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Meet The Team

At Fitness 4 Focus, our team is more than just a group of trainers – we’re passionate advocates, dedicated mentors, and experienced professionals who are committed to helping individuals with special needs reach their full potential. Each member of our team brings unique skills, expertise, and a heart for service to create a supportive and empowering environment for every athlete we work with.

Whether you’re training with us or just starting your journey, you can count on our team to provide personalized care, guidance, and encouragement every step of the way. We pride ourselves on creating strong, positive relationships with our athletes and their families, because we believe that success happens when we work together.

Meet The Owner

Chris Russell

Founder & CEO

Chris is the Founder and CEO of Fitness 4 Focus. After college Chris returned to Central Pennsylvania where he began to work for a local agency as a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) from 2003-2012. His primary role as a TSS was to provide intervention strategies in order to assist students in developing daily living, social and cultural skills.

In 2005, while playing catch during recess with a client named Tommy, Chris took notice that Tommy had deficits in areas that many take for granted. Due to Chris’ background in physical education and athletics, he immediately began to help Tommy improve in the areas of physical endurance, strength and coordination.  In that moment, an idea was born. Chris began to envision a place where individuals with intellectual and developmental delays like Tommy could participate in meaningful physical activity. A place where given the right kind of training they could become physically and mentally stronger, gain more independence, and as a result become happier and healthier. Chris’s new found passion combined with his knowledge and experience led to the creation and now continued success of Fitness 4 Focus.

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Our Team

Ashley Russell

Director of Central Pennsylvania

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Ashley graduated from HACC Lancaster with an Associates Degree in Nursing in 2011. She began her nursing career at Good Samaritan Hospital in the Emergency Department. In 2015, she started at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Emergency Department. In 2018, she graduated from Western Governors University with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Ashley went on to work in the Peri-Anesthesia department in 2020. She was an integrated council member, established the Peri-Anesthesia Mentor Program and was awarded the 2022 Penn State Nursing Leadership Award. Ashley is married to owner of F4F, Chris, with two children, and lifeshare provider to Tommy. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting national parks, taking pictures and spending quality time with family and friends. Ashley is excited to assist with various F4F roles including Fitness Coach and Director of Central PA. “I am passionate to help others meet their health and fitness goals. I see many preventable health conditions in the healthcare field. One of the best tools to prevent these conditions is physical activity and good nutrition! I have seen that with guidance and persistence, nothing is impossible. The stories we hear of how F4F is impacting the social, mental and physical health of our athletes is inspiring. We are here to help athletes redefine their limits, give families hope and enable them to feel more empowered and confident in their capabilities.”

Coach Erica

Hershey, PA

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Erica has been working at F4F since 2019 and was born and raised in Palmyra, PA where she was involved in field hockey, swimming and soccer. She studied Kinesiology at Penn State University where she was a member of the Field Hockey Team, and also coached special olympics swimming. After graduation, Erica became a Certified Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. She worked 12 years as a Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor at Masonic Village where she enjoyed the opportunity to work with members from the Adult Day Care and the Bleiler Caring Cottage group Home. She has been a youth field hockey coach for 6 years. Erica is married to Jason, with 4 children.

Coach Nick

Hershey, PA & Mechanicsburg, PA

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Nick joined the F4F team in Mechanicsburg in 2022 and has had an amazing time getting to know all the athletes and seeing the incredible things they are all capable of. Physical fitness has always played an important role in his life. He has coached wrestling and worked with programs like Top Soccer in the past, coaching individuals with a wide range of personalities and needs. These days, he enjoys spending his free time outside or in the weight room. If the weather permits, you might find him running a local trail with his dog or paddling down the Susquehanna on his kayak. “I’ve always found that physical activity has been one of the things that helps ground me every day. I know the structure and confidence that exercise can provide for someone and I’m glad I can help share that experience with all the amazing athletes at F4F”.

Coach JP

Lancaster, PA

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JP joined the F4F Lancaster in August 2024, and getting to know all the athletes has been a wonderful experience. Fitness has always been a part of his life. JP attended Lancaster Catholic High School, where he participated in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. He played three seasons of lacrosse at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. In his free time, he enjoys fishing and hunting. Working with the athletes at F4F has been a transformative experience. It’s truly rewarding to witness athletes achieve their goals and to know that you played a role in their success.

Coach Brooke

Lancaster, PA

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Coach Brooke is a recent graduate of Messiah University, where she earned a degree in Exercise Science. During her time in school, she played both field hockey and lacrosse, experiences that fueled her passion for physical and mental health in training. She finds joy in watching athletes grow, work hard, and strive for excellence in every opportunity. Outside of coaching, Coach Brooke enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, and staying active.
 

Coach Cam

Lancaster, PA

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Coach Cam is a 22-year-old NASM-certified personal trainer and graduate of CCA High School. His passion lies in helping people achieve their fitness goals and supporting them in all aspects of health and wellness. Driven by a desire to spread God’s goodness, Cam hopes to one day start his own health and wellness business and inspire others to see how transformative fitness can be in their lives.

He joined Fitness 4 Focus to make a meaningful difference and be part of something bigger. Inspired by his younger brother, who has autism and maintains an incredible outlook on life, Cam is deeply motivated to help others overcome challenges and realize their full potential. He loves motivating his athletes to improve with every session, building strength, coordination, confidence, and independence and believes that every smile he sees in the gym makes the work truly worthwhile.

Michael Shipper

Director, Fitness 4 Focus North Hills

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Michael Shipper is a certified personal trainer and inclusive fitness specialist with over a decade of experience designing customized programs for children, teens, and adults of all abilities. He makes fitness both fun and meaningful by combining structured movement with imaginative play. Through this approach, athletes gain confidence, develop new skills, and experience the lasting joy of movement.

Michael’s philosophy is rooted in INclusion, not EXclusion. He believes the key to empowering an athlete is to connect through what they love—whether it’s a favorite movie, video game, or hobby—and use that as motivation to move, play, and grow. His signature EMPOWER method focuses on building proper movement patterns, reducing the risk of injury, and helping each athlete experience progress they can feel proud of.

Michael’s journey began with his own learning challenges. Diagnosed with a retrieval- and language-based learning disability at age four, he faced early doubts about his potential. But through sports and fitness programs that emphasized teamwork, inclusion, and fun, he discovered his strength and self-belief. That experience shaped his life’s mission: to make fitness accessible, uplifting, and empowering for every individual—regardless of ability or background.

Before relocating to Pittsburgh, Michael founded and led Empowered Sports & Fitness in New York City, where his programs helped hundreds of athletes find joy, purpose, and community through movement. Today, as Director of Fitness 4 Focus – North Hills, he continues that mission—creating a safe, welcoming space where athletes of all abilities can thrive and feel part of something bigger than themselves.

Outside the gym, Michael enjoys staying active, exploring the outdoors, and spending quality time with his wife, Katy, and their two cocker spaniels, Winnie and Clover. Whether it’s a walk through the neighborhood, a weekend adventure, or simply relaxing at home, he values balance, connection, and the everyday moments that bring joy.

Certifications:
ACE Certified Personal Trainer • Autism Fitness Specialist Levels 1 & 2 • SpiderFit Kids Youth Physical Literacy Specialist• IYCA Youth Fitness Specialist Levels 1–3 • IYCA Youth Athletic Assessment Specialist • IYCA Youth Nutrition Specialist • NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist • NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist • NASM Group Training • CPR & AED • Concussion in Youth Fitness • DIR 101 Certified (Developmental–Individual–Relationship-Based) • U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association