University of Health & Performance
Over the course of his career, Matt Hesse has utilized a strong commitment to education and mentorship to become a foremost leader and executive in health and wellness. As an Army National Guard veteran, former owner of several GNC franchises, and founder of a multinational sports performance and nutrition company, Matt has been able to transform his dedication to service and sharp business acumen into a successful educational model at UHP.
Matt initially began his mission to help veterans rebuild and re-launch their careers through FITOPS, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing veteran mental health needs through the power of physical fitness. Since 2017, Matt has utilized The Purpose Blueprint to help veterans and professionals transition between military service and professional careers. Through FITOPS, Matt and his team were able to apply their success and experience to the University of Health and Performance, creating a state-of-the-art training facility and holistic educational curriculum designed to help FHP and CPT students not only find purpose but also build a strong strategic business plan.
Matt is currently an advisor to the President of the United States in areas of physical fitness, sports, and wellness.
Hunter oversees an interdisciplinary approach to empower our staff and students in how we move our bodies to build the best versions of themselves. He brings over 20 years of coaching experience to UHP from the tactical and collegiate realms.
Prior to joining UHP, Hunter was a human performance specialist with 1st Special Forces Group for over 10 years. Although he has never served in the military, it was working with this community that he found his purpose in coaching and serving others. Hunter played an integral role in laying the foundation for the US Army Special Forces human performance program, truly encompassing that “humans are more important than hardware.”
Before his time in special operations, he was a strength and conditioning coach in the collegiate setting at the University of Wyoming and the University of Virginia. Hunter earned his master’s degree at Virginia and his bachelor’s at Black Hills State University, both in exercise physiology.
As a collegiate athlete, Hunter was a National Champion and All-American in the weight throw. He was awarded the NSCA Athlete of the Year and was captain of the track and field team. Hunter is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS) through the NSCA and holds a USA Weightlifting Level 2 Advanced Sports Performance Coach Certification as well as USAW’s Athlete Development Certification. He also holds certifications in Myokinematic Restoration from the Postural Restoration Institute, Blood Flow Restriction Rehabilitation, and CPR and First Aid through the American Heart Association.
Laura has diverse background in integrative health, athletics, and business. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in business management, Laura spent over a decade of her early career in small businesses, gaining experience in marketing, operations, and business development.
Laura was a heptathlete and competed at the national level in the 400-meter hurdles at Linfield University, where she also spent eight seasons as an Assistant Track and Field Coach. Laura coached the school record holder in the 60-meter hurdles and many other athletes to achieve Academic All-American, Conference Champion, and All-Conference honors. She is a Certified Specialist in the Sprint, Hurdle, & Relay Events from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
In 2018, Laura collaborated with a career coach to clarify her passions, values, and purpose, leading her to pursue coaching and teaching full-time. In May 2022, she graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) with a Master of Arts Degree in Integrative Health Studies. At CIIS, Laura served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and obtained certifications in guided imagery and patient navigation.
As a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), Laura is dedicated to empowering people to achieve optimal well-being in all aspects of their lives.
Alexandra Churcher-Hesse received her bachelor’s degree in Media & Communications at the University of New South Wales, Australia. In Sydney, she was Head of the Consumer Brands Practice at global PR agency Burson-Marsteller.
In 2015, she transferred to the New York City office and oversaw several high-profile accounts including Bank of America, SONY, and MetLife. From here she moved to another WPP agency that specializes in integrated communications, Cohn & Wolfe, as Vice President of Consumer leading the Alcon DAILIES TOTAL 1 account and working across the Smuckers portfolio of brands. After several years, Alex decided to pursue her passion of Health & Wellness and freelanced, managing communications for supplements brands, high end gyms, and non-profit organizations.
Ben joined the UHP team in September 2021 and is responsible for all current operations at UHP to include planning, logistics, and providing the necessary means to create an optimal learning environment.
Prior to joining UHP, Ben served 21 years in the United States Army, assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He has led teams in some of the most dynamic environments in the world and has extensive experience in strategic planning and project management. Ben spent the last decade of his career developing and managing large scale programs in both educational and tactical roles, and has a true passion for health and performance.
Ben recently retired from the Army, and after spending more than 20 years in the Special Operations community, he was excited to find an organization that embodied the same culture, work ethic, and values he had grown accustomed to. He firmly believes that the programs offered at UHP can profoundly change the lives of our nation’s men and women and create a nationwide community of Veterans filled with purpose, confidence, and the tools to succeed, in service and out of service.
As Director of Admissions at UHP, Nathalia specializes in supporting military-affiliated students. With direct experience in assisting Veterans, active military service members, and families; she has built strategies for successful military engagement and seamless transition assistance.
Nathalia will spearhead UHP’s admissions initiatives with a focus on student outcomes and job placement. Nathalia’s military background, with active service in the Texas Army National Guard, allows her to effectively guide prospective students in career pathways after military obligations.
Her roles include Vice-Chair of EANGUS’s Corporate Advisory Panel, President of TXACME, ESGR representative advocating for service-members’ rights, and Symposium Manager on the CCME board. Previously, Nathalia assisted diverse student populations to equip them with the skills to be successful in higher education.
Nathalia is a graduate from Campbell University, and also holds a Masters Degree in Public Health from National University.
Nathalia’s mission is to unite UHP resources within the military community by forging meaningful relationships to help Veteran learners achieve their professional career goals.
Kelly oversees the education program for the University of Health and Performance and teaches classes in coaching skills, holistic and integrative health, and yoga/mindful movement.
She previously served as the Director of Whole Health Education for the VA, developing and managing Whole Health education programs and trainings for VA employees nationwide. During her tenure, over 500,000 leaders, clinicians, staff, and Veteran peer coaches completed face-to-face, virtual, and online courses in support of the transformation from a disease-based healthcare model to one that prioritizes what matters most to the Veteran and best practices in integrative health.
She is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and yoga instructor (RYT-500) with over 1,000 hours of yoga training. She also has certificates in Functional Breathing from Restore Your Prana/Essential Yoga Therapy, as a Death and Dying Coach from the Conscious Dying Institute, and Mindful Self-Compassion from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion. Kelly graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and holds a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Management.
Kelly has served in the US Army for 24 years: with troops at Ft. Hood and Schofield Barracks, as the Operations Officer for the Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, and then as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Army. She is currently a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves with duty at Training and Doctrine Command, Ft. Eustis, VA, with a focus on supporting Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F).
As a Marine veteran, former graduate, and multi time guest coach at UHP. Ty brings 15 + years of experience in health and fitness and a commitment to servant leadership.
His journey includes standout achievements in the Marines, a degree from RIT, and a successful career at USAA. Ty has numerous certifications including Foundations of Health and Performance, Personal Trainer, Life Coach, and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.
For our coaching leadership at UHP, there is nothing better than when one of our students comes back to pay forward their gifts here, mentoring new Veterans into Coach’s.
Matt Floyd is an driven marketing professional with a long track record in crafting impactful brand strategies and driving engagement. Skilled in creating engaging content, managing social media campaigns, and enhancing brand presence with strategic planning, he always strives for innovation with results-driven marketing.
He has worked with global consumer brands developing marketing campaigns for Nike, Vaynermedia, and a handful of other marketing agencies while keeping a finger on the pulse for cultural and impactful moments to help build brand LTV.
With a passion for storytelling and a knack for leveraging digital trends, Matt Floyd continues to make a significant impact in the digital content and social media landscape.
