Meet our Personal Trainers
At Walker Ice and Fitness Center, we have a great team of fitness experts to help you meet your health goals. Whether you want to work on a general workout plan, discuss weight loss ideas, learn more about weightlifting or have a tailored exercise program created, we have a personal trainer for you! Please feel free to call Walker Ice and Fitness Center at (616) 735-6286 or stop by our Front Desk for more information.
My name is Carrie Heim. I have been a certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine since 1998 and a certified Silver Sneakers instructor since 2019. My specialty certifications include Balance and Core Training, On Target Living Nutrition Counseling, Resist-a-Ball Core Conditioning and Optimum Performance Training for prenatal, senior and youth clients. I am also a NASM certified Women's Specialist. My clients include a variety of people looking to lose weight and meet their fitness goals. I also focus on those suffering from joint pain or arthritis, post-rehab patients, and people who need guidance and accountability. I believe in creating workouts that are challenging enough to get results but fun enough to make fitness a permanent part of life. I am committed to helping my clients stay motivated, set realistic goals and improve their overall fitness.
My name is Joan Otte. I am certified with AFAA as a Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor. I have certifications in Mad Dog Spin, Star Trac Cycling and GEAR cycling. I also have certifications in YogaFit, International Sport and Karate Association, Powerflex, Mat Science (Pilates) and Silver Sneakers. I am also CPR certified; AFAA Midlife Fitness for Women and AFAA Senior Fitness Training certified. I really enjoy working with clients of all abilities and have worked with beginners all the way through competitive athletes, working with a girl's swim team in the weight room for two years. I am constantly researching trends in fitness and love incorporating new ideas for my clients. Because of this, I like to incorporate different equipment such as stability balls, free weights, cables, machines and bosus. Core strength and flexibility are very important, so I like to draw from Pilates and Yoga. All ages can benefit from functional fitness, and I can help you with this.
My name is Jake Gillett and I became a Personal Trainer certified with NASM in 2024. Over the past 10 years, I have run marathons, ultramarathons and taught dance to all age groups. My love of movement has taught me that strength training is one of the best ways to support your body. You gain mobility, stability and coordination, which is especially important as we age. I specialize in helping people who are getting started on their fitness journey and working with clients to achieve their goals and make them last.
My name is Sophia Strickler. I am a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). My passion for fitness began with my own fitness journey as a teen. I know that nothing is better than feeling strong and confident and being able to live a healthy life. That’s why I’ve made it my life goal to help other people change their own lives through fitness. I believe that fitness can be for everyone and I’m excited to be able to help you transform yourself!
My name is Shawn Kirkegaard and my brother started training me when I was 16 years old, and I was hooked. Over the years, I have helped many clients with fat loss, strength, and hypertrophy training. I am a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) with an NCCA accredited emphasis on corrective exercise and nutrition. I am a believer in keeping things simple and excelling at the basics to maximize growth and avoid injury. All body types and fitness levels are welcome with me. So, let's do this together, and I can teach you everything I've learned along the way!
Watch Joan explain how to safely use the Helix Machine: