our team

providing an uplifting personal & educational experience

Dedicated to

VETERAN EDUCATIONAL HEALTH FITNESS CAREERS

Excellence

At UHP, we stand apart as a beacon for veterans seeking a direct path to success in civilian life. Our faculty, comprised of distinguished leaders in health and fitness, is committed to equipping veterans with the skills and knowledge needed for immediate career impact. At UHP, we ensure every veteran not only discovers their purpose but also gains a specialized education that guarantees real-world success from day one. Choose UHP and step confidently into your future career.

the best minds in veteran focused health & fitness

MEET OUR TEAM

MATT HESSE

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 a transition strategy he wrote called, The Purpose Blueprint to help veterans and professionals transition between military service and professional careers. Through their research, 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.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) E. John Deedrick Jr.

Following 35 years of distinguished service in the United States Army as an Infantry and Special Forces Officer, Deedrick provides strategic guidance to the UHP leadership team, where he helps guide programs for transitioning veterans and leadership development across military and civilian sectors. Throughout his career, he commanded units at nearly every level and led Army and Joint Forces during multiple combat deployments in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. His final military assignments included serving as the U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, Commander of the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan, and Commander of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).

SEAC (Ret.) John Wayne Troxell

John Wayne Troxell is a retired senior noncommissioned officer who served nearly 38 years, finishing his career as the third Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC)—the most senior enlisted role in the U.S. Armed Forces. He held leadership positions across elite units including the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, and I Corps, and deployed on five combat tours to Panama, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. A graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy with a master’s degree in strategic leadership, Troxell is now the founder of PME Hard Consulting, a leadership speaker, author of Surrender or Die!, and a military analyst for the History Channel. He serves as a senior advisor and national ambassador for UHP, where he advocates for better veteran transition assistance. He and his wife, Sandra, reside in Lakewood, Washington, where they continue to support service members and their families through nonprofit and outreach work.

Michael R. Shea

Mike brings more than 20 years of marketing and content strategy experience to UHP. He has advised Fortune 500 companies to mom-and-pop startups, most recently as a fractional CMO with Clandestine Media Group. He served as Vice President of Media and Marketing at Black Rifle Coffee Co., leading SEO initiatives across the company’s main site and two subsidiary content marketing brands. This role followed a decade-long career in the outdoor industry, where he served as Editor-at-Large for Field & Stream and contributed to major media outlets such as USA Today and Men’s Journal. He holds a Masters Degree from Columbia University in New York City. When not in the office or the gym, he can be found outside with his wife, kids, and English mastiff Jolene.

DOUG LINDSAY, PH.D.

Doug is an experienced leader, communicator, team builder and coach with a demonstrated track record working in athletics, the military, higher education, non-profit, and businesses across multiple domains. He is skilled in organizational development and change, leader and leadership development, building high performance teams, executive coaching, facilitation and assessment.

Doug began his career by serving for over 22 years in the Air Force where he held varied roles such as scientist, professor, psychologist, director, among other roles. Since retiring from the military, he has spent the last decade working with numerous institutions, businesses, and consulting organizations developing and delivering leadership programs and educational courses focused on executive education and development, leadership, and coaching. He is the author of In Your Moment: Mastering Your Leadership Thresholds, Founder and Executive Editor of the Journal of Character & Leadership Development and has published and presented extensively on leadership around the globe.

Doug holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University focusing on leader development. In addition, he has a Masters Degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Sciences from the United States Air Force Academy.

James D. Rodriguez, MA

James brings an unparalleled level of government expertise as a deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Defense (DoD) and an assistant secretary within the Department of Labor (DoL) Veterans Employment and Training Service. He is a retired United States Marine with 21 years of active service. Throughout his multi-faceted career, James has been instrumental in driving high-impact initiatives that support military veterans’ workforce reintegration, advocating for policies that bridge the gap between veterans and employers, and creating innovative solutions to improve public-sector operations.

Hunter Schurrer

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.

Jon DuBois

With over 15 years of experience in recruitment and leadership, Jon brings extensive expertise and strategic insight to the Admissions team. He most recently led recruiting initiatives at Air Methods, where he managed staffing operations and was instrumental in aligning top talent with organizational needs. Prior to that, Jon served as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of Recruiting for the Texas Army National Guard. In this role, he successfully led a team of recruiters and served as Master Trainer, traveling nationwide to deliver training on recruitment best practices. He has been recognized as a top recruiter for nine consecutive years and has received the prestigious Directors 54 Award.

LAURA LOVELL

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.

Ben Durham

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.

Shaun Belmont

With 27 years of military experience as a Special Forces Green Beret, Shaun retired as a Command Sergeant Major. He brings his leadership, strategic planning, and performance optimization expertise to UHP. As a program graduate, Shaun is well suited to help individuals and teams achieve peak physical and mental performance, applying the same principles that defined his military career.

