John K. Briley MA, CSCS, FMS
Say hi to John Briley, Supervisor of Exercise Programs at ECU Health Wellness Center in Greenville, NC. John has been at his facility for 21 years! He has a B.A. in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. in Health Education and Promotion from East Carolina University.
We caught up with John recently and here’s what he had to say…
What do you enjoy the most about your work?
The most enjoyable thing about my work is definitely the positive, meaningful changes my team is able to make in our members and clients’ lives every day. I enjoy the relationships. My team and our members are like my family.
What has been your favorite initiative at the ECU Health Wellness Center?
Sometimes the most meaningful initiatives are the simplest. For years we’ve done a food drive in conjunction with personal training. It always makes the staff feel great to be able to spread our impact outside our walls by donating the collected food to the local food bank.
What led you to choose this field?
The opportunity to help others improve their daily lives, to help them realize the importance of their health and well-being is what led me to this field. My father has always said, “A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, and I guess I like being part of the prevention.
What one piece of advice would you give to those just coming into this field of medical fitness?
Be open to new experiences and populations. To me, it’s the diversity of those who need us that makes this field so rewarding and interesting.
Why did your facility become a member of the Medical Fitness Association?
With membership, our facility can be certain we are executing our business in line with best practices and in collaboration with other member facilities. I became a member through my facility’s membership and have enjoyed the networking capability it affords. I love the fact that I can pick up the phone or email and quickly be in touch with another member facility to pick their brain or share best practices. The potential for collaboration is what is so meaningful to me.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love to read, exercise and support my daughters in their athletic endeavors. Our family is always headed to a swim meet or a lacrosse tournament, but I love it. In fact, I coached my daughter’s lacrosse team this past spring and we had great success!
Thank you, John, for sharing your story and your great advice to those starting out in the medical fitness industry!
