Group Fitness Instructors
At MAC Premier Fitness our experienced and dedicated team of instructors have what it takes to make sure you meet your health and fitness goals and have fun while you’re doing it. With years of experience in the fitness industry, our team brings the latest and greatest fitness advancements to you, as well as always incorporating tried and true methods that will ensure you’re getting the best workout possible. Our team’s goal is to help you reach your goals!
Group Fitness
Abby Frantz
Abby teaches the weekly morning yoga classes and Core Challenge. Her classes are comfortable for beginning students and safety conscious, but you will also find plenty of challenge to advance your fitness goals in her classes. Abby has been teaching at MAC for 10 years and is certified in yoga, kickboxing, Silver Sneakers and Zumba. Abby's hobbies include gardening and hanging out with her Great Pyrenees
Group Fitness
Aimee Looke
Aimee loves to share her passion for dance fitness with others while teaching Dance Fusion, a blend of hip-hop, Latin dance, and strength training. Her teaching experience also includes SHiNE Dance Fitness and Zumba. Aimee is a mom of two and an editor for an education company. She enjoys hiking, walking, dogs and dancing – of course!
Group Fitness
Carolyn Mahaney
Carolyn Mahaney has been an aerobics instructor since 2003 and teaches water aerobics and SilverSneakers classes at MAC. She taught school at Milford for 27 years and has a permanent teaching certificate for grades 1-8 and a Master's in Elementary Education from Xavier University. Carolyn currently holds the following certifications – CPR and AED, Aquatic Exercise Association, Arthritis Foundation, Hydro Pilates, Hydro Rider, and White Crow Aqua Pilates. She is also trained in SilverSneakers Classic, Cardio Fit, Yoga, and Splash. She loves to share her passion for fitness with the wonderful members at MAC.
Group Fitness
Heather Stern
Although a member of the MAC since 2009, Heather's first experience with SHiNE Dance Fitness began in 2019, and she was immediately hooked. During her experiences, she realized SHiNE was a great workout for everyone, regardless of age and fitness level; therefore, she became a certified instructor in February of 2022. Heather believes that fitness is about YOU, and all her students should follow the SHiNE mantra - You Do You and Dance Like No One is Watching. SHiNE not only makes YOU feel good physically, but also the camaraderie and results make you feel good mentally. When Heather is not teaching at the MAC, she uses her MBA as a licensed private investigator in the field of risk management. She and her husband Marc have two active boys, one in junior high and one in high school, who both attend Milford Schools and play lacrosse.
Group Fitness
Jennifer Gleason
Jennifer has taught group fitness classes since 1990. She holds an AFAA National Group Fitness Certification and current CPR certification. In addition, Jennifer has a Bachelor's Degree in Education with an emphasis in Coaching Effectiveness and a Master's Degree in Reading instruction and literacy. As you can see, she loves teaching and working with students of all ages in all areas of life. She has taught at Miami Athletic Club since 2003. She teaches Step, Spinning, Club Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Strength Training, Boot Camp, and Mat Pilates classes. Her focus is to teach and encourage every student to cross train. She feels that it is extremely important to vary your workout to keep your body healthy and in ultimate condition.
Group Fitness
Julie Laux
Julie is an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor; with certifications to teach Barre, Zumba and Water Aerobics. Julie’s favorite class to teach is Zumba, which she has been teaching since 2008. Julie loves the members at MAC for they have tons of energy and are always willing to challenge their fitness level in class. Julie’s Zumba participants inspire her to create new routines and to keep things fresh in class. Julie also is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and works part time in the Department of Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Julie is married and has two teenage daughters and two dogs who all keep her busy and active when she is not teaching.
Group Fitness
Katey Merkamp
Katey is a licensed SHiNE Dance Fitness instructor and is excited to share her enthusiasm, motivation, and positive energy! She believes in the power of group exercise and the happiness it can bring to the mind, body, and soul. When not at the gym, Katey is busy raising two children and teaching reading intervention at CNE High School. Her favorite classes at MAC Premier Fitness are Dance Fusion, Pop Pilates, Yoga, and of course SHiNE
Group Exercise Director
Kathy Winkler
Group Exercise Director Kathy - Kathy was AFAA certified in 1997 and has been teaching classes at MAC since 1999. Kathy has taught a variety of formats including kickboxing, strength training classes, Tabata, and step. Kathy is a graduate of Louisiana State University where she competed as a diver. She participated in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Trials in platform diving. Currently, Kathy is a Social Studies teacher at Turpin High School and is the Head Volleyball Coach. Kathy has also run two marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2005. Athletics and fitness have always been a fixture in Kathy’s life and it is very rewarding for her to know how much group exercise impacts her participants. Not only does Kathy believe group exercise provides members great workouts but the relationships built at MAC last a lifetime and keep the members coming back.
Group Fitness
Kelsey Toepfer
Kelsey is new to group fitness instruction as of May 2017, and is certified to teach Pop Pilates, a unique twist on traditional Pilates that is a total body workout choreographed to pop music! The class is full of energy and constant transitions to the work of different muscle groups with each track. Kelsey began doing Pop Pilates after deciding to retire from her 8-year soccer career and has not looked back. Pop Pilates has been her favorite workout to do since 2013 and she is so excited to share it with others, since the certification process for Pop instructors was released. Kelsey is also a middle school math teacher, and she is excited to add Pop Pilates to her teaching and share her passion for fitness with the members of MAC!
