JAMES TAULBEE

Owner | Head Coach

For over a year, James followed the guidance of a team of medical professionals, with little to no relief from his pain. Medications, four epidural shots to the spine, MRI’s, X-rays, physical therapy…nothing helped. The culmination of this was a very matter-of-fact prognosis from his Doctor, “you need back surgery and you will never lift heavy or play sports again.” It was on that same day that an orthopedic surgeon in the same office strongly advised him against having the surgery…and invited him to come to his CrossFit. Six years have passed since that day in the hospital, James has not had the surgery, is completely pain free as well as stronger, faster and more fit than he was as a nineteen year old infantry Marine. It was through this that James saw it fit to open FFE and help those, like how functional fitness has helped him. 

James is now a retired combat veteran, after 21 years of serving within the Marine Corps and Army. His extensive coaching experience includes: CrossFit Level 2 coach, former CrossFit Seminar Staff member, CrossFit Strongman trainer, qualified Marine Corps Martial Arts instructor, and a US Army Master Fitness Trainer. He has successfully coached people ranging from children as young as 5, to professional and collegiate athletes, to fellow combat veterans returning stateside. 

TRACEY PERDUE

General Manager  | Coach

Tracey has been involved in CrossFit and strength and conditioning training since 2012. She is CF-L1 certified and working towards her CSCS. She was born and raised in Georgia making her a Southerner at heart. She relocated up north in 2017 and made Philly her new home.

Her fitness journey started as a young child, who was always involved in various sports. She was on the varsity cross country, track, swim, and soccer teams. During high school she was the captain of her soccer team for 2 years, and still loves team sports. To stay active during college, Tracey began competing in distance races and triathlons until a close friend invited her to a CrossFit workout. After the first class, she realized her passion for the sport, and began her fitness career.

Tracey enjoys working with clients one-on-one to see big results fast. You can often find her sweating and dancing along with everyone else in classes.

Adam Trapanotto

Assistant Manager |

Intern Coordinator | Coach

Adam graduated from Temple University as an Exercise and Sport Science (ESS) Major, with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning. Prior to college, he took this passion for athletics into the Navy, where he served and trained with multiple Naval and Marine Corps commands. During his service, Adam incurred multiple orthopedic injuries during those various training programs, including while in the selection process for Naval Special Warfare (NSW). At the time, Adam thought his competitive athletic pursuits were done, allowing his injuries to cause a mental road block and limit his physical activity goals. What would follow, helped Adam find ways to adapt exercise protocols to anyone’s fitness needs or goals—including his own. As he continued his military service, he learned about the Navy’s Command Fitness Leader (CFL) program, which kick started him down the ESS path and into becoming a coach. While serving as a CFL, Adam trained the sailor’s at his various commands to meet physical fitness standards in order to maintain deployment readiness in the fleet, he also created additional training protocol for those seeking selection candidacy in NSW, as well as developed programming for sailors returning to service with adaptive training needs, such as service-related injury rehabilitation or post-pregnancy fitness training. 

Since his military service, he has worked within multiple coaching and athletics roles, including: lead strength coach and assistant instructor for THE BEASTS Tennis Squad; performance data analyst for Temple Athletics D1 Men’s Soccer Program; lead tactical strength coach and training advisor for Temple’s ROTC program (a first of its kind program in the nation). 

Adam is currently the assistant gym-manager and intern-supervisor at Fire for Effect Athletics (FFE), helping guide future coaches in the strength and conditioning profession. What drives Adam as a coach is helping many of his clients overcome fitness misconceptions, avoid chronic injuries, and ease pre-existing conditions—in a way, assisting others to avoid the training mistakes he had made himself. He actively works with veteran-centric networks, like The Weekly Fight and Team RWB to help fellow Veterans overcome their service-related injuries, both the physical and mental. He regularly programs public endurance events with these networks as well, to help build a stronger community at FFE and all of its affiliates.

Leah Shelley

Coach

Growing up in Wichita, KS, Leah was active on her school dance squad but would tend to choose art activities over sports. As she got older, she became more interested in fitness, taking kickboxing, pilates, and yoga classes here and there. However, nothing ever stuck. It wasn’t until giving birth to her daughter Reagan in 2011, that she decided to join her husband at a CrossFit gym. 7 1/2 years later, CrossFit has become one of her favorite hobbies and helped her discover her love of fitness.

Leah continues to grow in her fitness experience and education. She is an educator inside and outside of the gym and uses great patience and understanding when she approaches every member. 

