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HAC Staff

Desk Staff, Instructors, Personal Trainers

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  • Perry & Judy Messer

    Perry & Judy Messer

    Perry and Judy Messer became the owners of the Hampshire Athletic Club in the fall of 2007. They have owned and ran HAC’s sister facility, Northampton Athletic Club since 1982. Perry and Judy feel very fortunate to be a part of both the Amherst and Northampton community.

    When they are not at the Clubs Perry and Judy enjoy running together, traveling with their three children and volunteering as board members of the Northampton High School Booster Club.

  • C. J. DeMatteo

    C. J. DeMatteo

    Contact C.J.



    • trainwithcj413@gmail.com

    • 413-519-3707

  • Beth Rossi

    Beth Rossi

    Who would have guessed that when I began teaching aerobics in 1988 at a tiny gym called Northampton Nautilus, now Northampton Athletic Club, located in the back half of a motorcycle shop, it would still be my calling and passion 33 years later!  I currently teach an Aqua and a Pilates Fusion class at Hampshire

    Who would have guessed that when I began teaching aerobics in 1988 at a tiny gym called Northampton Nautilus, now Northampton Athletic Club, located in the back half of a motorcycle shop, it would still be my calling and passion 33 years later!  I currently teach an Aqua and a Pilates Fusion class at Hampshire Athletic Club and a Step Class at Northampton Athletic Club.  I still thrive on the reciprocal energy from both new and longtime participants.  I hope folks always feel free to approach me with questions regarding their health and fitness!

    Sue Yarworth

  • Erik Pardee

    Erik Pardee

  • Kara Syer

    Kara Syer

  • Jeremy Soule

    Jeremy Soule

    Ana Devlin-Gauthier

  • Jenn Therk

    Jenn Therk

    Jenn Therk started teaching indoor cycling in 2017 and has been an enthusiastic participant for many years. She enjoys the camaraderie of a group workout and loves to get lost in a good playlist. She strives to make her classes fun, safe, and effective. She is also a competitive jump roper with Pioneer Valley Jump

    Jenn Therk started teaching indoor cycling in 2017 and has been an enthusiastic participant for many years. She enjoys the camaraderie of a group workout and loves to get lost in a good playlist. She strives to make her classes fun, safe, and effective. She is also a competitive jump roper with Pioneer Valley Jump Rope. In 2019, she was awarded 3rd Place All-Around in the Over 30 Division at USA Jump Rope Nationals.

    Contact: [email protected] on Instagram or email JennTherk@gmail.com

    Sarah Blackmore

  • Emma Ludovico

    Emma Ludovico

    Emma found her deep passion for movement and training at an early age. She trained as a competitive figure skater beginning at the age of 8, going on to compete and perform at several events throughout New England. She coached skaters ranging from young children to adults through the USFSA Basic Skills Program, also judging

    Emma found her deep passion for movement and training at an early age. She trained as a competitive figure skater beginning at the age of 8, going on to compete and perform at several events throughout New England. She coached skaters ranging from young children to adults through the USFSA Basic Skills Program, also judging and monitoring local competitions and test sessions.
    Throughout her years of training, Emma’s love for understanding, challenging, testing, and pushing the human body evolved past skating. Following her competitive career, she shifted her focus to lifting and training within a gym setting. She fell in love with it, finding the same focus, drive and energy as with her skating. Emma then became certified as a personal trainer with a specialization in fitness nutrition through the American Council on Exercise. Her love of teaching and yearn to pass on this passion for movement, have landed her where she is today. A personal trainer at HAC, ready to get you moving! Ready to elevate your focus, your strength, your mindset.
  • Mary Mason

    Mary Mason

    Mary has always held an interest for mind, body, and spiritual wellness. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Salve Regina University, she gained a particular interest in the unique connection of the mind and body, and decided to pursue her career in fitness. She has had 10+ years of experience in professional and pre-professional dance training

    Mary has always held an interest for mind, body, and spiritual wellness. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Salve Regina University, she gained a particular interest in the unique connection of the mind and body, and decided to pursue her career in fitness. She has had 10+ years of experience in professional and pre-professional dance training and continues to implement this passion into her career as a fitness professional.
    With structured choreography and high energy dance routines, Mary is able to provide her clients with fun, exciting, and engaging workouts.
    Now, Mary teaches group fitness classes like HIIT & Strength at The Hampshire Athletic Club, while also working part-time at the front desk.
    She is pursuing her career as a Personal Trainer through a certification with the American Council on Exercise and hopes to begin training at the club in the near future.
  • Emily Graves

    Emily Graves

    Emily started practicing yoga from a young age to foster a sense of relaxation, stillness, and stress relief. Since then, yoga has been a constant in her life, always serving as a way to reconnect with herself. After suffering through a difficult period with her mental health, Emily decided to pursue alignment with her passion

    Emily started practicing yoga from a young age to foster a sense of relaxation, stillness, and stress relief. Since then, yoga has been a constant in her life, always serving as a way to reconnect with herself. After suffering through a difficult period with her mental health, Emily decided to pursue alignment with her passion for connecting with people, the natural world, and inspiring positive change.

