Debbie and Philip have a history that dates back to 1992 when her love of fitness led her to seek an exceptional personal trainer who would help her tone her body and displace the daily stress brought on by ambition. She accomplished her goal and fourteen years later she still holds a training spot on his schedule, is his business partner and long time friend.
Debbie became a nutritionist after a 32-year career in the corporate world. She leaped off the fast track, after spending ten years as a retail buyer in Cleveland, Ohio at Higbees, ten years in St. Louis as a Divisional Vice President of Intimate Apparel for Famous Barr and twelve years at Stamford, Connecticut based Playtex Apparel, a Division of Sara Lee Corporation, where she held the positions of Director of Sales Development for Department Stores, VP Sales for Ralph Lauren Intimates (a licensed business held by Sara Lee) and Director of Trade Marketing. She followed a life long dream of helping others “embrace a healthy lifestyle” and became a certified nutritional and fitness counselor in 1999.
As a certified nutritionist, Debbie works one-to-one with both children and adults to develop personalized meal plans which provide guidance for healthy eating as it best fits their individualized lifestyle and personal goals. These meal plans can be executed at home or they can be prepared by Chef Michael Young and delivered to Pinnacle. Additionally, Debbie counsels her clients in how to shop for the right foods, how to read food labels, what to eat on the run or in restaurants and the role different foods and supplements play.
When Debbie is not counseling clients on Nutrition she reverts back to her previous background running the day to day business at Pinnacle Health & Fitness, LLC.
Debbie was a Westport resident for twelve years and now resides in Easton, Connecticut.
Philip LiCastri
Personal Trainer
(Co-Owner of Pinnacle Health & Fitness, LLC)
In his 17 + years as a personal trainer, Phil has logged over 25,000 hours in one-to-one personal training with his clients. To maintain a training edge that keeps clients enthused and dedicated, Phil attends industry conferences and events to keep pace of new training techniques and tools. He is a frequent guest speaker at events and has consulted in the opening of several fitness facilities. He currently is an assistant wrestling coach for elementary age children at Helen Keller Middle school in Easton and has also coached baseball and was the linebacker coach for Oneonta High School in Oneonta, New York for two seasons.
There is no “typical” workout with Phil. Each training session is different, designed specifically to each client’s needs and altered with every workout. Phil and all PINNACLE instructors are strong believers in core training and functional training, and focus on building strength through exercises that will support everyday activities.
Phil’s credentials speak for themselves. He has a B.S. degree in Athletic Administration with a minor in Business Administration from St. John’s University. He has been a personal trainer since 1988 with certifications from American Aerobic Association, International Sports Medicine Association and National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is a professional member of the NSCA and the American College of Sports Medicine.
Philip is in the “National Registry of Who’s Who” in the 2000 business addition. He was an Olympic Torch Bearer for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, selected as a community hero for outstanding volunteer service at Elderhouse Adult Day Care (Norwalk), and volunteers with Health and Humor Associates (Stamford Hospital), Camp Hemlocks (Hebron), Easterseals fundraiser (Westport) and Team in Training for the Leukemia Society.
Michael J Choothesa
(Director of Growth Development and Personal Trainer)
A Holy Cross graduate, Michael has extensive knowledge of human anatomy and exercise science. He is an AFAA certified personal trainer and holds various other fitness and health certifications including CPR and AED.
He has worked as a trainer and sports performance coach for the past six years in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey. Michael has also lectured at colleges and universities on the topics of speed and agility training.
Michael recently finished an internship at the Athlete’s Performance Institute and is a Sports Performance Specialist and Certified Cardiovascular Specialist.
Michael’s goal is to personalize each client’s workout in the most efficient and most fun means so they can achieve their goals. His clinical background allows him to effectively work with rehabilitation clients as well as athletes.
With his background, he can create personalized cardiovascular prescriptions for his clients. Michael’s sports performance background offers athletes of any age the results they want.
When Michael isn’t in the gym, this “jack of all trades” enjoys cooking, sports, carpentry, movies, music, theater, and video games.
Juriy Petunov
(Personal Trainer)
Certified fitness specialist & strength trainer; 4 years physical education degree; 6+ years as a professional fitness trainer; 8+ years of personal training involvement; 1st place Europe championship; 2nd place world championship; winner of numerous international championships (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Germany). What I can do for you: Design your personal training program; Advice on optimal exercising routine and techniques that suit training goals and your lifestyle; Ensure that you will get a maximum out of every training session; Monitor your training progress, and adjust your training plan as necessary to achieve the best results. Let me help you feel and look younger, stronger and more confident.
