU Adult Educator Certificate of Completion

Julie Rubin

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Julie’s background is in business, facilitation, and education. She is passionate about merging the gap between academics and industry, where that learning is to eventually be utilized. Her goal is to develop a platform that will not only provide education in an engaging and accessible way, but also for that education to meet the demands of employers.

Julie has led the Elevated Learning Academy team since 2011 and has been involved with all aspects of its operations, from curriculum development to facilities management. It is her goal to ensure that ELA’s students receive an engaging, current and quality education, and that coming to class is the best part of their day.

Certifications

  • Bachelor of Kinesiology, University of Alberta
  • NSCA – CSCS
  • ACE – CPT 
  • 200hr CYT
  • Curriculum Development and Instructional Design Certificate, Mount Royal University

Jarred Berndt

GENERAL MANAGER

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR

Jarred has been with Elevated Learning Academy since 2011 but his journey in the fitness industry spans 20 years. He has worn many hats - Personal Trainer, Fitness Manager, Instructor, Education Delivery Manager, and now General Manager. He recently finished his 200hr Yoga Teacher Training. Education and continuous personal and professional improvement is something Jarred is very passionate about. He continually works with the instructors from all the ELA programs to delivery an amazing education experience for all students. As an instructor Jarred enjoys teaching the practical application of the theories in the Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma program to allow students to have as many tools and experiences possible to be successful.

Karine da Silva Trindade

STUDENT RELATIONS COORDINATOR

Karine is a graduate of a prestigious private University in Brazil – Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), with bachelor’s in business administration. She has over 5 years of experience working in the education industry and has worked for over 10 years in client relations. All this experience amounted to her helping thousands of students to achieve their goals in post secondary education. She has a love for health and sports, as she grew up playing every team sport under the sun.


Karine is really excited  to help students grow and achieve their goals and can't wait to share her experience with you.

Certifications

  • Business Administration, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)

Certifications

Certifications

  • Bachelor of Human Kinetics
  • CSCS
  • CSEP
  • Barcelona FC Sports Science Coaching certificate
  • ACE - CPT

Michael Blanchard

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER  DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR 

Michael graduated with a bachelor's degree in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa and is currently doing a Master's degree in Sports Science from Liverpool John Moores. Michael has over 10 years of coaching experience, including working in professional sports for the last 5. He holds his CSCS, CSEP and Barcelona FC Sports Science coaching certifications. Michael has been involved with the San Francisco Deltas of the NASL, has worked with numerous hockey players at the OHL, AHL and NHL levels in Toronto, and was a Sports Performance Coach for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League. 

Michael considers his work ethic to be his greatest asset. This is a trait he developed growing up and competing in sports. This same trait has proven to be invaluable in his coaching career. Michael has a passion to learn and evolve his knowledge of sports performance and related fields in his ongoing journey of professional development. 


Crystal Watson

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR

Crystal has been involved in sports her whole life. As such, it was very fitting for her to pursue a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology. While studying at the University of Calgary, Crystal had the opportunity to start working as a personal trainer, which sparked her passion to aid people in pursuing their health, fitness and performance goals. 

Since starting as a personal trainer (over 10 years ago), Crystal has held several related positions including being a strength and conditioning coach, sport scientist, youth wellness leader, and kinesiology lab instructor. 

Most recently, Crystal has obtained a Masters degree from the University of Alberta, in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. She is now excited to share her passion, experience, and knowledge with those who are beginning their journeys to become personal trainers.

Certifications

  • Master of Arts in Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation
  • Bachelors of Kinesiology
  • Bachelors of Commence (MKTG)
  • NSCA-CSCS
  • CSEP-CPT
  • ACE - CPT

Certifications

  • Registered Associate Nutritionist (UK AfN)
  • Master of Science in Nutrition
  • Bachelor of Science in Sport Health and Exercise Science

Josh Norrie

APPLIED NUTRITION SCIENCE DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR

Josh began his nutrition career earning his UK AfN, Registered Associate Nutritionist accreditation and attaining an MSc Nutrition from the University of Leeds. Prior to that he graduated with a Distinction from the University of Hull in Sport, Health and Exercise Science. In his application of nutrition, Josh’s approach is informed by his academic experience and expertise in these two complementary fields.

