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Meet the Team

Head Coaches & Owners

Tricia Tortoreti & Jillian Neimeister

Tricia Tortoreti

Coach and Co-Owner

Certifications:

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2)
CrossFit Powerlifting Certificate
CrossFit Kettlebell Certificate
CrossFit Judges Certificate
USAW Level 2 Sports and Performance Coach
American Heart Association CPR & First Aid

Tricia began CrossFit in April 2009 looking to change her running-only workout regime. She earned her CrossFit Level 1 certificate and started coaching in November 2010.

Favorite Workout(s):: Fran & Whitten
Least Favorite Workout(s):: Double Unders – “My heart sinks when I see them.”
What do you do with your fitness?: Enjoys competing in local and regional CrossFit competitions. My first marathon, then my second and many half-marathons. The Tough Mudder, it was a team achievement.
Outside of CrossFit:: Tricia lives in Lakewood with dogs, Marlon and Asher. Her favorite thing in the world is a donut (sorry pups).

Jillian Neimeister

Coach and Co-Owner

Certifications:

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2)
CrossFit Kids Trainer
CrossFit Powerlifting Certificate
CrossFit Endurance Certificate
CrossFit Judges Certificate
CrossFit Scaling Certificate
CrossFit RowingErg Certificate
USAW Level 1 Sports and Performance Coach
American Heart Association CPR & First Aid

Jillian started CrossFit in 2009 looking for outside motivation, as in “someone to kick her ass.” She earned her CrossFit Level 1 certificate in July 2010 and started coaching a month later.

Favorite Workout(s):: Grace & DT — they’re fast and furious!
Least Favorite Workout:: Generally anything long and bodyweight
What do you do with your fitness?: I like endurance events – my favorite distance is a half-marathon. But I’ve also run marathons, a half-ironman, cycle events, triathlons, and the array of Goruck challenge, Urbanathlons, Tough Mudder type events.

General Manager

Ana Liston
General Manager, Coach and Nutrition Specialist

Certifications:

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2)
USAW Level 1 Sports and Performance Coach
CrossFit Scaling Certificate
CrossFit Judges Certificate
CrossFit RowingErg Certificate
LPTA
CPR-AED
Pn1 (Precision Nutrition)
Working Against Gravity Nutrition Certification
Level 1, Nutritional Coaching Institute
Rock Tape certified
MobilityWOD Movement and Mobility Specialist

Ana has been certified through Precision Nutrition since 2016. She also currently holds a certification through the Nutritional Coaching Institute which specializes in a macro-based diet aimed at athletes. This certification deals with weight loss and metabolic adaptation and how to reverse this as well. Along with being a new CF-L1 here at Birdtown CrossFit, Ana has been an LPTA for 15 years. She also holds a certificate as a MobilityWOD Movement & Mobility Specialist and is Rock Tape certified.

Coaches

Troy Bratz
Coach

Certifications:

- - CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2)
  - CrossFit Endurance Trainer
  - CrossFit Judges Course Certificate
  - CrossFit Lesson Planning Certificate
  - CrossFit Running Certificate
  - CrossFit Scaling Certificate
  - CrossFit Spot The Flaw Certificate

Troy is an OG CrossFitter beginning over ten years ago. A member of Birdtown CrossFit since July 2013, Troy began coaching in early 2015.

How did you find CrossFit? After being an avid runner for a few years in the mid-2000s, Troy was looking for a new challenge. He discovered CrossFit.com and began training on his own at a local “globo gym”. As a founding member of a local CrossFit box a few months later, Troy has excelled at the endurance-heavy WODs.
Favorite Lift: Deadlift (Feb 2014, 525#)
Favorite Movement: “Good Question. Normally, I encourage WODs and exercises that I am less proficient at in order to work on that skill. However if forced to choose, I’d most likely select the clean or clean and jerk due to technical nature of the lifts/movements.”
Outside of CrossFit: Troy also an avid runner and obstacle course athlete. In November 2014, he did his personal best in the NYC Marathon. He also co-founded a weekly run group called the Northeast Ohio CrossFit Run Group. To get him to share some wisdom, all one has to do is offer Troy some bourbon and/or barbeque pork (ribs, preferred). Troy and wife Margaret live in Lakewood with their two daughters Clementine and Cosette.

