When my husband and I moved to Vermillion from Gainesville, FL, we had great plans to finish my doctorate and begin raising our 2 young sons in a better place.  Two years later, we have yet another son and a beautiful home within walking distance to a high class fitness center!  (For someone like me who simply does not function without daily exercise, this is a great advantage, indeed.)  I have come full circle back to what I did through college and grad school :  help people be motivated to make exercise a part of their life.  The PhD can wait- right now I'm here to help make Heart and Soul Fitness Center the best part of your day, every day and to help you find what kind of workout works FOR YOU.

Welcome to the Heart & Soul website and staff profile page. My name is Kyle, I am from Flandreau, SD, but reside in Vermillion and currently attend law school at the University of South Dakota School of Law. I love to travel, kayak and, in general, stay active. If you are an early riser, I work the morning shifts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; please, stop by and say hi and have a cup of coffee, protein shake, or Gatorade after your workout. See you soon!

I turned 40 in January 2008 and started to notice what is sometimes called middle age spread.  I had been in great shape once, but that was 20 years ago when I was in the Military, I HAD to be in shape.  Though comfortable with my physical appearance now, I realized that I could improve my general health by slimming down.  I am a single parent of a 7 year old and I do not want to miss out on being active with him when he is older.  So I started out trying to eat better and get some exercise.  It is hard on your own, and I just couldn't stay motivated.  I was already doing occasional computer work for Heart and Soul and was familiar with the friendly staff and several of the members.  So I thought I would give them a try.  In no way have I become a gym nut, but I am slowly losing weight and toning up through a combination of moderate diet and moderate exercise, it is so much easier with the help of my fellow staff members.  I am sure many of you will also find it easier to stick with a program of exercise with the help of others, Heart and Soul is the perfect place to get that positive encouragement from knowledgeable  people.

Justin started his competitive swimming career in 5th grade with Barracuda Aquatics Club. Giving up all other sports and training year-round in the water, Justin found a deep passion for a sport he had never considered. After excelling in mid-distance freestyle events in high school, he was recruited onto the University of South Dakota men's swim team. Additional training included weightlifting and muscle strengthening exercises designed to increase muscle awareness and strength. During sophomore year, Justin made a hard decision to end his swimming career and focus on a double major in Criminal Justice and Speech Communications at USD.  Now that Justin is working at Heart and Soul, he is able to get back to training and is happy to work members assisting them in their training programs, and working with Jenn to develop and instruct group training programs.

Sports have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a member of the USD women's soccer team last year, but when injury prevented me from further participation, I knew I couldn't cut exercise completely out of my life. Working at Heart and Soul Fitness allows me to continue to be a part of the active lifestyle that I love in a relaxed atmosphere. For me, exercising is a great way to relieve stress and increase energy, not to mention erasing the guilt of devouring two big mac value meals for lunch! ; )

I am originally from Sioux Falls and spent some years growing up in Minnesota.  I am a graduate student at USD studying Speech Language Pathology.   I love working at Heart and Soul not only because I LOVE working out but because we have so much to offer, in a beautiful facility with kind and friendly members.

In my free time I enjoy spending time cooking, with family, hanging out with friends, and shopping!

I have been with Heart and Soul since we first opened our doors in 2003.  Along with watching this business grow, change and find its place in the world, I have watched our members grow, change and find a place for us in their world.  I love seeing the transformations some of our members have gone through.  For some it has been losing excess weight, for others it has been finding a way to relieve the stress of the day.  As a kid I was never good at sports and always intimidated by gym class.  But since working here I have discovered that fitness is about so much more than sports or running sprints.  I love the atmosphere we provide because there is no reason to feel intimidated.  Heart and Soul has inspired me to take an interest in health, not only in my life but in others as well.  I am planning on focusing my career on American Indian Health needs.  My current major is American Indian studies and I am also looking into Nutrition and Physical Therapy.  I hope to fuse my passion for my heritage, health, and helping others into a career of which I can be proud.  Feel free to stop in and ask me questions about Heart and Soul!  I am happy to help.

I grew up in Sheldon, Iowa and recently moved to Vermillion to attend USD.  I had been working at Curves in Sheldon, so you can imagine how happy I was when I was hired by Heart and Soul. Not only do we have the PACE room, which is very similar to the Curves program, but I can go to yoga, Pilates, run on a treadmill or use the bench press. For me, exercising and eating a healthy diet are essential to staying in shape and dealing with stress. Heart and Soul offers countless ways to get fit and stay fit.

Working in a fitness center makes me feel great because I see people who really change their lives for the better. Our members are friendly and happy to be here. 

If you haven't been to Heart and Soul, or if you are already a member but want to try something new,  I encourage you to come in when I am working and I can show you some ways to get the most out of the PACE room.  Better yet, check our class schedule and join me and others for my special group directed PACE classes.

She teaches Step Aerobics.