Program Directors/Instructors

Rob & Shannon Yontz

Hi, as the program directors and instructors for Ventura Adventure Boot Camp we would like to welcome you to our site. We would also like to congratulate you on talking the first step toward a healthier, fitter and happier you! Regardless of whether you are looking to get started on a fitness program or if you are in good shape and just looking to spice it up or break a performance barrier, Adventure Boot Camp is the program for you!!

Adventure Boot Camp is a 4-week outdoor group fitness program known for generating fast results in a safe, noncompetitive (unless you are competing with yourself!) and totally fun manner! Our goal is to Jump Start your fitness program or to Jump it up to the next level (over that current plateau) and provide the tools and education to keep you feeling good, performing better, and being your best.

In our classes you can rest assured that you are getting first-rate professional, multi-perspective instruction in all aspects of the mind-body connection required for health. We jointly or individually hold certifications as: Personal Trainer, Advanced Personal Trainer, Adventure Fitness Trainer, Fitness Nutritionist, Yoga Instructor, Biomechanics Specialist, Functional Training Specialist, Fitness Assessment Specialist, Senior Fitness Instructor, Youth Fitness Instructor, Youth Nutrition Specialist, and in Pediatric and Adult CPR & First Aid. We are also each currently progressing toward certifications as Pilates Instructors, Sports Hypnosis Performance Specialists, and Core Training Specialists.

Shannon graduated the University of San Diego in International Relations and had a successful career in the hospitality industry before following her calling to health and fitness. It was while in her late 20’s that Shannon overcame her personal long time struggle with weight concerns. Since then she has been passionate about learning and practicing good fitness and nutrition and inspiring those around her to improve their health. Having maintained her weight loss for over 10 years, she made it her professional mission to coach others reach their weight loss and physical conditioning goals.

Sports and fitness have always been an integral part of Rob’s life. Both parents were collegiate level athletes and graduated with Physical Education degrees and he has been a team and individual athlete since the second grade. His activities have ranged from playing and lettering in football, baseball, wrestling, and track & field; to water and snow skiing, racquetball, running, and weight training. Rob is a Va. Tech alumni and a U.S. Navy veteran who had a distinguished career in Reliability Engineering before partnering with Shannon to build the vision of True North Pioneering.

We know that being fit is possible at any age. It simply takes the fortitude, determination and support to live it. Anyone can be fit once they learn to consistently practice making the right nutritional choices, live actively, exercise, and get adequate rest. At Ventura Adventure Boot Camp we push our campers hard; you will achieve a new level of fitness and we promise to be there to motivate, mentor, coach, push, pull and make you laugh and have fun every step of the way. It is our desire and goal to help you achieve your fitness goals now and keep them in the future.There are many aspects to love about Adventure Boot Camp that will keep you coming back; the variety of the workouts, the camaraderie of the campers, the results!! Which one will get you?

Join Us! We look forward to seeing you at camp!

 

Support Staff

Fitness Consultant
John Spencer Ellis; BS, MBA, PhD Ed

 
Dr. Ellis has spent his entire adult life teaching others about optimal health,  peak performance, motivation, and business development. He has been a fitness educator for over 13 years and in this time, he has trained over 2,000 clients and 30,000 fitness professionals.
 
He is founder, President, and CEO of NESTA, National Endurance & Sports Trainers Association, and Spencer Institute, a professional life coaching association that provides life coach business development, coach training, life strategies coaching certification and support for individuals who desire to help others achieve peak performance in life.

“ I look forward to having you experience this unique fitness adventure.
There is truly nothing quite like it! ”

John Spencer Ellis

John has become one of the most diversely trained fitness professionals in the United States. He has extensively studied mind-body fitness and alternative health. He holds bachelors degrees in business and health science, an MBA with an emphasis in marketing as well as a doctorate in education. His medical training includes being a licensed radiological technologist, certified medical assistant, and training in McKenzie rehabilitation exercises. He has more than fifteen fitness certifications, is a 2nd degree black belt in kung-fu and has completed the Ironman triathlon. He also finished 5th in the U.S. National Biathlon (run/bike) Championships.
 
John is on the Advisory Board for the American Association of Personal Trainers and is a Fellow of the National Board of Fitness Examiners. The combination of John's formal education, practical experience and fun approach to exercise, have made his camps very exciting and popular.
 

Nutrition Consultant
Lucho Crisalle; BS, RD

Lucho brings 19 years of experience as a nutrition and fitness expert to True North Fitness and Ventura Adventure Boot Camp. His nutritional approach has been described as “demystifying nutrition” and has helped motivate countless individuals to achieve life-changing results.
 
Lucho is founder, President and CEO of Exercise & Nutrition Works, Inc. holds a Bachelor's Degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition and Dietetics with a minor in Exercise and Sports Sciences from The University of Florida, Gainesville.
 
He completed his dietetic internship in Los Angeles, California through Cal State Long Beach, has worked as a clinical dietitian at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Barlow Respiratory Hospital where he worked closely with highly compromised patients in the Burn, Intensive Care, Orthopedic and Oncology Units.
 
After his tenure in the clinical field, Lucho went on to head the Nutrition Department for The Sports Club Company at The Sports Club/Irvine, one of the country’s most exclusive health clubs. Lucho also served as the head of nutrition for NESTA - the National Endurance & Sports Trainers Association from 1999 – 2005 and is currently working with Future Fit and The Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) as the creator of their Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist™ and Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist™ programs.
In addition to being a Registered Dietician, Lucho is also a certified clinical hypnotherapist, a certified Hemispheric Integration™ and NLP Master Practitioner, and certified Life Strategies Coach. Lucho has been coaching individuals on lifestyle enhancement for many years and is now committed to sharing his knowledge by creating continuing education courses for fitness and wellness professionals. Lucho is credited with developing world-class custom nutrition programs for Americas’ top CEOs and multi-million dollar health clubs and he has authored certification courses in human performance and fitness nutrition for the advancement of personal trainers world wide.