    Emily became a RYT 200 through Yoga Hive Colorado in 2021. She is honored to offer the opportunity to her students to live in the present moment and to connect with their mind, body, and breath.

  • Maria Kovalenko

    Maria Kovalenko

    Yoga has always been present in my life in one way or another. I quit classes several times, but I always returned to yoga again and again. After 5 years of in-depth Kundalini yoga classes (if you see strange people wearing white clothes, in yoga clubs, this is kundalini: yoga with a deep approach to

    Yoga has always been present in my life in one way or another. I quit classes several times, but I always returned to yoga again and again. After 5 years of in-depth Kundalini yoga classes (if you see strange people wearing white clothes, in yoga clubs, this is kundalini: yoga with a deep approach to breathing, meditation, mindfulness), I returned to traditional yoga, graduated from Moscow Yoga University, additionally took courses on safety in yoga, biodynamics of movement, dynamic stretching. It is important for me to teach effectively and safely. I have always led yoga groups for friends. Through teaching yoga, I like to give people health, inner balance and freedom of movement. Our body can do more than we think.

    Darkeith Lofton

    Kara Syer/Darkeith Lofton

  • Brenda Miller

    Brenda Miller

    "My training philosophy is to help clients reach their goals. My job is to connect with my clients, so I can understand what their challenges are - job stress, limited time, family, children or other responsibilities. When I understand what their struggles are, it helps me to put together a successful and personalized program."

    “I’ve had an interest in health & fitness since I was a teenager. I noticed that lifestyle mattered and played a huge role in how we feel and how we age. I also saw how adding healthy habits in your life can change your life at any age. Exercise is like a fountain of youth! I worked in a stressful professional office for over 30 years, and I saw the struggles my co-workers were having with working, raising children and trying to balance their lives. It was taking a toll on their energy and overall health. Most were over weight and had poor eating habits. Although I worked in an office, I always dreamed of being a personal trainer, so I could help others to reach their fitness potential, as well as enrich their lives with good health. I made up my mind that it was time to change careers and start doing what I love.”

    Education/Certifications



    • Associates Degree in Computer Science

    • Springfield Technical Community College 1990

    • Attended Springfield College – Applied Exercise Science

    • Hampshire Athletic Club since February 2013

    • Certified Personal Trainer

    • National Academy of Sports Medicine

    • World Instructor Training Schools

    Other Interests



    • Ballroom dancing


    Contact Brenda



    • 8773brenda@comcast.net

    • 413-427-0583

  • Kendra Carney

    Kendra Carney

  • Victoria Harley

    Victoria Harley

    "Surround yourself with those who lift you up"

    Victoria is a clinical therapist and educator by trade and has been teaching a variety of fitness classes for over 30 years. She enjoys sharing her love and passion for group fitness with others. Exercise has always been an essential part of Victoria’s life, and she hopes to help you make it and important part of yours.



    Education/Certifications



    • Clinical therapist, Social Justice advocate and educator, AFAA certified and Zumba , Piloxiing, personal trainer licensed.




    Other Interests



    • Victoria has a passion for traveling and learning about other cultures and has visited over 35 countries.





    Contact Victoria



    • zumbabunny@yahoo.com



  • Donna Kelley

    Donna Kelley

    "Try something new every once in a while; change your routine so you stay inspired and work your muscles (and heart!) in new ways."

    Health and Fitness has been a lifelong passion for me. After I graduated with my undergrad degree, I started competing in sport karate tournaments; a year later I held the number one ranking in women’s black belt fighting for the New England region. Soon after that I started teaching aerobic exercise at Northampton Nautilus (predecessor of NAC). It’s really great to be working with Perry and Scott again, teaching at HAC. I teach kickboxing on Tuesdays, where I focus on developing cardiovascular endurance, strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility through basic kick and punch combinations, along with weight work. I also teach intervals on Saturday mornings, where I alternate weight work with various cardio sets. My day job is at Babson College, where I’m an entrepreneurship professor. But my fun job is at HAC where I get to spend time with a group of enthusiastic and dedicated people that come to work out with smiles, laughter and encouragement for others.



