True North Fitness - Meet the Team!

We are the Best Part of Our Members Day Everyday!

We provide results – from the deconditioned to the elite athlete. We get better results in less time than any other fitness program. We have the best training programs in the area and we’ll prove it to our members every day. We are continuously striving to better ourselves and truly create the world’s most effective fitness training system. We guarantee our members great workouts and great results.

Meet our Team!

We work very closely as a team here at True North Fitness, so you’ll probably meet and work with each of our team at some point while you’re working out. The program you are given to train with remains exactly the same, and will change every 4-6 weeks - regardless of who the fitness coach you are working out with is.

Your schedule is the most important factor to us in determining who we assign to work with you. Check out each team member's bio below. Any problems or questions with regard to your training program or schedule; please do not hesitate to contact any member of our team.

Rob Yontz – Owner

Program Designer, Lead Fitness Coach, Certified Fitness Nutritionist, Youth Fitness Instructor, Certified BootCamp Instructor

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. 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 Virginia 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, Inc.

Rob knows that its the ability to get up when you are down and keep driving for your goals that defines a true champion. He believes that everyone has a champion in them - some people just need little help to call that inner drive or to listen to it. He finds it amazing how simple it is to get the body fit and yet so many struggle to do it. The science is quite straightforward. It’s SIMPLE, but simple does not equate to EASY. The lifestyle change necessary can be challenging so many people choose to sell out their long term health and quality of life for near term convenience.

A lot of our clients ask where he gets his passion. Rob will tell you that it comes from many places. He absolutely loves the physics and mechanics behind fitness coaching and the biochemistry behind nutrition. But, what he loves most is seeing someone "get it", and then "make it", and be profoundly changed (in thought pattern and quality of life) forever.

Being active is a great gift, and he wants to help each and every person to optimize their ability to move, and enjoy life on their own terms, the way they want to, and do it pain free - that truly is leaving a worthy legacy!

Shannon Yontz – Owner

Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Fitness Nutritionist, Youth Fitness Instructor, Certified BootCamp Instructor

Shannon graduated from the University of San Diego where she majored in International Relations and minor in French. When Shannon was in her late 20’s she finally overcame her own personal long time struggle with weight concerns. Shannon became very passionate about learning and practicing good fitness and nutrition and wants to inspire those around her to improve their health. She has maintained her weight loss for over 15 years and knows that if she can do it - anyone can! She knows that there are no quick fixes to fat elimination and good health; it takes patience and consistency, time and time again to make lifestyle changes. She has made it her professional and lifetime mission to educate and coach others in their weight loss and physical conditioning goals.

Shannon loves the outdoors; her biggest accomplishment was completing the 1999 LA Marathon. Her other passions include cycling; both indoors on her spin bike and out along our beautiful Ventura coastline. She has entered and enjoyed numerous 5k's, 10k's, duathalons (bike & run).

Rob and Shannon jointly or individually hold certifications as: Certified Personal Trainer, Advanced Personal Trainer, Certified Adventure Fitness Trainer/BootCamp Instructor, 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, Certified Fitness Chef, Sport Yoga, Sports Hypnosis Performance Specialists, and Core Training Specialists.

Vicki Samra – Membership Director

When you visit or call the studio, it is likely to be Vicki's smiling face and voice that will initially greet you. As our Studio Manager, Vicki oversees all of administrative activities that keep our various programs on track, organized, and scheduled; moreover, and most importantly, she keeps our client support at an exceptional level!

Vicki's career path is extensive and in many different fields, all geared towards Management and Customer Service. Vicki initially was a client before she joined our team.

In her own words, "As I was trying to figure out what I could do to get some exercise and be outdoors, I looked at other Boot Camps and was not pleased, then I found Ventura Adventure Boot Camp. This was a double benefit for me as I was really feeling unhealthy, sick of the rat race of the corporate world and wanted a healthier environment in which to work. As I started my first week in Boot Camp, I also decided to look for another career, which led me to an ad for an Administrative Assistant with True North Fitness. At the time, I wasn’t aware that Ventura County Adventure Boot Camp was part of True North Fitness. I was very pleased to meet with Rob and Shannon and find that I liked their vision and wanted to be a part of their caring and motivating success. I decided to follow my Compass and it pointed here, I’ve never felt happier".

Lee Elsea - Fitness Coach

Lee holds a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is certified as a Corrective Exercise Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and as a Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting. Lee started his career working in a hospital as a Certified Respiratory Therapist. Wanting to focus his efforts on health and wellness, he started personal training in 1997. His training experience includes weight loss, general conditioning, post-rehab and corrective techniques. Lee blends his practical knowledge with current scientific research to help clients reach their goals quickly and safely whether for recreation, serious competition or everyday-life tasks.

Outside of work, Lee enjoys beach volleyball, hiking and tennis. He leads an active lifestyle and loves sharing his knowledge and experience of health and fitness with others.