Meet The Coaches
Our Mission
When Complete Human Performance was founded in 2012, there was one goal in mind: to cut through the misinformation about training and nutrition, and to create simple, customized, and highly-effective training plans to help athletes of all levels reach their full potential. Putting together YEARS of strength and endurance coaching and experience Ironmans, ultramarathons and powerlifting, the results speak for themseleves. As Complete Human Performance has grown, our mission is now to bring together the best minds in fitness and sports performance together to develop custom programming for ANY person, at any level, anywhere in the world.
Alex Viada, CSCS, USAT
BS, Duke University
avid homebrewer
Ironman Finisher
Ultra Finisher
Powerlifter
A lifelong athlete, Alex has participated and competed in nearly every sport imaginable (some with greater success than others), since being dragged to his first swim meet when he was four years old.
He has coached over 1000 athletes of all ages and levels, in sports ranging from bodybuilding to ultra-running to triathlon to cycling to powerlifting. He has also prepared close to 80 individuals for Ranger School, SFAS, BUD/s, and other selective military programs. His Hybrid Training method is simple — it consists of breaking down the demands and unique stressors of every type of training an athlete requires, and programming to target specific demands, not “labels” (i.e. “strength training,” “conditioning,” “endurance training,” etc.). The result is a style of programming that has produced a significant number of powerlifting triathletes and 300+ pound runners.
Although he is now devoting the majority of his time to educational offerings and exploring recent research to further widen CHP’s knowledge base, he accepts limited, motivated clients under the his Premiere coaching package.
Anthony D’Orazio joined CHP in 2014, and in his time with CHP he has successfully helped over 200 athletes with their fitness goals either through programming or diet writing. Anthony specializes in programming clients with body composition and physique goals, and has experience working with amateur boxers, BJJ practitioners, and individuals that would simply like to live a healthier lifestyle or move to a healthier weight. Anthony supports a number of CHP athletes with their dietary goals by helping provide CHP’s weekly dieting service.
Anthony graduated from Duke University in 2004 with a BS in Biology and a BA in Visual Art. After finishing his undergraduate degree Anthony spent a year working as a protein biochemist in the laboratory of Dan Kiehart at Duke University. He then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend The Ohio State University for his graduate work. In 2012 he received his Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. Since that time he has followed his interest in teaching and helping others by working as a lecturer in the biology program at Ohio State and other nearby campuses.
Anthony D'Orazio Ph.D.
BS, Duke University
PhD, Ohio State University
Natural Bodybuilding
Dog Lover
Owns 2 Ball Pythons
Ariana Scalfo
Loves dogs
Hates long walks on the beach
Can touch her toes
Ariana Scalfo is a 4-year Alex Viada “Special Project” (how special? she hasn’t quit yet, if that counts), NASM certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and ACSM certified Personal Trainer. If she had to describe her experience to you, it would be “messing up as much as humanly possible at most things, and figuring it out as she went along.”
While her childhood was spent being active, outside, and playing with bugs in the mud, Ariana’s teenage years were riddled with periods of intense inactivity, illness, and pain while she navigated a 1-2 punch diagnosis of Celiac Disease and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Hypermobility Type). She wasn’t able to be physically active again until her mid-20s, when she began CrossFit with Kenny Barber. Through her own process of self-discovery via every scaling option, limitation, and form of tendinitis imaginable, she realized that if she could, anyone could.
Ariana now lifts and runs, sometimes rides bikes, and sometimes does wall balls. A tenured nutrition coach, Ariana specializes in nutritional strategies for individuals with intense training schedules, body composition goals, digestive disorders, solving GI upset during activity, and ketosis w/carbohydrate periodization for endurance athletes. Ariana is incredibly familiar with training while injured, sick, or anemic, and will work with individuals with POTS, dysautonomia, EDS, or similar hypermobility disorders.
Alec Blenis has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
He found early success in his athletic career in the world of obstacle racing. With a background in both weightlifting and cross-country in high school, it was only natural for him to podium in his first obstacle course race. After dozens of top finishes around the country, he was named to the Spartan Race Pro Team in 2013 and has been ranked as one of the top ten obstacle racers nationwide. While competing on the OCR circuit, he began running increasingly longer trail races too, ranging from marathons to 70-mile ultras. Since his first in 2011, Alec has competed in over twenty ultra marathons, with a preference for only the most rugged and technical courses.
Having simultaneously trained for both short course obstacle races and grueling mountain ultras, Alec specializes in training runners with demanding racing schedules and diverse sets of goals. Whether it’s preparing for your first obstacle course race, ultra marathon, or both, he combines hybrid-training methodology with real world experience to help you succeed across a wide spectrum of endurance events.
Alec Blenis, CSCS
BS, Georgia Tech
Spartan Race Pro Team
Top 10 OCR
Ultra Runner
Annie "Gunshow", MS
MS, Exercise Physiology
Physique Competitor
Powerlifter
Strongman
Annie “Gunshow” started on her path into fitness by achieving B.S. in Exercise Physiology and Nutritional Science as well as her Masters in Exercise Physiology. During her time as a student, she was able to start working with athletes of varying levels as well as the general population. Since finishing her graduate work, Annie has worked in the collegiate, clinical, and private setting and currently calls Memphis, TN and NBS Fitness home.
Special interests to Annie are powerlifting, strongman, and physique sports. As an athlete, she has competed in all of those areas at a high level as well as dabbled in running events and CrossFit. Her areas of specialty at this time are military prep, powerlifting, strongman, and endurance improvement.