    Education/Certifications



    • Ph.D., Management, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

    • MBA, UMass.

    • BA in Chemistry, MA College of Liberal Arts.

    • Currently certified by AFAA.

    • Also held longtime certifications from ACSM and ACE.




    Other Interests



    • Horseback riding, mountain biking, skiing, doing fun stuff with my daughters Kira and Jada and dog Jake.



  • Heidi Garrett Peltier

    Heidi Garrett Peltier

    "If you enjoy what you're doing, it's not work. Fitness is fun when you try new things, push yourself to new levels, and have plenty of variety in your workouts. Then staying fit becomes its own reward."

    Heidi is an economist by day but changes gears in the spinning room. Her love of
    fitness, music, and people align when she’s leading a ride and helping others push
    themselves. Heidi lives in Amherst with her partner and three young sons.



    Education/Certifications



    • Certified Spinning Instructor (since June 2014)

    • C.P.R./A.E.D. Certified




    Other Interests



    • Heidi is an avid tennis player, enjoys hiking, biking, jogging, and chasing her boys around the yard. She has lived in 3 other countries but is happy to call Amherst her home.





    Contact Heidi



    • hpeltier@econs.umass.edu



  • Anthony Neverson

    Anthony Neverson

    “One only fails when they stop trying.” -Walt Disney

    Anthony is originally from the island of Trinidad & Tobago. He has been involved in sports and training from an early age. With a great measure of success, he played and coached his neighborhood’s basketball team the Green Acres. He represented Trinidad & Tobago on the national rugby team and played internationally for 7 years. After moving to the United States, Anthony continued to play rugby for the Springfield club rugby team from 1987 to 1993. He got involved with Smith College where he served as the head rugby coach for 7 years. After his time at Smith College he spent 5 years coaching rugby at Amherst College. He is currently the assistant coach for the men’s rugby team at UMass Amherst. He has been coaching there for 6 years in counting. In 2010, Anthony attended Brandford Halls where he studied to become a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. While he was completing his coursework at Brandford Halls he participated in an internship at the Northampton Council on Aging. He came to find that the senior population is greatly underserved. He now enjoys working most closely with this age group.

    Education/Certifications



    • USA Rugby Coaching Certification – Level 1, 2 and 3

    • Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine

    Other Interests



    • I “enjoy” frustrating myself by playing golf, cycling, gardening, listening to jazz, working on cars, and of course, playing and coaching rugby.


    Contact Anthony



    • Fittp12@gmail.com

    • 413-537-9164

  • Diana Peters-Ross

    Diana Peters-Ross

    Diana began practicing yoga 25 years ago in an effort to alleviate back pain. She found it beneficial in so many other ways including feeling more balanced in body and mind. After 15 years of personal yoga practice, and studying with a variety of teachers, she decided to share her love of yoga with others.

    Diana began practicing yoga 25 years ago in an effort to alleviate back pain. She found it beneficial in so many other ways including feeling more balanced in body and mind. After 15 years of personal yoga practice, and studying with a variety of teachers, she decided to share her love of yoga with others. In 2002 Diana completed Yoga Teacher Training at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Since then, she has taught yoga classes at Holyoke Hospital and prenatal yoga at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. In 2004, Diana began teaching yoga at HAC where she very much enjoys the friendly, non-competitive atmosphere, and creating community through yoga.



    Education/Certifications



    • Kripalu Yoga Teacher Certification

    • Yoga Dance Teacher Certification

    • Prenatal yoga Teacher Certification

    • M.Ed.




    Other Interests



    • Diana lives with her husband, two sons and dog, “Odie”.

    • She enjoys swimming and hiking.

    • Diana works as a Reading Specialist in the public schools.



  • Ahna Sadowski

    Ahna Sadowski

    "Ahna's goal for each class is that it is fun, safe, and effective!"

    Ahna has been teaching a variety of group fitness classes in the Pioneer Valley for over a decade. Ahna fell in love with group fitness while attending Syracuse University where she completed Masters’ Degrees in Communication and Education. Her fitness interests are diverse and include everything from intense interval training, body sculpting, and step, to exploring the art of Argentine Tango and other dances. Ahna loves to move and loves to motivate others to do the same!



    Education/Certifications



    • Ahna holds certifications in AFAA Group Exercise, LesMills BodyStep™, Zumba Fitness®, and is CPR/AED certified.

