Meet Kathy DeBlasio

Born and raised in upstate New York, Kathy moved to North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina. She got both her bachelors and masters in Exercise and Sport Science, with a concentration in sports medicine. She enjoyed working with athletes from UNC, Duke, Wake Forest and the Atlanta Olympics as an Athletic Trainer.

Kathy took her rehab experience out of athletics and into medical fitness when she joined the team at FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness in Pinehurst, NC. FirstHealth was (and is) a wonderful place to learn the ropes of Medical Fitness, so she took that foundation to UNC Hospital in 2002, when they opened their first hospital based wellness center in Chapel Hill.  She is the Lifestyle Enhancement Director; managing personal training, massage therapy, internship program and the Performance Center.  They have since opened a second facility in NW Cary, NC and Kathy travels between the two centers to develop staff and work with members. Kathy is a certified and licensed Athletic Trainer, a certified Personal Trainer, a fellow of the Medical Fitness Association and trained as a Health and Wellness Coach by Wellcoaches Corporation This experience gives her a strong rehabilitation and behavior change background.  Kathy has selected each member of the Lifestyle Enhancement staff in order to provide a well-rounded, expert and caring team. She loves pairing the right trainer or therapist with each client, so the client can find success in their wellness goals, and the provider can find success by applying their knowledge and expertise to each individual’s unique situation.

Kathy has been active with MFA since 1997, when she attended her first regional meeting. She has served on the education committee for years and is currently the Education Committee Chair for 2018. MFA has been an amazing way to build her network and her knowledge, as well as many friendships.

In her “former life” she rock and ice climbed, competed in triathlons and taught kids’ skiing in Colorado. Kathy loves animals and volunteers at her local animal shelter. She fundraises and rides the historic New Bern MS Ride every year with Team UNC Wellness. Rooting for the Tarheels, road and mountain biking, traveling, and finding new farm–to-table restaurants with her husband are some of her favorite things to do.