Our Coaches

Jocelyn Streng (She/Her)

Owner

Hello, I’m Jocelyn, your new coach and owner of PDXstrength! Helping athletes achieve their personal best, improve their health and attain their fitness goals has been one of the best experiences of my life. I grew up competing and participating in a wide range of sports and obtained my B.S. in Physical Education and Health Promotion.  At University of Oregon, I was a Division I three-sport athlete, competing in track, cross country, and tennis. I've been training clients, coaching athletes, and leading group fitness classes for twenty years! As a junior athlete, I was named the Athlete of the Year by USA Triathlon as well as being the Junior Female National Triathlon champion. I represented the USA by competing in the World Duathlon and World Triathlon Championships, and was fortunate to experience world class training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Outside of the gym I enjoy skateboarding, ping pong, exploring with my dogs, and gardening! I love sharing my passion for health and fitness with my athletes and students.  Choosing a coach is a big decision, and with every year I have been in this business , I sincerely believe you want a coach that has had many years of coaching behind their belt.  I learn from every client, and make it a priority to continue my education through workshops, reading, classes, certifications and time in the gym. I believe fitness should be fun, a little challenging, motivating, and a way to enhance our lives outside the gym. Strength is freedom, and health is priceless. I am passionate about providing an anti-diet culture space and have battled eating disorders early on in my career and specialize in working with clients that want to work on improving their relationship with diet and exercise. I have also been through and am still going through some devastating injuries, and enjoyworking with clients that are going through the same challenges.   I want everyone to  find their inner athlete and  live a strong, healthy and happy life!

Super Laura (She/Her)

Manager

Hi I’m Laura, the general manager at PDXstrength. I coach our bootcamp and group strength & conditioning  classes, pole dance, private one on one training, SUP paddle board classes, and excel at working with beginners. Ready to get awesome with me? My classes are high energy and fun! I have an upbeat and positive attitude, and along with my spunky spirit, you are guaranteed a super fun time when you take one of my classes. I have been involved in athletics and  fitness my entire life. I was an athlete in high school and have dedicated the last 10 years to improving my health through fitness and nutrition. I enjoy all types of exercise, everything from weightlifting, parkour, swimming, pole fitness, biking, running, yoga, and boot camp style work outs. I am passionate about helping my athletes find means of exercise that they truly enjoy and have fun with. I feel everyone is capable of being fit. I am an ACE certified Personal Trainer,  American Red Cross Lifeguard, as well as First Aid, CPR, SUP certified and AED certified. My passion is living a fit, healthy, balanced life and I want to help you achieve your best. I feel awesome every day that I am active and give my best! I want you to come get awesome with me.  

Christie Choma (She/Her)

Coach

Hi, I’m Christie! I first became interested in strength and conditioning as way to train for alpine ski racing. Throughout high school, strength and conditioning workouts made a weekly appearance in our training regimen. During my first year at Boston College, I completed  workouts on my own to supplement ski team training. I began attending a strength and conditioning gym that my high school ski coaches opened a year earlier. For the next three years, I competed in both ski racing and Fitness competitions, and I represented my gym in  Wachusett at the Northeast Regional from 2013-15. I graduated BC in May 2015 with a degree in Mathematics, and have since moved to Oregon to further explore my interests in public health, fitness, and the outdoors. I acquired my Level 1 Trainer Certificate in 2013 and my Level 2 in 2018. While studying at Boston College, I taught intro level classes and assisted my ski coach in programming our team’s workouts. In addition to coaching fellow exercisers and teammates, I love to learn more about fitness and nutrition when I’m not in the gym. You will see me at PDXstrength leading our 101 series, group strength & conditioning classes,  and training athletes one on one. I try my best to meet individuals where they are; it is paramount that physical and behavioral modifications are sustainable in the scope of one’s life. I have been so fortunate to train and compete with gym members who always keep me smiling, and I am very excited to share my enthusiasm for the joys fitness can bring!

Courtney Walker (She/Her)

Head Coach

Hey! I'm Courtney the head coach at PDXstrength.  I'm thankful to be a part of the PDX Strength Coaching Staff! I've been coaching and competing  for 8 years with 6 appearances at regionals as an individual athlete. I also competed in the GRID League for 3 seasons, and have done elite competitions including Wodapalooza and the Dubai Fitness Championship.

As a coach I look to help athletes improve their fitness in a fun, safe and motivating way, with a focus on technique and skill development! Over the years I've been fortunate enough to obtain my  Level 2 and attended the Mobility, Endurance, Strongman and Kids Courses! I am excited to share what I have learned with you!

 I did gymnastics for over 20 years, finishing my career as part of the UCLA Gymnastics Team. At UCLA I graduated with a B.A in History and then got my Master in Sports Management from the University of San Francisco.

Courtney coaches our Mad Skills and Group Strength and Conditioning classes and is in charge of programming our GS&C program.

Paul Cooley (He/Him)

Coach and Physical Therapist

Hello, I'm Paul.

I love the community and mission of PDXStrength so much, I partnered my small business with it .  You can see me most days bouncing back and forth between the gym and my adjacent physical therapy clinic. While I only coach a few classes a week, my orthopedic and sports patient population renders me a frequent face in the gym.