    • Ahna attends many continuing education workshops and trainings each year to ensure participants get the most out of their workout.




    Other Interests



    • By day, Ahna works full-time as a Program Manager at the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson. Ahna enjoys hiking and spending time with her husband and their two two dogs; Martini and Bailey.



  • Lynne Nicole Smith

    Lynne Nicole Smith

    "Yoga is an invitation to explore, not a command performance. It speaks to the language of the soul. It is the union of prayer and movement, guided from inside. It is healing and the joy of saying yes to life, each breath, a "yes," and a letting go, a journey, and a coming home."

    Lynne Nicole Smith is a Certified Yoga Instructor and Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She is also a Certified Qigong/Tai Chi Instructor through the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi based in Santa Barbara, California as well as a Certified Psychosynthesis Counselor and Expressive Arts Therapist. Lynne’s teaching style reflects her passion for Yoga and Qigong as both being powerful tools and practices for releasing physical, mental and emotional blocks in the body. Through Yoga, we access a stronger connection to breath, a deeper awareness of our body and increase our level of energy and healing on all levels. Lynne is constantly astounded by the profound benefits Yoga and Qigong have had on her own life and students. Lynne also offers private lessons and individual sessions in addition to group Yoga and Qigong classes. Visit www.yogaandhealingartstherapy.com to learn more about Lynne’s work in integrating Yoga, Qigong and Counseling to support healing, peace and wellness in people’s lives.



    Education/Certifications



    • Women’s Studies Graduate

    • Certified Yoga Instructor

    • Certified Qigong and Tai Chi Instructor

    • Certified Expressive Arts Therapist

    • Certified Psychosynthesis Counselor




    Other Interests



    • Lynne loves field hockey, basketball, mountain hiking and animals of all kinds.   She started Luv-A-Pup PetSitting fifteen years ago and cares for people’s pets while they are away. Visit www.luvapuppetsitting.com





    Contact Lynne



    • lynnenicole8@yahoo.com



  • Celeste Sze

    Celeste Sze

    “I’ve been in the fitness industry since 1983. I’ve lived a lifetime of fitness and continue to pursue constant education to keep up with the ever-changing information in the fitness, massage and spa world. As your trainer, I can design a nutrition and exercise program allowing you to reach your ideal lean to fat ratio. When your muscles are fatigued I can massage you or help to rejuvenate your skin with a facial or spa treatment.”

    Education/Certifications



    • I have countless certifications. I’ve kept my certifications and licenses current since my entry in to the fitness world in 1983. I have a degree in painting and art history and 49 pre med credits from the University of Massachusetts.

    Other Interests



    • I exercise, paint, travel and eat well. I have a healthy and happy life and enjoy inspiring my clients to enjoy all life has to offer.

    Contact Celeste



    • celestesze@aol.com

    • (413)695-3020

  • Stacy Simonson

    Stacy Simonson

  • Deb Oakley

    Deb Oakley

  • Perry & Judy Messer

    Perry & Judy Messer

  • C. J. DeMatteo

    C. J. DeMatteo

  • Beth Rossi

    Beth Rossi

  • Sue Yarworth

  • Erik Pardee

    Erik Pardee

  • Kara Syer

    Kara Syer

  • Jeremy Soule

    Jeremy Soule

  • Ana Devlin-Gauthier

  • Jenn Therk

    Jenn Therk

  • Sarah Blackmore

  • Emma Ludovico

    Emma Ludovico

  • Mary Mason

    Mary Mason

  • Emily Graves

    Emily Graves

  • Maria Kovalenko

    Maria Kovalenko

  • Darkeith Lofton

  • Kara Syer/Darkeith Lofton

  • Brenda Miller

    Brenda Miller

  • Kendra Carney

    Kendra Carney

  • Victoria Harley

    Victoria Harley

  • Donna Kelley

    Donna Kelley

  • Heidi Garrett Peltier

    Heidi Garrett Peltier

  • Anthony Neverson

    Anthony Neverson

  • Diana Peters-Ross

    Diana Peters-Ross

  • Ahna Sadowski

    Ahna Sadowski

  • Lynne Nicole Smith

    Lynne Nicole Smith

  • Celeste Sze

    Celeste Sze

  • Stacy Simonson

    Stacy Simonson

  • Deb Oakley

    Deb Oakley

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  • Birthday Parties

    email: [email protected]

  • Join NAC

    our sister facility in Northampton

Contact Info

  • 90 Gatehouse Road
    413 256-6446 phone
  • Amherst, MA 01002
    413 256-8327 fax
  • United States
    [email protected]

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