Dr. Wesley Northey

Wesley will work directly with our Executive Experiences on leader development. He joins us from Reboot Recovery where he served not only as the National Partnerships Lead but also as the Regional Director of Operations. Wesley brings over 20 years of experience in the health and wellness space. He has a BS in Kinesiology and Applied Exercise Science from the University of Arkansas, and a clinical D.P.T. from the University of Central Arkansas. For his Post-Doctoral program, Wesley began practice in acute care with a major healthcare system for cardiac, orthopedic, and neurological patient populations. He then went into outpatient clinical practice of holistic health and performance, working with a range of patient backgrounds including athletes and corporate executives. Later, he lead a multi-disciplinary team in the arenas of nutrition, life coaching, mindfulness, and physical wellbeing. As a connection to the military, Wesley is commissioning into the 188th Wing of the Air National Guard at Ebbing Air Base in Ft. Smith, AR as a medical service officer at the rank of Captain.

Matt Boyd

Matt dedicated 14 years to the Special Forces, serving in the 10th and 20th Special Forces Groups. After transitioning from active duty, he served as a Senior Threat Manager at Walmart Corporate, overseeing global safety and security for 2.1 million associates. His passion for business and entrepreneurship led him to work as an Associate at a venture capital firm, focusing on early-stage investments, financial analysis, and business strategy. He also developed and led a veteran entrepreneur program, providing service members with the mentorship and resources needed to grow and finance their businesses. He holds an MBA from the University of Kansas.

Nathalia Rodrigues

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 Howard​

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.
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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.
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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).

Brandi Harstedt

Brandi served in the Navy for 9 years as a communications operator on the E6-B at Tinker AFB, OK. Since transitioning from service in 2015, she has competed in bodybuilding competitions and worked as a defense contractor, managing special programs and security teams in restricted clearance areas at the Pentagon and other contracting facilities. She earned her personal training certificate during a FitOps camp in 2019, and has supported multiple UHP classes as a Graduate Assistant. Brandi supports the UHP Operations Team with planning and logistics for each course, and helps to ensure that every student’s experience at UHP is the best that it can be.

Ty Gowans

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.

Hayden Wilkison

Hayden is a performance specialist and strength coach with over six years of professional coaching experience. A proud graduate of UHP and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served for eight years, Hayden combines discipline, knowledge, and a results-driven approach to help clients achieve their highest potential. After founding his training company in 2019, Hayden expanded his expertise into the functional medical space. There, he collaborated closely with physicians and patients, focusing on genetics, hormones, nutrition, and physical performance.

Sarah “Sal” Tygret

Sal brings over 15 years of distinguished service as a U.S. Army veteran, where she developed a strong foundation in leadership, operations, and logistics. Her military career included key roles such as Executive-Level Equal Opportunity Advisor, Logistics Specialist, and Operations Manager—positions that demanded strategic problem-solving in both domestic and deployed environments. In her current role at UHP, Sal oversees student interviews, manages the enrollment process, and plays an integral role in student engagement. As a former student and graduate assistant, Sal is highly attuned to each student’s “why,” providing meaningful guidance and ongoing support throughout their journey.

Carson Graham

As a painter, writer, and filmmaker, Graham specializes in multimedia production for art, action sports, and UHP. As a professional mountain biker, he carved a niche in the Bentonville sports scene for his innovative work. This dynamic background heavily influences the look and feel of UHP’s content approach.

Wesley Johnson

Chef Wes has been a culinary leader for over 30 years, specializing in contemporary American cuisine with a farm-to-table focus. A James Beard Best New Restaurant Nominee for his work at Salt in St. Louis, he blends French fine dining techniques with locally sourced ingredients to create innovative, seasonal menus. Beyond restaurants, he has catered for families and renowned artists nationwide. Currently overseeing food and nutrition services at UHP, he applies his expertise in fine dining and research to provide nutritious, high-quality meals that support student well-being and success.

Ben Hunt

With over 15 years of military service, Chef Ben currently leads the culinary team at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, as an active member of the 131st Force Support Squadron in the Missouri Air National Guard. At UHP, Ben ensures each guest always feels like the most crucial person on camp. Ben believes in providing elite customer service, and he genuinely cares about every person who steps foot on the campus.

GUEST COACHES

Zach Finer

DOCTORATE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Dr. John Berardi

FOUNDER, PRECISION NUTRITION

Dr. Allison Brager

NEUROSCIENTIST

Lindsey Mitrosilis

LINKEDIN EXPERT

Susan Lopez, RD

TACTICAL DIETITIAN

Dr. Theresa Larson, DPT

FOUNDER, MOVEMENT RX

step confidently into your future career

Transform your military experience into a thriving civilian career supported by the expertise of UHP's top minds in veteran-focused health and fitness.

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