Group Fitness
Leif Fairfield
Leif Fairfield earned his 200 RYS yoga certification to bring yoga to “people who don’t like yoga.” He believes yoga is for all body types, and is a perfect complement to weight training and cardio exercise. Leif leads HIIT workouts with F3 Cincinnati (Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith), a volunteer group founded in 2017. Leif also enjoys fitness boxing, swimming, and rock climbing. He reads books, gardens, herds teenagers, and plays violin with the Seven Hills Symphony in his free time.
Group Fitness
Lisa Veneziano
Lisa has been a long-time fitness instructor at MAC. She has her group exercise certification through the YMCA. She also has certifications through Silver Sneakers and Arthritis Foundation. She currently teaches water aerobics and Silver Sneakers where she enjoys motivating her participants through music to make the exercise class a fun and beneficial experience!
Group Fitness
Liz Kaesar
Liz is an experienced fitness professional holding previous certifications though ACE, Spinning, and Balanced Body. She currently holds an Above the Barre, Barre Certification. She has been a long-time instructor, and member of MAC. and is looking forward to seeing familiar faces and new faces in her classes.
Liz is a weight inclusive Healthy at Every Size™ advocate believing, based on science, that weight and BMI are not an accurate indication of overall fitness. Her high energy classes are a great fit for any person interested in gaining strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, and increasing cardio- vascular fitness. Regardless of your fitness level you WILL be challenged, and you will have fun.
Retiring from instructing a few years ago, Liz continued to pursue her love of running, swimming, cycling, and roaming the great outdoors. She took this time to fully recover from an eating disorder, write a book, and become a Level 4 EDIT™ Certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach. Her passion is to see people feel confident and comfortable in their bodies. If you are at the beach and you are in your body…you have a beach body.
Liz lives in Terrace Park with her husband Kurt and three dogs. Her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family, especially her granddaughter, and God.
Group Fitness
Maggie Mills
Maggie has been instructing group fitness at MAC since 2010. She is certified to teach group fitness, Spinning, Body Pump, and BOSU. At MAC she teaches Power Pump, Boot Camp, Power Fit, and Spinning. Besides her children and their busy schedules, she would say fitness is her hobby! You can always find Maggie on a piece of cardio equipment or working out on the fitness floor with friends. Maggie is known at MAC for her great music and the variety of exercises she brings into her classes for she enjoys learning and trying new fitness ideas to push not only the members, but herself as well.
Group Fitness
Martin Tranum
Martin is a certified yoga instructor and has been at MAC since 2012. He originally started out with Abby’s yoga classes to help out with a bad back. He’s been amazed at the core strength and flexibility that yoga gives. He hopes to make yoga feel welcoming and safe for all. Aside from yoga, Martin enjoys bicycling, guitar playing, and rock climbing with his son.
Group Fitness
Rebecca Thompson
Rebecca is an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and holds a current CPR certification. She loves all forms of group fitness but her favorite classes to teach are strength training classes and HIIT. She makes sure to bring her passion and high energy to each class and ensures that each workout is unique, challenging and fun. She believes fitness is for any age and when she isn't teaching group fitness classes for adults she teaches ninja warrior classes for kids. When she's not in the gym she loves checking out new restaurants, hiking and spending time with her husband, two kids and dog.
Group Fitness
Sherry Ransier
Sherry - Yoga found me at MAC in the mid 90’s. The class was invigorating and I loved it from the beginning. I was surprised that it was a challenging total body workout. I’m not competitive so yoga is a perfect fit to do my own thing my own way. It gives me an outlet for my high energy but also focus to de-stress and be still. I’ve been teaching yoga at MAC since 2009. My classes are active and fun for all levels.
Group Fitness
Tiffany Johnson
Tiffany has long enjoyed the group exercise classes offered at MAC. From achieving half-marathon PRs, retraining her core after babies, to completing a Tough Mudder, the MAC helped her achieve her personal fitness goals. After more than a decade of attending classes under skilled instructors, she decided to get certified to help others gain strength, confidence, and achieve fitness goals in a supportive group environment. Tiffany is currently receiving certification from ACE as a group fitness instructor. She is looking forward to getting certified in other group exercise modalities to add to the variety of class offerings.
She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Purdue University and spends the majority of her time chasing around 3 active boys.
Group Fitness
Tracey Woodson
Tracey retired from her social work career of 27 years in February 2020. Her two boys are grown; one is married, so she has an added daughter to her family. She and her husband are now "empty nesters.” Tracey spends her time teaching yoga at MAC Monday and Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings. She also still enjoys running and strength training as part of her fitness routine. When she is not at MAC, her time is spent walking her dog, Sadie, in old Milford visiting the store owners, who love to give Sadie treats. Tracey loves to welcome new members to her classes and encourages them to take full advantage of all the classes and services provided at MAC.