Raised in Washington tulip country, humbled during 5 years of commercial fishing in Alaska, and trained by some of the leaders in my field, I bring a diversity of personal experiences and unique interpersonal investment to my clinical practice.  I hold dual board certifications as an orthopedic and sports clinical specialist, and my professional bias leans heavily on strength and conditioning to get control of our musculoskeletal ailments.  Frequently, my patient care comes in two forms. 1) people with an ambulatory condition or training issue who just need 1-2 visits for education and planning. 2) people who’ve suffered a significant injury or surgery and need frequent care over time to ensure they properly rehabilitate back to their full potential. Paul coaches our Strength Tribe and Group Strength and Conditioning classes and runs his practice next door. https://stjohnsphysicaltherapy.com 

Nicole Mascorro (She/Her)

Coach

Hi I’m Nicole! Being active has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing many sports, but my real passion has always been dance. I danced with various small companies through my teen years and 20s and then transitioning into teaching and choreographing. I quickly learned how much I love to work as a teacher and coach and that naturally progressed into my coaching journey here at PDXstrength. I’ve loved using my background of conditioning dancers to challenge our gym members in new ways that they maybe haven’t moved before. A little more about me- I’ve currently retired my own dance shoes for Olympic weightlifting shoes. I have fallen in love with the sport over the years and thrive in a sport that is so technical. Outside of the gym you can find me playing indoor soccer, out and about with my two dogs, Bear and Rhonda, or baking up a storm in my kitchen. PDXstrength quickly became my home when I first moved to Portland and years later, I love being part of the team that made me feel so welcome here. Maybe I’m bias, but I truly believe we have something incredibly special and unique at this gym. My specialty lies in mobility, core work, and low impact workouts that will still kick your butt. I currently teach Barbell Brigade, and the occasional mobility pop-up.

Mindy Montgomery (She/Her)

Coach

 

Howdy everyone, I’m Mindy.  I’m excited and grateful to be part of the PDX Strength crew.  I’ve been involved in competitive and recreational sports and fitness for over 40 years (that is both awesome and somewhat shocking to say!).  I started out playing Little League Baseball and youth basketball when I was six years old and have never looked back!  Over that time, I have tried many different things but the key foundational aspect of those experiments has been “being strong”.  I appreciate the PDX Strength approach to wellness and training due to its inclusivity of meeting people where they are and helping them build a platform for lifelong health all while having FUN!  Throughout my wellness experience I have attended numerous classes and seminars in order to maximize my own training as well as providing a good platform for coaching others.  As a coach/trainer my biggest joy is to see someone set and achieve their goals or do something that they thought they could never do.  Outside of the gym I enjoy reading, puzzles, cooking, and traveling.

Cian Montgomery (He/Him)

Coach

Hi all, I’m Cian. I had early experience with functional fitness, growing up on a farm I never lacked for the opportunity for physical activity, whether it was stacking tons of hay to rafters in our barn or building fences. Throughout high school I ran cross country, played football, wrestled and ran track.  Despite this solid foundation, in my early thirties I found myself weighing close to 300 pounds and run-down and tired all the time. I decided things had to change. I set a goal to run the Portland marathon that year, after 4 months of very intense training, I did. After that I was hungry for more. I spent most of the next decade running every Ultra marathon I could find. Since then I have been participating in crossfit, highland games, dodgeball, kickball, and playing disc golf. Always looking for new ways to explore competition and fitness, I am constantly reading, watching videos, and taking seminars to grow and extend my knowledge base. Through this journey, one of the most important lessons I have learned is that showing up is the most important thing.  As a coach I enjoy working with people to help them discover what they are capable of and find new ways to increase their fitness and wellness.  Outside of work and the gym, I take every opportunity I can to be outdoors. I am an avid gardener, backpacker and fisherman.

Valerie Merchant (She/Her)

Hi there! I'm Valerie. You may have seen me around – I consider myself the unofficial welcome committee, and have been a member at PDX Strength since 2014! It’s a bit of my passion to seek out and reassure new faces because I was there once, too, so transitioning to the coaching role feels like a fitting next step. I look forward to guiding you in class, and being a part of your health and fitness journey.

Though I tried a variety of sports as a youngster, my fitness history has primarily been playing soccer (sweeper and goalie). In college at Iowa State, I got my BFA and MA in graphic design. During and following college, I lifted and used cardio equipment on my own, at a 24-hour gym. I didn’t think I needed, nor wanted, a group fitness experience. After moving to Portland in 2014, however, my husband and I joined the gym as a way to get out of the house, meet people, and stay healthy and active. As a true beginner – who was nervous, timid, overwhelmed, and didn’t know any of the movements – I kept at it, and have worked my way towards bettering my mental and physical health ever since.

When I first came to the gym, I couldn’t squat. I have what’s called Patella alta, and my high seated knee caps have been giving me trouble for a long time. Through years of rehab and help from previous coaches, PTs and a dedication to overcoming my limitations, I’ve been able to progress in many areas. Because of this condition, and other minor skeletal hangups, I have ample experience altering workouts to accommodate someone’s needs. I also have knowledge and experience with disordered eating. I hope you’ll come check us out. Any workout can be modified for anything that bothers, limits or ails you, or whatever your body may need instead that day. Please join me – all classes are all levels.

Debrah Lee (she/her)