Our Team

Reputable
Our team members are established in the community as highly regarded speakers and educators in their fields. They are registered members of their professional associations.

Engaging
Turning employee education into a fun, interactive experience sparks the interest that becomes action.  Our team members possess the passion to ignite this transformation.

Committed to You!
The goal and passion of our team is to educate, motivate and engage your employees to see you realize potential returns.  There is not a hidden agenda to gain clientele (ie. during speaking presentations you will not be bombarded with sales and promotional material).

Team Members

Colette Baser - Founder and Wellness Director
Colette Baser founded Boomerang Workplace Wellness as it combined her business knowledge with a personal passion for health and wellness.

Previous to starting Boomerang, Colette managed a health clinic for over 5 years and enjoyed developing the company and its employees. Colette managed all marketing, event planning, wrote and designed health seminars and was contracted by Canada Post to present to all locations.

Colette also spent almost 2 years in the Oil and Gas industry, and was very effective in administratively managing a team of engineers.

In 2003, her strong desire for health information and experience led Colette to compete in an All-Natural Bodybuilding competition in Victoria, BC. Since then, Colette developed other active pursuits including yoga, running, swimming, biking and she just discovered the fun of kayaking! Colette is also very passionate about the outdoors and spends every possible weekend in the mountains hiking, snowshoeing or back country camping.

Colette has a diploma in Business Management and Marketing from Mount Royal College and has attended numerous workshops and conferences in business, health and nutrition.

Boomerang is an exciting opportunity for Colette to help employees achieve their greatest potential, thus living happier, more enriched and longer lives!

Helen Vanderburg, BKin, AFLCA, ACE, CanFitPro certified, Pilates Mat and Yoga certified
  - Fitness Trainer and Specialist
Helen has over 25 years of experience as a health club owner, international health and fitness consultant and is a respected international fitness and motivational speaker. 

She is the owner of Heavens Fitness Club in Calgary.  She has been recognized for her outstanding contribution to the fitness industry receiving the 2005 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, 2006 and 1996 CanFitPro Presenter of the Year, 1996 IDEA Program Director of the Year, 2001 Women of Vision award, and the recipient of the 2001 Mall Peepre National Fitness Leadership Memorial award.  

Helen brings a wealth of experience to her presentations as a business owner, instructor trainer, writer, video/dvd producer and elite athlete as a past World Champion Synchronized Swimmer.  She is an honoured member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and International Aquatic Hall of Fame. 

Helen is an ambassador and spokesperson for a number of organizations including the Nautilus Health and Fitness Group, efi Sportsmedicine, BOSU and Lululemon.   She is regularly featured on City TV and is a fitness columnist for numerous magazines Flare, Chatelaine, Oxygen, Self and Fitness.  Helen is a regular fitness columnist for the Calgary Herald.

Samara Felesky-Hunt, B.Sc., R.D. - Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist
Samara Felesky-Hunt is a registered dietitian in private practice. She holds degrees in clinical nutrition and human biology from the University of Western Ontario. Since 1994, Samara has developed a successful nutrition consulting practice. She works with her clients at The Downtown Sports Clinics specializing in weight management, heart disease, intestinal concerns, vitamin supplementation and sports nutrition.

Samara is well- known in corporate Calgary and the community, as a nutrition expert, nutrition educator and an accomplished speaker.

Samara has a newspaper column entitled 'Ask the Expert', which appears monthly in the Calgary Herald. She also has a monthly segment on Global TV and can be seen often on City TV. Samara is frequently quoted in the Calgary Sun, and often is interviewed by Chatelaine magazine and local radio.

Samara is a co-author with the University of Calgary of two books, 'Stress Mastery' and 'Bridging Health Care with Self Care'.

Judy Atkinson, M.Ed. - Professional Drum Circle Facilitator
Judy Atkinson is CEO of Circles of Rhythm, a new professional development company based in Calgary Alberta. Judy is part of a new and growing international movement of Drum Circle Facilitators, bringing a fresh new approach to Team Building and Wellness in the Workplace. With a masters degree in Education, DCF Certification and Health Rhythms specialization, Judy's focus is inspired leadership and encouraging people to bring a deeper meaning and purpose to our work.

She received the Woman of Vision award from Global TV and the Calgary Herald, and is well known in the Calgary workplace, in corporate Calgary as well as in the Government and non-profit sectors.

An adult educator for over 25 years, Drum Circle Facilitation is Judy's passion. She and her clients repeatedly report that it is the most powerful form of Team Building and Workplace Wellness professional development they have ever experienced.

Judy and her workshops are joyful, playful and profound. Participants walk away with lifted spirits, closer to each other as human beings, inspired about life, and full of joy. She is excited to be a part of the Boomerang team, a partnership which is in good alignment with her community approach to work and life.