He has previously worked in public health and privately coaches his own clients as a nutritionist. He takes great pride and fulfillment in helping others improve their understanding of nutrition and their quality of life.

Being from Yorkshire, Josh will talk your ear off about football and other competitive sports when he isn’t doing so about nutrition. He moved to Canada in 2019 after falling in love with the Canadian Rockies and the incredible nature here.

Jeananne Laing

CANNABIS AND HEALTH SPECIALIST DIPLOMA CURRICULUM LEAD & INSTRUCTOR

In addition to being a cannabis educator, Jeananne has been a Calgary clinical herbalist since 2005. She has Master and Clinical Herbalist Diplomas from Wild Rose College of Natural Healing. Seeing the emergence of medical cannabis in 2016, Jeananne sought to learn more about the humble herb, but found there to be a lack of courses on how to use cannabis for medical purposes. 

Understanding that her fellow herbalists would need to know about this plant, Jeananne created the Cannabis Medicine for Herbalists Certificate, which to date has been taught to over 400 students. Jeananne has also co-written cannabis courses with Dr. Richa Love of CannU.ca, and Dr. Terry Willard of Wild Rose College. 

In addition to Jeananne’s online clinical practice, she is a medical cannabis educator at Harvest Medicine in Calgary, is a founding member and past President of the Alberta Herbalists Association, and served for many years as a board member with the Canadian Council of Herbal Associations.


Certifications

  • Master Clinical Herbalist, Wild Rose College
  • Founding Member & Past President of the Alberta Herbalist Association
  • Medical Cannabis Certificate, TMCI Global 
  • Cannabis Fundamentals, Green Flower
  • Exploring Evidence & Interdisciplinary Insights in Medical Cannabis, Progress & Promise
  • Retail Cannabis Training Course, Lift

Certifications

Certifications

  • Bachelor of Nutrition Science
  • Registered Dietitian 
  • Master Degree in Public Health

Kaylynne Mateus

APPLIED NUTRITION SCIENCE DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR 

Kaylynne is a Registered Dietitian and graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island’s Nutrition Science program and the University of Victoria’s Masters of Public Health program with a specialization in Social Policy. 

As an elite athlete throughout high school and university, Kaylynne developed an interest in nutrition science and how the food you eat can influence and fuel athletic performance. While this interest introduced her to the world of dietetics, she discovered that her true passion was helping others live happier and healthier lives on a broader scale through population health strategies and creating greater access to nutrition and health services, particularly in underprivileged populations.

Kaylynne has gained incredible experience working with diverse populations in chronic disease management and diabetes education while working in Northwest Territories. While she is no longer a national team athlete, she continues to love exercise in all forms. She can be annoyingly optimistic and is a self-proclaimed personal-growth junkie. She’s excited to be part of the ELA team and works hard to inspire students to pursue work in the nutrition industry with unrelenting passion and a genuine love for helping others reach their health goals.

Dr. Saoirse O'Sullivan

CANNABIS AND HEALTH SPECIALIST DIPLOMA CURRICULUM DEVELOPER AND INSTRUCTOR

In addition to building and delivering a large component of ELA's Cannabis and Health Specialist Diploma curriculum, Dr. O'Sullivan has also been a professor at the University of Nottingham since 2002 and is also an independent scientific advisor and consultant to companies and education specialists in the cannabis based medicine industry (including Artelo Biosciences, Therapix Biosciences, Dragonfly Biosciences, Elevated Learning Academy). To add to these various commitments, Dr. O'Sullivan is also a Board member and Secretary of the International Cannabinoid Research Society.


