Our Team

With over 20,000 training sessions under his belt, Tony still considers himself a student in the health and fitness industry. Born and raised just south of Annapolis, his love for sports and fitness started at an early age. Upon graduating from Southern Senior High School, Tony began working at the Nina B. Hollis Wellness Center as a student fitness instructor on the campus of Florida Southern College. After returning home he quickly got a job at Bowie SportFit and continued his love for working out and training. During this time, Tony received a great opportunity to work in the chiropractic field, which only expanded his knowledge of the human body. After becoming a licensed Chiropractic Technician by the Maryland Chiropractic Board of Examiners and spending four years at Advanced Chiropractic Center in Crofton, Tony began studying for the American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainers exam and passed it with flying colors. With energy through the roof and a passion for helping people, Tony started training clients and hasn’t looked back since. In 2008, Tony met Joe Aben in Arnold and begin coaching at Excellence in Fitness. Tony is a Certified Personal Trainer by the National Strength Professionals Association and most recently became a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist. When he’s not in the gym, Tony enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. They travel frequently and enjoy all types of sports and outdoor activities. With his ambition and wealth of knowledge in the health and fitness industry constantly expanding, his number one priority is making sure every client obtains all of their specific goals utilizing the Body of Excellence program here at Excellence In Fitness.

Bobby played football and basketball at South River High School. He graduated in 2008, and accepted an athletic scholarship to continue his football career at Old Dominion University. Two years later he transferred to Shepherd University where he graduated with a bachelors degree in Fitness and Exercise Science. During his three years at Shepherd, the football team won two conference championships in addition to reaching the NCAA Division 2 final four. He was named team MVP in 2012. After college, he worked as a Performance Coach at Athletic Republic where he trained athletes of all ages. Bobby is CPR/AED certified and NSPA certified. Bobby also has experience at Excellence in Fitness as a client. In 2004 he was trained by the owner, Joe Aben, for his first season of high school football. Bobby draws upon his experience as an elite level athlete and his thorough understanding of the Body of Excellence Training Program & Protocol to deliver safe and highly effective professional fitness coaching to the clientele at EIF.

Rob is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer who received a B.S. in Exercise Science from Salisbury University with a minor in Psychology. Rob was born in Euclid, Ohio but was raised in Annapolis, MD since the age of three. He grew up playing a wide variety of sports, sparking his interest in the exercise field. Rob attended Broadneck High School and ran 4 years of varsity track & field. Rob’s main events included triple jump, long jump, and the 400m dash. While on the track team Rob found that he was 6 ft tall and only 120 pounds, making him underweight. After consulting a personal trainer for strength training and nutritional advice, Rob began a hypertrophy/strength training program. By his second year of college, Rob gained roughly 50 pounds while still maintaining a low body fat percentage. During his years at the university, Rob studied the exercise sciences, learning about strength training techniques, special populations, anatomy, and the physics of human movement. Post-graduation, Rob stayed in Salisbury, MD and acquired years of experience as an Exercise Specialist in the physical therapy field through rehabilitation hospitals and outpatient clinics. Through his degree in Exercise Science and experience in physical therapy, Rob has an extensive knowledge of proper body mechanics, contact-guard, full-body stretching, and special populations. Before joining EIF’s team of coaches, Rob was also the Head Personal Trainer at a fitness center in Laurel, Delaware. There he worked 1-on-1 with clients of all fitness levels to help reach their fitness goals. Ready for more opportunity, Rob moved back to Annapolis, MD and joined the EIF team. Rob is certified in the Body of Excellence training protocol and is excited to encourage and motivate every EIF client.

Elee grew up right down the road from Excellence in Fitness in Millersville and attended Severna Park High School, where he played varsity football for the Falcons. To train for upcoming seasons, he spent his summer afternoons in the weight room. He was introduced to strength training by a gym teacher, and from there learned how essential proper strength training is critical to remaining injury free and performing at the highest caliber. Elee immediately fell in love with the weights and continued to train and began studying and testing dozens of different methods and programs to become stronger and gain muscle mass. Elee entered into his first powerlifting meet at age 18 and set the Maryland state record in the squat, bench press, and deadlift for his weight class at the 2014 USAPL American Open in Washington, D.C. He continues to compete in the USAPL, the nation’s leading drug-free powerlifting federation and at the 2015 USAPL Raw National Championship, he squatted 500 lbs. for the first time. Elee is a graduate from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. While completing his degree, Elee worked as a technician at several Physical Therapy clinics, gaining valuable experience in injury rehabilitation and corrective exercise. He received his personal training certification from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2018 and is also certified in the Body of Excellence training protocol. Elee is excited to be a part of the professional fitness coaching team at Excellence In Fitness and enjoys working with individuals who are looking to increase strength, flexibility and stamina. He also has the ability to safely and progressively guide clients whose goals include injury prevention and body-fat loss.