Allyson A. Johnson, CNC, CH, CI, CEO, FIS - Nutritionist and Lifestyle Coach
Allyson is a nutritionist, lifestyle Coach and CEO of Choose Energy. Her true passion for people and health is portrayed in a knowledgeable yet hilarious manner that many people connect with. Her zest for life is infectious!

Allyson's extensive studies and enthusiasm for wisdom took her across the globe to amass accreditations in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle coaching, Western & Eastern herbology and iridology. Her approach to health is a balance and building of body, mind and spirit.

Allyson has spent 18 years in the health, fitness & personal growth industry and owns a busy clinic in Calgary. Her services consist of one-on-one consultations, group/corporate workshops, team-building bootcamps, key motivational events and retreats.

Finally, Allyson is truly authentic to the process believing knowledge is key and applied knowledge is power. Self-proclaimed as "Mother Nature's biggest fan" she is an active marathon runner, tri-athlete, coach and has successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

Let Allyson inspire you to achieve higher energy on this human journey of life!

Ranjit Bawa, A.C.E., B.A., B.Ed. - Fitness and Lifestyle Coach
Ranjit Bawa has a passion for helping others live, work and play at their highest level. Leaders throughout Western Canada turn to Ranjit for advice and guidance in their pursuit of extraordinary performance.

He is President of Renewed Balance Lifestyle Coaching, a company that trains and coaches clientele in both the private and corporate realms. He has introduced and implemented corporate health and wellness programs for such organizations like TELUS, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Precision Drilling, Nexen, TriStar Oil and Gas, Young President’s Organization, BMO Nesbitt Burns, Buchanan Barry Chartered Accountants, McLean and Partners, and Prizm Financial.

In September 2005, Ranjit was chosen as one of Calgary’s “Top 40 Under 40” business people for his leadership in the corporate community and his commitment to charity work.

Over his ten years in Calgary, Ranjit has been devoted to charity. He hosts patients from the Children’s hospital at every Calgary Stampeders home game and gives the kids and their families an opportunity to enjoy the experience. In August 2005, Ranjit was the Camp Leader for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer and responsible for leading a crew of 100 people at base camp, who in turn cared for 2,500 participants.

Ranjit is dedicated to excellence and strives to create memorable and rewarding experiences for all those with whom he works.

Lisa Whitford - Yoga Instructor and Co-Owner of Moksha Yoga Calgary Studio
Lisa loves teaching! She is a dynamic instructor who is passionate about sharing yoga's transformative ability to heal the body. Having experienced the recovery of numerous old injuries, Lisa is eager to share the freedom that comes with a healthy body, mind and spirit.

She is exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to help people find and develop their internal strength, through the practice of yoga.

Lisa has taught a number of corporate clients for 5 years. They continuously enjoy instruction and her calming and centering nature.

Julie Freedman Smith and Gail Bell are Parenting Power™
Julie Freedman Smith and Gail Bell founded Parenting Power in January, 2002. They had two goals: to help parents feel capable in meeting their parenting challenges and to create a successful business, enabling them to be present with their children as they grew, supporting their families with time and devotion. Julie and Gail started out doing small presentations for free in schools and community centers. Seven years and 4 children later, things have continued to grow. Parenting Power is a well-known brand in their home city of Calgary, Alberta and serves clients throughout Canada and the United States of America.

Julie and Gail are featured weekly as the parenting experts for Citytv’s Breakfast Television and contribute bi-weekly to CBC Radio’s province-wide program Wild Rose Country. They have written hundreds of articles and are regular contributors to The Mompreneur Magazine. Both are quoted regularly in numerous publications and newspapers, including the National Post and the Globe and Mail.

Parenting Power has received praise from individual parents, schools and corporations for their humorous and educational key note speeches, workshops and coaching sessions. Their presentations recharge and recommit parents, leaving them with tools to use and resulting in a belief that they can make the changes they need to be the parents and people they wish to be.

Through their interactions in the media, in person or via their ebooks and recorded course materials, Julie and Gail have left thousands of parents feeling Confident, Capable and Calm. Between the two, they have two supportive husbands, four great children (who continue to test their mothers), one dog, and thousands of supportive clients who are now confident, capable and calm.

Marty Park - Business Coach, Business Growth Expert, Personal Growth Fanatic
Marty Park is an international business coach and keynote speaker on growth and performance.

He believes that growing companies is critically linked to growing and improving the people within them. Like a great sports team, talent takes you so far and then synergy, common goals and vision need to guide companies higher.

To address the work/life balance struggle, Marty delivers powerful messages about getting the most juice from work, play and life. Learn to save time and add some adventure each day with less effort and less stress.