Shelley Kaiser
(Personal Trainer & Spin Instructor)
For the past 15+ years, Shelley Kaiser has been involved in the fitness profession—translating a life-long passion for fitness and exercise, into a career.
Shelley teaches our highly popular spinning classes. This intimate class is open to a limited number of members, offering the opportunity for each class to be customized according to the class makeup. Known as a tough and challenging class (one that is not for wimps), Spinning with Shelley is a great workout.
Shelley was first bit by the fitness bug in 1978 when a friend introduced her to distance running. She has competed in the New York Marathon, and _ marathons. Her love for running got her interested in fitness and she started taking classes in step, aerobics, yoga and other forms of instruction.
When not on the bike, Shelley is likely to be found deep in downward dog or running – passions she still pursues.
Shelley lives in Weston with her husband Ben
Babette Lienhard
(Pilates Instructor)
Babette has been teaching mat Pilates and Pilates one-to-one and two-to-one instruction in studios in Westport and Norwalk for over the last five plus years. Her philosophy caters to the “Natural Spine-Tailbone Connection” method of training.
Babette graduated from Simmons College in Boston and began an extensive career in retailing that spans over twenty five years. She began at Bamberger’s (which later became Macy’s) on their executive training squad. Over the next twenty years she rose to Group Vice President of Merchandising. Over an additional five years, she branched out to other companies within the industry and also ran her own consulting and product development company. While working in retail, Babette joined a health club in New York and signed up for a Pilates mat class after hearing about all its benefits.
She found it difficult to catch on in a class atmosphere so she decided to work one to one with a Pilates instructor and in an instant she was totally hooked. She stayed with Pilates as her main source of exercise.
Then in 2001, with her daughter starting high school, she decided it was time to make a major career change. Babette wanted to pursue something she was passionate about so she spent an intense year and a half receiving Pilates instruction and training and she obtained certification from the Physical Mind Institute in NY to teach mat Pilates and individual training on Pilates equipment. Wanting to excel in her new endeavor Babette also studied movement and anatomy for a full year with Irene Down. When she’s not at Pinnacle Babette is most likely participating in a Pilates workshop to further enhance her knowledge and skills.
Janelle Thompson
(Pilates Instructor)
Janelle Thompson has been a life long student of dance and physical training. She began her studies with Pilates in high school. Pilates became an important strength training method for Janelle during formal ballet training. She has performed and studied with the New Haven Ballet, the Nutmeg Ballet, The Dance Theatre, The Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Eva Dean Dance Co. Janelle also performed and trained with independent choreographers like Hedi Latsky, Sean Curran, Michael Tracy, Doug Elkins, Merce Cunningham, and Marjorie Mussman. During Janelle's dance career Pilates became an important means to keep up her strength, flexibility, and rehabilitate from injuries. Later in her dance career, Pilates classes actually became a requirement to stay in some of dance companies she toured and danced for.
A certified Pilates instructor through The Physical Mind Institute in NYC, she graduated from Roger Williams University with a degree in dance with an emphasis on ballet and modern dance. Further studies in dance took Janelle abroad to London where she studied and trained with Anna DuBoisson and Bill Louther. London is where her serious training with Yoga began. She is currently pursuing both an advanced Pilates certification and a Yoga certification at The Physical Mind Institute. Janelle is also studying Bartenieff Fundamentals and Gait Analysis. These two methods will be used in conjunction with her Pilates training in taking this body-mind awareness outside the gym into everyday life.”
Luisa Tanno
(Yoga Director and Instructor)
Luisa works to help her clients get “into their bodies” mentally, emotionally and physically to achieve comfort, flexibility and strength. Experience has taught her yoga is a broad spectrum that can meet you wherever you are and support you on your path to wellness. She specializes in helping clients learn the basics of Yoga and then taking those basics further into an individualized practice. Her training sessions often incorporate breath work, postural awareness and the strengthening techniques of dance.