Certifications

  • PhD in Physiology - Trinity College Dublin
  • Bachelor in Physiology - Trinity College Dublin

Certifications

Certifications

  • Certified Personal Trainer - ACE
  • Fitness Certificate – UCLA
  • Masters Physical Education – University of Alberta
  • Bachelors of English / Business
  • Touch For Health 1-4 Certificate

Daniel Ferguson

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER  DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR 

A deep curiosity for learning and a strong will to become a lifelong student of the human body has allowed Daniel to find fulfillment in supporting people who want to move and feel better. As a former professional basketball player, Daniel has first-hand experience performing at a high level and also managing the frustration that results from the physical disfunction that performance training can cause.

Instead of living in frustration, Daniel chose to seek solutions for his pain by becoming a Personal Fitness Trainer and deep diving into biomechanics, regenerative movement and esoteric energy systems so that he could overcome his own disfunction, while also supporting those seeking to improve their human experience through movement freedom.

As a Personal Fitness Trainer of 7 years, Daniel has been fortunate enough to work with a multitude of practitioners from Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Registered Nutritionists, and Pranayama Facilitators, among others, to gain a broad understanding of wellness and performance holistically. Daniel aims to lead with this holistic lens in his personal life, as a Personal Fitness Trainer and also as an Instructor, which allows for a rich path to ongoing inquiry and discovery!

Ryan Stephenson

PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINER DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR

Ryan has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, with a minor in Ergonomics and Injury Prevention. He is committed to excellence in his field and stays current with continuous upgrading of his professional skills. As part of the ELA team, Ryan is excited to help students develop the knowledge and skills to be effective and successful personal fitness trainers. 

For nearly a decade, Ryan has worked closely with clients, of all ages and skill levels, to evaluate and improve their physical well-being. His philosophy focuses on integrating strong science with flexible individual programming. As the owner of a Canadian Powerlifting Union Certified Training Center, he coached provincial and national champions in powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. 

Ryan integrates his experiences from fitness facility management, personal fitness training, and years as a competitive athlete, with his passion for teaching and mentoring. 

Certifications

  • Bachelor of Kinesiology
  • Ergonomics and Injury Prevention Minor
  • AKA Professional Member
  • ACE - CPT

Certifications

  • UofA Bachelor of Science in Nutrition
  • Registered Dietician with the College of Dietitians of Alberta

Megan Wallace

APPLIED NUTRITION SCIENCE DIPLOMA INSTRUCTOR & CURRICULUM LEAD

Megan is a graduate of University of Alberta’s Integrated Dietetic Internship Program, with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. She also holds an international certificate in Personal Training with PTA global. She grew up active and was an avid soccer player until she met the gym, and fell in love. She received her AFLCA certification, not too long after her PTA Global designation. 

Working as a private personal trainer, Megan was inspired to find a way to marry both, proper nutrition and physical activity. Megan was led into Nutrition by a natural passion for food, physical activity and healthy living. Thrilled to be on the ELA’s teams, Megan believes that everyone should be well educated in Nutrition, because at the end of the day, we all need to eat!

Cathy McDonald

STUDENT RELATIONS COORDINATOR

Cathy joined the Elevated Learning Academy team as a Student & Industry Relations Coordinator in the fall of 2018. Cathy’s experience with ELA originally began in 2015 when she was enrolled as a student in the Personal Fitness Trainer Program. After completing the program, she worked as a Personal Trainer / Integration Manager for 2 ½ years with World Health. 

Prior to becoming a trainer, she worked in the insurance industry for 25+ years. After years of working with her own personal trainer(s), she decided that this was a career she wanted to explore. Her passion for health & wellness and desire to help others led her back to work at the place where it all began! Cathy is a National Level Powerlifter with the Canadian Powerlifting Union and is currently ranked on CPU’s top 50 master 2 lifters in Canada.