Marty's credentials include: 11 businesses owned, 8 years coaching, 17 years as an entrepreneur, 443 businesses coached and trained, and 15670 hours coaching, advising, improving people and growing companies. Numerous awards include: Business Coach of the Year for Canada and North America 2002 (the 2003 Award for Global Contribution to Action coaching and the coaching profession), Calgary's Top 40 Under 40 Business Professionals.

Jolene Kober, B.Sc. - Ergonomist
Jolene Kober is the CEO and Lead Ergonomic Consultant of Evolve Ergonomics. She has practiced ergonomics in office and industrial environments, conducting assessments, analyzing data, creating equipment standards and developing ergonomic solutions for these environments.

As a physiotherapist, Jolene has extensive experience in rehabilitation of repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and other work related injuries. She has observed and treated musculoskeletal injuries as a result of poor workstation set-up and ergonomic design. With a Master's in Science, she has performed both biomechanical and human dynamic research through the University of Calgary and the University of Manitoba. This has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of how various environments and different body anthropometrics affect the dynamics of performing work.

Jolene and her team love to work with individuals, large and small companies, as well as in the field or on the shop floor, getting dirty with everyone else. We believe that reaching individuals in their work environments to prevent or minimize injuries can have a significant affect on their quality of life. Because after all, it is about balancing, optimizing and evolving our lives!

Judy Mazurin, B.Sc., D.TCM, R.Ac. - Registered Acupuncturist
Judy Mazurin has been in practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 9 years. She received her Chinese Medical doctorate at the Canadian College of Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (CCAOM), after attaining her degree at the University of Victoria.

Judy has also studied acupuncture overseas at the Open International University. She continuously and voraciously updates her knowledge to bring you the most current information and therapy available.

Judy believes that "bridging the gap between Eastern and Western medicines" is the way of the future, and she believes the body has an amazing inherent ability and potential to heal itself. We are all born with the necessary tools for healing, your body will respond when supplied the correct nutrients and healing therapies. Judy humorously inspires her audiences to maintain optimum levels of health through integrity, vitality and simplicity. "You are your best doctor!"

Dr. Angela Kirk, ND - Naturopath
Dr. Angela Kirk ND is an experienced speaker on the wonders of naturally great health and optimal nutrition. Dr. Kirk ND has spoken around the province, taught university level nutrition, and has co-authored the book "All about You" which was published by the Canadian Hemophilia Society for people with bleeding disorders. A graduate from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and from the University of British Columbia with a BSc in Nutritional Sciences, she also has a busy family practice here in Calgary.

She has a passion for people and healthcare that comes through in her talks, leaving participants inspired and motivated towards positive change.

Dr. Kirk was drawn to Naturopathic Medicine due to its individualized treatments that do no harm, while empowering clients to help themselves. She incorporates Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Western Botanical Medicine, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, Bowen therapy, Reiki, Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselling into her family practice, to help direct her clients towards a healthier, happier and stress-free life.

Dr. Dennis Desjardins, D.C. - Chiropractor
Dr. Desjardins has been educating and helping people recover and prevent work injuries for over 14 years. Soft tissue injuries are the main source of injuries and pain in the work environment today and many are preventable.

Dr. Desjardins entered the field of chiropractic care through his passionate belief in our ability to be always stronger and more resilient. He is dedicated to helping his patients discover their full physical potential.

A native Calgarian, Dr. Desjardins was a keen sportsman in school. He accepted injury as unavoidable, and even believed that he would just have to learn to live with the pain and limitations caused by those injuries. When he learned about the ability of chiropractic to treat injury and eliminate pain, he knew that he had found his passion.

After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in biology, Dr. Desjardins attended, and graduated from, the four-year chiropractic program at Logan Chiropractic College in St Louis. Since then he has practiced in West Virginia, North Carolina and Alberta.

Dr. Desjardins is a fully certified Active Release Therapy Practitioner and also specializes in the use of The Graston Technique, which together are a powerful complement to chiropractic in the treatment and rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries.

Anne-Marie Polay - Massage Therapist
Anne-Marie Polay started Calgary Corporate Massage in 2005. After working in Oil and Gas for over 14 years, she realized that with a busy workplace and lifestyle, people have difficulty finding time to fit in a massage. So she brought massage to the workplace!

Anne-Marie has also spent seven years working as a Massage Therapist, most recently as Owner/Manager of The Centre for Family Well Being, a massage clinic in Calgary. She has appeared on television a few times demonstrating Infant Massage.

Anne-Marie is usually kept busy with family, getting children to various activities, homework etc., volunteering teaching young mothers Infant Massage, as well as spending time doing activities such as yoga, walking and biking. She does long distance walking, competing in Marathons and The Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

Anne-Marie has a diploma in Massage Therapy from Mount Royal College.