Joe was born and raised in Calvert County, Maryland. He started playing football, baseball and basketball at the ripe age of 8. Joe then continued playing all three sports throughout his high school career at Huntingtown High. Joe also encountered and overcame his first of many sports injuries and surgeries (shoulder and hand) at this time. Joe then attended Immaculata University. He continued to play baseball and lettered as a four-year varsity starter in college. Unfortunately, injuries halted his collegiate baseball career at the end of his senior season. Joe underwent his first knee surgery during exam finals of his senior year. Due to complications, Joe was forced to undergo a second reconstructive knee surgery later that year. Joe graduated from Immaculata with his Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology. Joe is certified as a Corrective Exercise Specialist by the Academy College of Sports Medicine. He is also certified as a Speed Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Joe furthered his education at California University of Pennsylvania by acquiring his Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences with a focus in Orthopedic Rehabilitation. As a full-time graduate student, he completed this two-year program in 1 full year and graduated with a 3.8 GPA. While he was acquiring his Master's Degree, Joe also worked full time (40-60 hours a week) as a Physical Therapy Technician. He proceeded to work as a technician for another year after graduation. Joe then moved back to Calvert County where he became a personal trainer for Georgetown University at Yates Field House. Through personal and professional experience with health, fitness and wellness, Joe is able to relate to and work with a wide range of clientele. Postural awareness, technique and proper form are key elements in his approach to all forms of training and greatly complements Excellence In Fitness' philosophy and Body of Excellence protocol. Joe's goal is to first educate, then strive to maximally enhance and positively impact all aspects of EIF clients' lives.

Chris grew up in Elkridge, Maryland and graduated from Long Reach High School. During high school, Chris was a two-sport varsity athlete in baseball and football. After receiving the junior varsity offensive player of the year honor as a quarterback his freshman year, he later received the same honor as a wide receiver at the varsity level. As a senior, Chris made the All- Howard County Varsity baseball and football team and competed in the Maryland High School Senior All-Star Baseball Game. During his junior year, Chris signed a NCAA Division 1 Baseball athletic and academic scholarship to Mount St. Mary’s University. As a freshman, Chris studied business marketing and management while competing in the North East Conference as The Mount’s starting centerfielder. After two years, Chris decided to transfer to the University of Maryland, College Park to pursue his passion in the field of Kinesiology. The University of Maryland’s Kinesiology program ranks among the top three athletic training and exercise science degree programs in the nation. Prior to EIF, Chris worked as a Physical Therapy Technician at Catonsville Physical Therapy where he aided the rehabilitation and recovery of patients. The experience as a PT technician enhanced his understanding of methods used to strengthen and restore physical function. Chris’s passion and understanding for living a healthy lifestyle will be evident when he is working directly with clients. Chris is extremely enthusiastic to augment the lives of individuals to further their fitness and nutritional goals in a safe and productive manner.

Chris was born and raised in Williamsburg, Virginia and attended Jamestown High School where played both basketball and baseball. Entering his senior year, Chris ran on the school’s cross-country team to be conditioned for the upcoming basketball season, but instead developed a love for running. Rather than furthering his baseball and basketball careers, he continued to train as a middle-distance runner for the remainder of his senior year and improved so drastically that he was recruited to the D1 track team at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Since he was raised with a passion for sports and fitness, Chris chose to study as an Exercise Science major while attending Liberty. Continuing his career on the University’s track team, he worked hard to improve his 800m and 1-mile times and by his sophomore year had earned All Conference honors as a silver medalist. Unfortunately, his career was cut short as he suffered an ACL tear. Chris recently suffered his third ACL injury, underwent surgical treatment and physical therapy and has regained his mobility and strength. Through his experience in rehabilitation of his injuries, Chris continues to reinforce his knowledge of exercise and recovery. Now graduated, Chris continues to be a student of his profession and is dedicated to pursuing excellence as a Professional Fitness Coach at EIF. He is a certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine and he is ecstatic to help people improve their quality of life via physical fitness and wellness.