Dobromir Gospodinov

Coach

Certifications:

- - CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1)
  - CrossFit Judges Course Certificate

Dobo started CrossFit in 2018 after attempting CrossFit Games workouts at the local Y and it not turning out great. Prior to that he moved from Bulgaria to the United States to attend a liberal arts college at Hiram where he studied disability prejudice and art history. Dobo earned a CrossFit Level 1 certificate in February of 2021 and started coaching in June.

Favorite Workout(s): Cindy

Least Favorite Workout: 21.1

What do you do with your fitness? I bike to work in all seasons – for time! And take on life’s challenges with self-confidence and patience

Spencer Grummel
Coach

Certifications:

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1)

After graduating from Ohio university in 2014, Spencer spent two years trying different workout plans, gym regiments, and programs. Nothing stuck until he was introduced to CrossFit in 2016. While traveling and learning from many different CrossFit Gyms, Spencer got my first coaching opportunity in 2019 in Charlotte, NC. By 2020, he was back in Ohio looking for a CrossFit gym in the Northeast area. Spencer says he was attracted to the great energy and constant positive attitudes at BTS. After 5 years of many no reps and PR’s, he stills has a lot to look forward to!

What brought me to CrossFit: I hated the predictable workouts and patterns at the traditional “Globo-Gym”. I love the constantly varied aspect of CrossFit.

Favorite Workout: Any Chipper workout

Least Favorite: Any sprint/ under 5 minute workout

What I do with Fitness: CrossFit has helped in my personal life, work life, and overall health benefits. I love being outside and playing any sports.

Shelley Ludwig
Coach

Certifications:

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2)
CrossFit Scaling Certificate
CrossFit Judges Certificate
CrossFit Spot the Flaw Certificate
AFAA Personal Training
Title Boxing Club Trainer
Spinning Certification
Zumba Certification
Flex Band: Resistance Band Training
T-Bow
USAW Level 1 Sports and Performance Coach
American Heart Association CPR & First Aid

With twenty years in the fitness industry, Shelley knows what’s new and what’s going to stick around. It’s how she found Crossfit. These days Shelley can be found coaching a few days at Birdtown and also instructing at Title 9 Boxing. She instructed every Ab class known to man and every once in a while, gets her classes to do a Kick-boxing after party.

What brought you to CrossFit: Just wanted to check out the new “fad” for fitness. Turned out not a fad and the people kept me coming back.
Favorite Workout/s: 12 days of Christmas, the 7’s, any chipper
Least Favorite Workout/s: Fran, Karen
What do you do with your fitness? Try new activities like SUP and Kayaking.

Kat Evers Solove

Coach

Certification:

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1)

What brought you to CrossFit: As a retired college athlete, I was looking for something stay in share, keep myself busy, and make new friends. Tried a class a few years ago and have been hooked every since.
Favorite Workout/s: Long chippers with the barbell.
Least Favorite Workout/s: Fran (yuck pullups!)
Outside of CrossFit: I live in Lakewood with my husband Alex and hopefully a dog sometime soon! I am also an Assistant Tennis Coach at Magnificat High School. When not in the gym, I love traveling and spending time outside – bike riding, hiking, and kayaking.

Staff

Sam Husted
Social Media Manager

Sam came to Birdtown Strength as an athlete in February of 2017. After college she struggled to find a fitness routine that would keep her interest. BTS was a perfect fit. She loved the community and gym so much that she wanted to get even more involved. In August of 2020 she joined the staff to help with the gym’s social media accounts. Sam says she enjoys the creativity the role gives her. Helping to promote the gym and highlighting the awesome athletes that go here has been very rewarding for her.

Favorite Workout(s): Any bodyweight, running/bike, or “grunt work” type workouts

Least Favorite Workout(s): Heavy barbells or being upside-down

What do you do with your fitness? I like to run 5ks, swim, bike and hike.

Outside of CrossFit: Sam also manages a social media account for another client… her dog, Basil.