Nickademus began his athletic endeavors as a high school cross-country runner. By 17, he had begun dabbling in ultra’s by the age of 18, had ran his first 100 miler to raise money for a close friend who was battling Leukemia at the time. Once bit by the “ultra” bug, the sickness bloomed into full force.
Each year, Nickademus searched for the “world’s most difficult races”, and each year he finished every single one. He completed Badwater 135, Arrowhead 135, PLAIN 100, and HURT 100. He finally met his match in 2011 as Barkley was his first ever DNF. They say third times a charm, as Nickademus had learned to balance his ego and fear and won the notoriously difficult race in 57hrs and 41minutes in 2013.
Nick’s specialty lies in any endurance challenge that calls itself the “world’s most difficult”. Whether it be an obstacle race, running or biking, it is likely on his radar. This extreme specialization has led him to a multi-disciplinary approach in his training and coaching by integrating practices such as yoga, tai-chi, parkour, mountain biking, meditation, strength training, ad boot camps.
Nickademus Hollon, CSCS, ACE
Badwater 135 (youngest finisher at 19)
Spartan Death Race, VT, 6th place
HURT 100, 3rd place
Barkley Marathons, 1st and 13th finisher in the race’s 25+yr history
Fuego y Agua 100km, 1st Place
Italy’s Tor des Geants, 2nd Place
Canada’s Fat Dog 120 Miler, 1st Place, CR
Orca 100, 1st Place
Jonathan Pain, CSCS
Jiu-Jitsu Competitor
MMA Competitor
Celtman Extreme Triathlon Finisher
Painless Performance, Owner
Jonathan has worked in the industry for over 15 years and worked with hundreds of clients in many different fields. Jonathan has also written and taught the Strength and Conditioning Degree Program at the University level. Whilst looking after the needs of professional football (soccer) and rugby squads, he has built up an impressive roster of athletes from a variety of sports.
Painless Performance has produced national champions and podium finishers in powerlifting, weightlifting and triathlon. However, it is in the field of combat sports that Jonathan spent much of his career. Initially competing on the underground and unlicensed circuits, Jonathan sought out the mentorship of experts in the field of self protection and then went on to cross train in the martial arts practicing the striking and grappling arts in as many disciplines as were available.
Competing in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA whilst maintaining a strong discipline of the Strength and Conditioning and Nutritional practice, Jonathan established himself as a standout practitioner in his field. Although persistent injury stopped Jonathan competing, he has since gone on to work with international standard amateur and professional boxers, world champion jiu-jitsu players, MMA fighters competing at the highest possible level and Olympic and Commonwealth Judo players. Competitively, Jonathan now concentrates on extreme endurance challenges.
Kenny began his coaching career in 2011 after finding CrossFit in 2009. What started as a fun new way to workout, turned into a passion to help people. Over time, he developed a love for the sport of weightlifting, while continuing to help people improve in all areas of CrossFit. Programming also turned into one of his favorite things to work on, and this eventually led to his owning a CrossFit gym for 4+ years. As an athlete he loved competing in local CrossFit events, along with testing his endurance limits.
Kenny’s life has changed a lot since having two amazing boys, Brody and Brock. He and his wife, Barb, spend a lot of their downtime enjoying all of the moments with these boys. Training looks a lot different now, but he still loves lifting some weights, hitting a CrossFit WOD, or going on a longer bike ride or walk. He feels honored to be a part of such an amazing team of coaches and looks forward to helping anyone he can.
Kenny Barber
B.A. in Exercise Science & Kinesiology
CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2
CrossFit Weightlifting
CrossFit Gymnastics
CrossFit Aerobic Capacity
Kettlebell Training with Tony Rosa
Reebok CrossFit One Coaches
Development Program
NASM Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Kelsey Koger MS, NSCA-CSCS
M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology
B.S. in Dietetics
B.S. in Psychology
NSCA-CSCS
USAW-1
NASM-CPT
CES
PES
Kelsey is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology of Human Movement, after having obtained an M.Ed. in Exercise Physiology, a B.S. in Dietetics, a B.S. in Psychology, and numerous certifications: NSCA-CSCS; USAW-1; NASM-CPT, CES, and PES.
As a dancer of 15 years, a dabbler in gymnastics, a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a cat mom to the world’s two most debonair guys, Kelsey has always enjoyed being physically active. After having to forgo dance due to her own struggles with an eating disorder, she found powerlifting, giving her a sense of reason to nourish her body while becoming stronger and feeling empowered in the process. However, just as many athletes and the physically active do, she eventually found herself struggling to navigate chronic pain. Going through the gamut of health professionals, feeling frustrated to no avail, the one thing she knew she was sure of was that giving up the sport she enjoyed most wasn’t an option. With a mind for wanting to understand concepts at their fundamental level, this pushed her to dive further into human physiology and biomechanics.
She has coached powerlifters and weightlifters in addition to having worked with runners, swimmers, recreational strength and physique athletes, the elderly population, current PT and post-rehab patients, and those with performance aspirations who are struggling with chronic pain or acute injuries. Kelsey’s interests are in powerlifting, strength training, movement analysis, pain management, nutrition, and education.
Kelsey is our lead coach in the “Restoration” coaching program, which is specifically tailored to provide the level of attention and care necessary to progress through injury, chronic pain, or chronic disease.