Luisa has been a yoga instructor since 1999 and came to yoga through dance. She was a professional dancer from the time she was 16 and has studied and performed in New York, Los Angeles, and Connecticut. She is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Her passion for dance led her to explore other styles of movement such as Hatha Yoga, Qigong and meditation. Luisa completed her teacher training with Yogafit, a California based studio for holistic fitness. Her personal yoga practice draws from many styles of yoga including Anusara, Kripalu, Iyengar and Vinyasa all of which she incorporates in her sessions. She is an AFAA certified personal trainer with an alternative edge, and views each session an opportunity for her clients to discover something new about themselves.
Luisa believes that movement is a pathway for self expression and a means of connecting with ones truest self. Moving with awareness and directed intention can achieve dynamic results in the way you feel both inside and out.
Sharon Coyne
(Yoga Instructor & Nutrition Counselor)
Sharon has worked various jobs over the course of her life but discovered her passion for yoga over the past few years. The first time she experienced the many benefits of Yoga, she decided that her life would have to include sharing the wonderful teachings. Since then she has become a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher graduating in May of 2006. In her classes as well as her private sessions, you will practice a combination of breathing techniques to center and focus your mind, be gently guided through asanas (postures) and end with a few minutes of relaxation. ~ Om Shanti (Peace)
Ned Grant
(Yoga Instructor)
NED GRANT began practicing basic asana as a child, and is largely self-taught. Over the years he has increased the scope and intensity of his practice through the Sivananda, Astanga, and Iyengar disciplines.
He has been trained in Interdisciplinary Yoga by Don and Amba Stapleton of the Nosara Institute, in Vinyasa Flow Yoga by Shiva Rea, and has been trained in and studied Iyengar Yoga with Rodney Yee and Mary Dunn.
Ned Grant
(203) 426-0875
nedgrant@earthlink.net
www.yoga-sun.com.
Michael Young
Owner and Executive Chef of Valencia Luncheria
At the tender age of 21, Michael became chef of Buckaroo’s, specializing in south-western cuisine. Here, he quickly became adept at kitchen supervision, calculating food and labor costs, and menu design, thus adding a new dimension to his restaurant repertoire.In 1994, Michael began working with Douglas Rodriguez at the three star nuevo latino restaurant, Patria in Manhattan. Under the tutelage of this renowned chef, he received the "Rising Star Chef of the Year" award by the James Beard Foundation.
This experience helped him during his tenure as a consultant for Erizo Latino, a 70-seat seafood restaurant in the heart of Soho. During this time, he was also the Executive Chef of the Doral Park Avenue Hotel. For his efforts of being responsible for all American food and beverage styles for the hotel, as well as the training of kitchen staff members, he received the "Chef 2000" award from "The American Tasting Institute". While Michael has garnered a well-rounded resume encompassing every aspect of the restaurant industry,
it is his food which best defines him. The owners of a then-yet-to-be- established southwestern restaurant in Aspen, Colorado were so thoroughly impressed by him that they invited him to consult for their designing team.
As the Chef de Cuisine, he created the theme and menu for Blue Maize, which catapulted the restaurant into its present luster.
Michael's reputation brought him back to his hometown of New York City and he was promptly presented with the immense challenge of revamping a hip, kosher restaurant whose food was generally considered sub-par, The menu of Lansky Lounge has been transformed into whimsical fantasy, featuring such delicious innovations as battered sole coupled with traditional kasha, a dish that excels in both presentation and taste. In 1999, excited to work with the nuevo latino style that he learned under Douglas Rodriguez, Michael became Executive Chef of Habana in South Norwalk, Connecticut. Working for Habana provided Michael with the opportunity to truly test his skills as he was offered the position of Executive Chef at its new sister restaurant Ocean Drive. In October of 2004 Michael opened his own restaurant, Valencia Luncheria and shortly thereafter through fate began collaborating with Pinnacle Health & Fitness, LLC on their nutrition program. Nutrition counselor Debbie Levin develops personalized meal plans for individual clients or families and Michael prepares the meals and delivers them fresh to Pinnacle.
203-255-6674
1849 Post Road East, Westport 06880
info@pinnaclehealthandfitness.com
Debbie Levin or Philip LiCastri
Deb Levin
Philip LiCastri
Michael Choothesa
Juriy Petunov
Shelley Kaiser
Babette Lienhard
Janelle Thompson
Luisa Tanno
Sharon Coyne
Ned Grant
Make time for yourself at Pinnacle