Carrie Gillespie

Coach

Carrie developed a passion for physical activity and sports at a very young age. She grew up playing every sport under the sun--- soccer, softball, lacrosse and field hockey, and eventually chose to pursue a competitive swimming career. This led her to the University of Scranton, where she earned her degree in Exercise Science and Sport, while also dominating the pool. After her career at Scranton, Carrie set her sights on East Stroudsburg University, where she earned her Master's in Exercise Science. Post graduate school, Carrie moved back home to Maryland and worked as a personal trainer and swim coach for her former local club swim team before ultimately deciding to enlist in the Coast Guard. In the Coast Guard, Carrie was stationed in Bayonne, NJ working the Aids to Navigation in the NYC Harbor and then worked in Nashville, TN as a Marine Science Technician inspecting facilities and responding to pollution incidence in the surrounding area. Nashville was where Carrie was introduced to the CrossFit style workout and absolutely fell in love with it. Carrie is now living in Philly, attending Temple University to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and loving life with a special thanks to the community here at FFE and her helpful pup companion, Mr. Bentley Beans. She is passionate about sharing her love of fitness with anyone she comes across and wants to keep everyone safe while she helps them make big progress in the workouts.  

Jim McBride

Coach

Native Philadelphian and Pizza snob. Jim was always waiting until he “got in better shape” to join a fitness community.  He was afraid he couldn’t keep up or wouldn’t fit in.  His then pregnant wife, Leah told him that everyone has to start somewhere, and that you go to the gym to start getting in shape--not after you are in shape. After her sound advice, he joined a CrossFit Gym. 

Over the last 8 years of learning from coaches, as well as trial and error, he picked up a wealth of knowledge. Jim figured out how to and how NOT to do movements. He spent time learning why certain methodologies work, and how to use proper form to keep you healthy and strong for many years to come.  Jim looks forward to sharing that knowledge to help people reach their fitness goals.

Jordan Olenginski

Coach

Jordan is a former division 1 athlete and two-time captain of the Saint Joseph’s University field hockey team. She is a current second-year medical student at the Drexel University College of Medicine (DUCOM). She is also a part-time research assistant for a lab at Temple that focuses on behavioral interventions that address childhood obesity.

Jordan has been doing CrossFit and strength training for over 8 years. Preventative medicine is an area of interest for her, as she strives to play a role in decreasing the rates of obesity and chronic disease in the United States. She has her Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification and coaches a handful of clients through sustainable habit changes. For more information about Jordan, please visit her website (wholisticnutritionbyjordan.com), Instagram (@wholisticnutritionbyjordan), or Tik Tok (@wholisticnutritionbyj)! 

Emily Talluto

Coach

Emily is a fun bubbly coach who competed Lacross at LaSalle and is currently crushing it in an adult league. She now coaches at Arcadia for their ladies Lacross team.  

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She puts 110% into everything she does and loves helping others. If you see her smiling face, you can bet that her silly dog, Forrest, isn't far behind!

Zach Weglos

Coach

Coach Zach is a veteran who is serving in the Army as a Medic. He is also currently studying at Temple University to earn his BA in Exercise and Sports Science. He enjoys understanding how the body moves, and ways to exercise effectively for the results that you want. He currently holds his CF-L1 trainer certification. Zach has been active all his life by training for football, military PT’s, and continues his passion for exercise through lifting and HIIT at Fire For Effect Athletics. Zach loves working with members of all ages and skill sets to improve their overall quality of life.

Caroline Wojtas

Coach

Caroline grew up playing every sport she could including basketball, volleyball, swimming but eventually fell in love with water polo. She attended the Virginia Military Institute on a water polo scholarship and played for four years. She graduated with a major in psychology and minor in exercise physiology. Both her education and collegiate athletics experience provided her with a strong love and bases of knowledge in strength training.

As a current 3rd year doctoral student in La Salle`s Clinical psychology program, Caroline is intrigued about the connection between the mind and body. She is passionate about helping people find their motivation to work out and assisting them in getting stronger every day, both mentally and physically. 

Nita Castillo

Coach

I've always loved fitness but I really fell in love when I started Crossfit back in 2016. Since then I've done multiple Spartan Races, Crossfit  Competitions and etc. From Crossfit to Olympic Weightlifting, TRX, Kettlebell, Mat Pilaties, Yoga and the list keeps growing. I joined FFE back in 2018 and it opened so many more doors for me. I never knew I would enjoy Strongman and even find myself competing a few months later. Then started boxing in 2021. I'm all over the place with my fitness but I enjoy being well rounded and love every aspect of it.

Grace Hibler

Coach

Growing up in Exton PA, Grace competed in gymnastics for about 10 years and also did track in high school. She first started to do CrossFit in fall of 2020 and has been obsessed ever since! She considers it her therapy and loves to see the positive impact it has on others!
 

Fun Fact: If you know me, you know Ruby🐾🐕