Certifications

  • Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma – Elevated Learning Academy
  • Certified Personal Trainer – American Council on Exercise

Terri Hawthorne

ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Terri has had extensive experience in Project & Administration/Operations Management over the course of her career. Both in the government and private sectors. She thrives on the excitement of seeing an organization grow and know that she had the opportunity to help. 

Terri is immensely organized and forward thinking, which makes her an invaluable resource to the rest of the team and the students. Originally from Ontario, her immigrant Irish parents always guided her to raise the bar and challenge her abilities. Remember “Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it”.
Monselito BunyiMonselito Bunyi
15:15 18 Aug 21
I just finished and graduated in Diploma for Personal Fitness Trainer. I have learned so much and my brain got full knowledge from the best instructors in school. Crystal, Jarred and Leah are really the best! They have established credibility in their knowledge and they really care about the students. The excellence in their teaching styles have different strokes but have the same goal, and that is the CARE to share their knowledge to us and make us to become the excellent fitness professional.For those who are still thinking about starting a fitness career, this school is my HIGHLY recommended for your guys. Your tuition fee is all worth it. You will not be disappointed and you will finish this school with a smile in your heart and full of knowledge in your brain and you will become successful!
DylanDylan
22:44 17 Aug 21
Took the personal trainer course and it was easily the best educational experience I've had by far. The instructors are unreal and just a fountain of knowledge. I would do it all over again if I could. If you're considering your options for any certifications they offer just pick ELA, you wont be disappointed.
Pengwen (DJ Pengwen)Pengwen (DJ Pengwen)
19:59 12 Mar 20
I was enrolled (and completed) the personal fitness trainer program. It's also worth noting that I'm a massage therapist, with a strong knowledge of muscles and their movement, and I still found this program challenging. But it's also worth it.The instructors genuinely want to see people succeed, both in the program and out in the real world, and although the course requires you to be quite self-driven, they will provide you with the resources and assistance where able to ensure you succeed.I would also like to point out, ensure you can structure a healthy work/school/life balance before enrolling. It'll help a lot. :)
Bonnie LangBonnie Lang
20:11 29 Jul 19
I cannot recommend working with ELA enough! I spoke to one of their classes and received a warm welcome, great questions, and lots of interest for a practicum. I was impressed with their level of professionalism but also "real" nature and honesty around the personal training industry.From the class, I was able to work with a practicum student and loved how she was always ready to watch, interact, and even take over on the spot. I appreciated her enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and great people skills - she made people at ease and jumped right into their sessions with them.I'm grateful for a fun experience with ELA and would recommend connecting with them for any personal trainer/business owner in the fitness industry.
Erin GaboraErin Gabora
00:17 27 Mar 19
After much research I came across Elevated Learning Academy. I decided to enroll in the Personal Fitness Teainer Diploma program and I am so glad I did. The instructors, Leah and Daniel were extremely knowledgeable and prepared me for the industry I was entering into. I would recommend anyone interested in becoming certified to check them out. You get the practical work along with the textbook work!
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UPCOMING PROGRAM DATES

Applied Nutrition Science Diploma:

Virtual Delivery: June 26, 2023 - November 3, 2023

Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma:  

Virtual Delivery: Apr 11, 2023 - Aug 10, 2023
Calgary In-Person: June 12, 2023 - Oct 13, 2023 
Edmonton In-Person: June 19, 2023 - Oct 25, 2023

Cannabis and Health Specialist Diploma:

Virtual Delivery: Sept 11, 2023 - Jan 22, 2024

EARLY ENROLLMENT DEADLINES 

Enroll Early & Save on Your Tuition

Must enroll by November 30 for classes starting between Jan and March.

Must enroll by February 28 for classes starting between April and May.

Must enroll by April 30 for classes starting between June and August.

Must enroll by July 30 for classes starting between Sept and Dec.

 

info@elevatedlearningacademy.com
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