Kelly joined the Beltsville Swim team at the age of 8 years old where she quickly excelled to become the final leg in the 8 and under Freestyle Relay event. She swam year-round on the Maryland Suburban Swim Club for 11 years; Kelly set and held numerous records for many years in the Prince-mont swim league as well as the local state Junior Olympic swim competitions. She attended High Point High School and earned a varsity swimming letter all 4 years. Kelly also worked as a lifeguard at Six Flags America Amusement Park through high school. Kelly matriculated to Salisbury University majoring in Athletic Training. As a student athletic trainer, Kelly gained 1500 hours of experience working a rigorous work schedule which included a full academic load. Kelly tirelessly helped 2 of the teams she trained win national titles and was presented with championship rings along with the entire training staff. She completed practicum hours in a variety of settings including a podiatry clinic, Peninsula Regional Medical Center operating room, Salisbury EMS ambulance and Foot Management Co., assisting with the fitting and creation of custom-made orthotic shoe inserts. For her senior internship, Kelly was accepted by Georgetown University and worked alongside the Hoyas Men’s Basketball team. In 2004, Kelly graduated with honors and became a Certified Athletic Trainer by the Athletic Training Board of Certification. Following graduation, she was hired by Georgetown as an Assistant Athletic Trainer covering Football, Baseball and Men’s Lacrosse. She then was accepted into the Kinesiology and Rehabilitative Science department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to pursue her Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Leisure Science. Kelly spent years teaching athletic injury evaluation and CPR courses to undergraduate students while doing research on the Hawaii Anaerobic Run Test. She also participated in other research studies of fellow graduate students that involved the dissection of human cadavers, gait assessment through the use of biomechanical technology and common exercise physiology testing such as VO2 Max and lactate threshold analysis. After years of extensive writing, Kelly defended her thesis on the “Reliability and Accuracy of Handheld Stopwatches Compared with Electronic Timing in Measuring Sprint Performance” in front of a panel of experts prior to graduation which led to publication in the Research Journal of Strength and Conditioning. Kelly has been employed by Southwestern Oregon Community College (SW) for the past 12 years as a Certified Athletic Trainer and Tenured Professor. Her academia duties included teaching a wide range of courses such as Body Structure & Function, Personal Training, Nutrition, Personal Health, Wellness for Life, Athletic Injury Evaluation & Rehabilitation, and Athletic Taping & Bracing. She was an advisor for students in preparation for transferring to the 4-year institution of their choice. Elected by her faculty peers, Kelly served as a faculty senator for 2 years working on projects to increase student success and retention such as college accreditation, faculty professional development opportunities, program assessment & course revision, instructional design, as well as diversity, equity & inclusion work. As the SW Athletic Trainer, Kelly oversaw 250 student athletes from 19 sports including Baseball, Soccer, Softball, Wrestling, Swimming, Basketball, Golf, Track & Field, Cross Country, Volleyball and eSports. She was responsible for the evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of all athletes as well as practice and game coverage. She also ran the SW Athletic Training Clinic where she was the primary consultant for physicians and local healthcare providers who served the college. Kelly is certified by the American Red Cross in CPR, AED & First Aid for both the lay responder and the professional rescuer. To give back to the community, she volunteers her time as an instructor and teaches CPR classes at local American Red Cross agencies. Kelly is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Counsel of Exercise. She is a single parent of two very active boys. When they are not busy with sports, they fill their downtime spending time together crafting, playing the piano, hanging with family & friends and cooking.

Neil Wittmer comes to EIF after 5 years as a Strength and Conditioning coach at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). While there, he worked with all 15 Division 1 sports teams, implementing strength and conditioning programs, as well as nutrition, mobility and lifestyle improvement initiatives for the student athletes. During his time at UMBC, Neil was a major part of championship winning Swimming and Baseball programs, while also assisting the Women’s basketball program to postseason success. Prior to UMBC, he was a graduate assistant at the University of Miami working with Men’s and Women’s Basketball, while also working as a mobile personal trainer for clients in South Beach, Coral Gables and the surrounding Miami area. Neil also has extensive experience training older and sedentary populations with ages ranging from 5 to 90 years old. Neil has a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Miami (FL). Neil is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA and also holds certifications through USA Weightlifting and Functional Range Systems (FRS) for joint and mobility specific improvement. As an athlete/fitness enthusiast, Neil has experience playing basketball at the NCAA and Junior College level, has competed in powerlifting (including 2nd place in the Raw Classic 220 lb. division in April 2018), has completed numerous full marathons/half marathons, 5 and 10k races, obstacle runs and biked the entire C & O Canal-GAP Trail to Pittsburgh. In his free time, Neil enjoys playing basketball in tournaments all over the country, hiking and camping. Neil is certified through EIF’s intensive Body of Excellence Program and is a great addition to the stellar training team. No matter what your goal is, he has the experience and desire to help you reach and surpass it!

Christie Belcher is an experienced Human Resource Business Consultant with a demonstrated history working in the Hospitality, Higher Education and Wealth Management industries. She is skilled in strategic business consulting initiatives including workforce development, project management, employee training, workforce analytics, human resource management, organizational enhancement and other organizational consulting functions. Christie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Christopher Newport University in Newport News. While attending Christopher Newport University she was a member of the women’s lacrosse team and volunteered with the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her dogs, Thor, Luke and Leia, doing anything active and traveling as much as possible with her husband and family.