Premier Fitness Team

The personal trainers and group fitness instructors at Premier Fitness are awesome! All are certified, qualified, compassionate, caring and highly motivating individuals. Each staff member has different specialties, so regardless of your age, gender, needs and/or goals, we have a trainer and/or class instructor that can help you meet and exceed your desired goal(s).

Let Us Help You Get Healthy, Fit, & Happy

We Help You Stay Healthy

Instructors

Christy Gillenwater

Owner, Personal Trainer, Certified Golf Fitness Specialist, Stability and Balance Trainer & Certified Medical Fitness Specialist. Christy is currently working on two different certifications for Stroke Recovery Fitness Specialist and Women’s Health – Stages of Menopause & Exercise Intervention.

Christy is the Owner and a Trainer at Premier Fitness Studio. Christy, along with her husband, soul mate & best friend, Trey, started Premier Fitness Studio in August, 2015. They have two boys, Stephen and Connor, and live in Southport, NC. Christy loves most sports and is willing to try just about anything, including skydiving one year for her birthday! In May, 2015, Christy competed in and finished, her first Half Ironman Triathlon.

Christy is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Group Fitness Instructor, through IFTA (Interactive Fitness Trainers of America). She is also a Certified Medical Fitness Specialist through IFPA (International Fitness Professionals Association) and a Certified Golf Fitness Trainer through ASFA (American Sports & Fitness Association). Her Stroke Recovery and Women’s Health certifications are through the MedFit Organization. She has received additional certifications for training Special Populations, Sports Fitness and Balance & Stability Instruction. She has also received her certification for BOSU Balance Training.

Christy truly has a sincere desire to help her clients achieve their goals and get more out of their lives, by promoting physical training combined with making good nutritional choices! Christy’s specialty certifications allow her to work with many clients that have various diagnosis, from MS, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Parkinson’s, Stroke, joint replacement and surgical repairs. She also works with many clients who just want to feel better, lose weight, improve balance and/or tone and strengthen muscles. Regardless of the goal, Christy helps her clients stay motivated through challenging, but rewarding workouts and positive encouragement. Christy loves each of her clients and takes a personal interest in their lives, their health and their overall well-being.

Michelle Anthony

Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Group Fitness Instructor

Michelle started as a client wanting to build strength and tone her muscles. After spending some time with us and seeing how we worked with clients and the difference it made in their lives, she wanted to be a part of the team. She got her certifications and jumped in head first, training clients and teaching classes! She’s developed a reputation of being tough but gets great results. When Michelle isn’t training or teaching, she’s volunteering with SOAR Animal Rescue. Helping people and puppies is definitely her calling!!

Kendra Harrison

Group Fitness Instructor

Kendra leads our Steppin’ It Up class on Tuesday & Thursday mornings. She used to be a regular attendee of the class, along with several others, but when another instructor had to be out for medical reasons, Kendra stepped up and began leading the class. She obtained her certification and has been leading the class for almost a year! She loves mixing up classes with various stations that work balance, strength, hand-eye coordination and cardio.

Dan Sellers

Certified Personal Trainer

Dan was NC born and raised. After finishing a sales career in the Printing industry, he moved to Oak Island to retire. Soon after becoming a client at PFS, Dan began to volunteer with the Brunswick County Wellness Center, the nonprofit foundation created by PFS. This opportunity led to Dan wanting to learn more about fitness, and how he could help others. Having now earned his Personal Training Certification, he enjoys working and helping others on their fitness journey. Dan has been married to his wife Jane for 30+ years, and suffers from a bad Golf addiction.

Bob Kohut

Certified Personal Trainer

Bob Kohut is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with a lifelong passion for athletics and fitness. From an early age, Bob explored a wide variety of sports before discovering gymnastics-a pursuit that led him to compete at the University of Cal, Santa Barbara.

After graduating, Bob transitioned into coaching and teaching, sharing his expertise in physical education, health, and anatomy as a school teacher. Over the years, he has coached athletes at every level, from beginners to Olympic hopefuls and national competitors. His deep understanding of the competitive environment has shown him that the discipline, perseverance, and adaptability learned in sports are the same tools needed to overcome challenges in fitness, injury recovery, and aging.

As he has matured, Bob has embraced fitness as a powerful tool for maintaining a healthy, balanced, and fulfilling life. His extensive knowledge and personal experience have helped him navigate age-related challenges, and he is passionate about guiding others through their own journeys.

Diana Johnson-Burton

Registered Yoga Teacher

Diana comes to us with 35 years of experience teaching yoga of all levels and styles. Her greatest joy comes from starting a new student on their own yoga journey. Diana is a student of Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidananda, founder of Yogaville in Virginia. She worked at the Healing Arts Yoga and Massage School where she became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) under Ren Fields. Her style of yoga is suitable for all levels and ages with a strong focus on breath work.

LeeAnn Eagle

Occupational Therapist

Hi, my name is LeeAnn. I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve others through helping them reach their personal goals in fitness and wellness. Over the past 20 years, I have worked in the Healthcare Industry as an Occupational Therapist as well as teaching and consulting in Natural Health, Nutrition and Personal Training. I am a native of Southport and happy to be back in the area. My degrees and certifications include a Masters in Occupational Therapy, a PhD in Holistic Nutrition, a PhD in Naturopathic Medicine of which I am Board Certified, a certification in Personal Fitness Training, and certifications in Yoga instruction and Biblical Counseling. Other than helping others and working out, I enjoy being outdoors, studying, learning new things and time with family.