Jo-Ann Pawliw, BPHE, BEd. - Certified Emotional Fitness Coach and Instructor
Jo-Ann has degrees in both Kinesiology/Psychology and Education. After years of working in the banking industry and teaching Junior High, owning and operating 2 small businesses and having a family, Jo-Ann began her work towards a Master's in counseling. This led her to find the Centre for Inner Balancing, which is now the Emotional Fitness Institute. Jo-Ann completed both her Coach and Instructor Training at the Centre. Jo-Ann is also accredited in the use of the world renowned IHHP's state-of-the-art Emotional Intelligence Leadership Training Program and EI360 feedback tool. Her training includes Level 1 Mediation from the Pulse Institute.

Jo-Ann has a passion for inspiring people to optimize their full potential while maintaining a strong focus on life balance issues. She knows that organizations want people that can manage themselves in difficult times, cope well with frequent frustration and stress, and can stay motivated, resourceful, and decisive in challenging situations. Jo-Ann offers her clients leading edge training in the skills and strategies to manage these times of adversity with resilience and poise.

Fun, empathetic and highly motivating, Jo-Ann works with a wide range of individual, couples and corporations. She believes her job is to help her clients find clarity in the areas of their lives where they wish to grow and change, help them create their own plan, and commit and be accountable to it.

Jo-Ann comes from a very athletic and musical background. She continues to be active and she sings with various groups around town. Her travels have taken her to many interesting countries, and she is passionate about being a lifelong learner. Jo-Ann resides in Calgary with her husband, and 2 boys.

Ryan J. Jennings, B.Comm, ISD - Financial Planner & Speaker on Financial Wellness
Ryan Jennings is a financial planner, educator, and sought-after national speaker on financial wellness. He works with individual and corporate clients to discover their life and corporate goals, develops customized plans to reach those goals, and optimizes their present and future financial wellness. Conventionally, he has all the tools to help people find financial independence; however it has been his spiritual and business journey which shifted his approach. Ryan says "we need to gain an awareness of how money and our belief systems are inter-related" as a first step.

JRyan attained his Bachelor of Commerce degree at Queen's University School of Business in finance and his International Diploma in finance and law from UCL in Belgium. He spent 6 years consulting and assisting international businesses while operating in the world of investment and finance. He has been in the financial services industry for several years now, specializing in the financial advisory and financial planning sector.

Ryan takes pride and joy in assisting others in solidifying the wealth and abundance patterns in their lives. Ryan feels most blessed that he truly enjoys what he does, and also that his business now allows him to devote time back to community service and volunteering.

Dr. Trina Read - Sexologist
Studies have proven, a happy employee at home usually means a more productive employee at work. A good sex life really does affect a company’s bottom line.

Regular TV and radio guest, sex coach, international speaker, author, magazine columnist and very quotable Sexologist, Dr. Trina Read has one mission: To show people how to have fun, fresh and meaningful sex.

Acclaimed international speaker, Dr. Trina has had the privilege of connecting with hundreds of thousands of people across North America, Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Dr. Trina has been featured in First for Women, quoted multiple times in Cosmopolitan, as well as MSNBC News, Self, Marie Claire, Pregnancy, Fit Pregnancy, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Glow, Hitched, Best Health, Women’s World, Hooters, Destinations and Honeymoons, Philadelphia News, Calgary Herald, Vancouver Sun and The Edmonton Journal, and numerous internet articles. She has been “Dr. Love” for ThermoSpa 2005 Radio Campaign.

Her fourth book, Till Sex Do Us Part: Make Your Married Sex Irresistible (Key Porter, January 2009) will help busy couples get their sex life back on track.

She received a Doctorate of Human Sexuality from the world’s premier sex school in San Francisco, CA.

Mary Jane (MJ) Pfeifer
Mary Jane was born and raised in and around Calgary. She graduated from Western Canada High School and holds a BSc in Home Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

For over 20 years, while raising 3 sons, MJ has explored the burgeoning field of alternative/natural health. She has studied a vast array of aspects from Angels to Zen Meditation. Her strength quickly showed itself as an Energist working with Personal Subtle Energy.

She is a skilled Reiki Master and teaches the 3 Levels of Reiki on a regular basis. She holds a Nia White Belt keeping body connected to mind/spirit. As a Shaman, her fundamental goal is to improve equilibrium in all aspects of our hectic world. She works with individuals and groups to recover balance and increase awareness which allows us to thrive in our modern, fast paced life. She facilitates clients to realize solutions and resolutions, stimulate the stagnant, and renew a feeling of fun in life.

She actively teaches classes, courses and workshops in all of her areas of expertise and is always exploring new ideas and opportunities.

MJ is currently practicing Energy Medicine in downtown Calgary.

Copyright © 2010 | Boomerang Workplace Wellness

Last Updated: June 25, 2010