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HEALTH ADVOCATE

 

*Please note: If it says "No Bio Entered" beside your image than you have not submitted a bio.

Please submit your bio to: Editor@ACHIMagazine.com by June 30th for your bio to be added. (It will not be accepted after this date)*

Ticket sales end on July 13th.

ACHI Health and Fitness Award

Brenda Henderson

Brenda Henderson has been an exceptional business manager, director, organizer,owner and consummate healthy living advocate. In the past 27 years, she has become a well known professional woman in the Hampton Roads area, always engaging in current positive local and statewide events and activities.

Megan Jenifer Harris

WINNER

Megan Jenifer-Harris is a two-time alumnae of Hampton University. She's an entrepreneur who focuses on total body wellness. This includes the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional bodies. Megan is certified as a Live the Lifestyle Weight Management Coach and a Kemetic Yoga Instructor. She offers online weight management classes and life coaching

Latonya Brinson

Connect to our owner: Meet Military Veteran, Military Spouse and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Body Worker, Latonya Brinson. During Latonya Brinson ‘S nine plus years as a Massage Therapist and Body worker, she has and is learning about what the Body, Mind and Spirit needs for a healthy and prosperous life. Her own experiences whether from her time in “ministry of healing”, military or her personal journey, has helped prepare her for handling a wide variety of health concerns for her clients, family and friends. “I value and am humble 

by every person who allows me to walk, work with and encouragly coach them on their ultimate Health journey of happiness, Harmony, hope and Healing. Learn more at www.kingdomhealingstone.com, like us on Facebook/Kingdomhealingstone and follow us on twitter at #kingdomhealings

ACHI Health and Wellness Award

Anika Herring

After rediscovering her passion for dance in 2008 by participating in a Zumba class at a local YMCA, Anika, has gone from being a depressed stay at home Mother, weighing over 200lbs, to a size 2 and overcoming a toxic marriage and is now one of the leading motivators in the Health & Fitness industry of Hampton Roads VA. "God literally used Zumba to give me my life back!" Now with over 30 years of dance experience and public speaking, Anika's, energy is contagious and it is obvious to all that her passion is edifying people! She has motivated thousands to begin their weight loss journey by being 

transparent and sharing her personal story to all who will listen! Anika, has taught Zumba, which is a Latin inspired dance format to thousands since 2009 plus added her own flare and personal style which she calls, ACE, "The Anika Cardio Experience" to a plethora of classes in Hampton, Newport News, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Norfolk, NYC, NC, and even Bahamas! Her goal is to make sure that everyone has the ultimate fitness experience! She has helped raise thousands of dollars for various charities and organizations through dance and in 2012 she added Adjunct Professor for Tidewater Community College to her many titles where she teaches Zumba as an elective and uses the more intimate setting to teach students the importance of fitness and proper health.

When she is not dancing, Anika is showing others how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and create wealth through Zurvita, where she is currently a Regional Consultant sharing the all in one nutritional product called Zeal with an impressive team on the East Coast. 

Anika, currently resides in Hampton VA with her three sons who are her greatest fans and motivators to succeed!

Shannon Stakes

where she has the opportunity to share fitness and health with college students.  Also, Shannon enjoys giving back to her community through charity events and volunteering.   For more than 15 years, she has volunteered at Calvary Revival Church as a praise dancer and Dance Director for dancers of all ages.  Personally, Shannon loves to spend time with her husband Minister Matthew Stakes and their two children.

As a Health Advocate, Shannon Stakes

has many roles, and MOTIVATOR is the sum of them all; helping others to achieve their personal goals is her career and life mission.  Each month, hundreds of women, men, seniors, and children join her Zumba®, Zumba Gold®, Pilates, aerobics, and dance classes to have fun and get fit; there are endless testimonials from students about improved health, weight loss, and new self confidence.  Additionally, for the past seven years,Shannon has worked for Tidewater Community College as an Instructor and Adjunct Professor of Business and Physical Education,

WINNER

Rita Cohen

Rita has been dancing and singing - and moving - for as long as she can remember.  A native of Accra, Ghana, she has been living in the U.S since she was 8.  Her success in the performing arts, athletics, and academics led her to receive a full academic scholarship to UVA, where she was a Pre-Med Echols & Achievement Scholar, graduating with a B.A. in Music; and another scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, where she earned her Master of Music in Classical Voice Performance, leading to a 15 year professional musical theatre and opera 

career. After she and her husband Andrew, whom she met in NYC, moved to VA Beach, she gave up her singing career to raise their two children.  It wasn't until 2008, when she accidentally stumbled upon Zumba® Fitness, that her passion for fitness - and simultaneous career - began to blossom.  She's taught Zumba® at almost every fitness facility and dance studio in Norfolk and VA Beach. Rita has volunteered and continues to give back to the community at large by using her talents to organize and raise funds for important causes through Zumbathon® charity events, among many others.  She has raised almost $12,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure with 3 Zumbathon® charity events; almost $1000 for F.A.C.T (Families of Autistic Children In Tidewater) in a recent Autism Awareness Zumbathon®; and has visited most of VA Beach's elementary schools and volunteered her time by teaching Zumba® to the kids, who affectionately call her 'the Zumba® Lady', during P.E. Ritabegan teaching her own private classes in VA Beach in 2009, outgrowing 2 dance studios, leading her to recently launch Fitness In Rhythm, where she - along with other fitness instructors - is able to offer Zumba® and other dance and fitness classes to South Hampton Roads' residents.  She absolutely loves what she does and believes that every experience has prepared her for what she never planned on doing now: bringing health and fitness to children AND adults one Zumba® party at a time!

Tarah Davidson

Tarah Davidson is a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal fitness chef, nutrition counselor, fitness blogger for AFAMtoday.com and owner of Physical Vitality health and wellness. She specializes in pre/postnatal fitness due to her own experience with diastasis recti (abdominal separation) after childbirth via c-section. She is dedicated to improving your health and wellness through weight training, cardio and a regimented clean diet.

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