Our Coaches
Joining Great Wolf means gaining access to a team of professional coaches invested in your goals. Our full-time coaching staff brings over 30 years of combined experience.
Todd Wise - Sport & Fitness Coach
I started coaching human movement at 15 years old as a 1rd degree black belt instructing Martial Arts. I continued on for 7 years taking many students from white belt to black belt and achieving more degrees in taekwondo to grow my teaching. Along the way I earned myself a few national and international titles fighting. In college my focus shifted to my schoolwork and playing Lacrosse. I found myself away from fitness for about 2 years when I was working for an online company. You could say that time away from physical movement showed me that I had a deep love for movement and working for the online company was not where my heart was and I started my journey as many do with personal training. In 2011, I was at 24 hour fitness working full time as a trainer and a colleague brought me to a crossfit gym and I was hooked. After two years in crossfit In 2013 I opened Sundown CrossFit with some amazing staff we grew the gym to 200+ members. In 2017 we opened CrossFit Currahee (now Standard Strength CrossFit) and grew that gym as well to 200+ members, both are still open to this day.
Over the years of owning CrossFit affiliates I have also spent my off-floor time coaching clients in a 1-on-1 program design remotely. This has been for both competitive CrossFit sport athletes and general physical preparedness clients. I started remote coaching first with Brute Strength Training for 3 years and in 2020 we started Pack Training and we now employ coaches of our own in that business. I have coached multiple CrossFit Games athletes, Regional/Semifinal athletes & Teams, and the Fittest 55-59 year old Woman on Earth in 2022. This experience of working with thousands of athletes over the years has brought us here, to Great Wolf CrossFit which will be the final gym in the journey and we hope to grow it here in Rochester for years to come, build healthy, happy, family based communities focused on improving their health and longevity.
Fun fact: I coached Women’s lacrosse at Pioneer High school in 2018 & 2019 (2019 season went undefeated 12-0) coaching High School or College athletics is something I look into from time to time in the Rochester area.
CrossFit Level 2
CSCS
NASM CPT
OPEX CCP
ACE pregnancy & postpartum strength coach
USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach
Eleiko Weightlifting Level 1 (Performance Coach)
NFHS National Coaching Credentials
Merissa Wise - Nutrition & Fitness Coach
I have traveled a long road with nutrition personally from battling an eating disorder in my high school to playing collegiate athletics and working the sports nutritionists. After college I realized how intrigued I was about nutrition and despite my rich history with it, I really didn’t know all that much about it. I immersed myself in the field of nutrition and coaching and the rest as they say, is history.
I understand how complicated nutrition and health can feel at times and know how rewarding navigating that journey can be. One thread that has been common throughout my experience coaching in both nutrition and CrossFit is that my purpose is to empower people, it is something I carry into my work every day. Nothing lights me up more than seeing my clients take strides towards their goals.
6 Years Nutrition Coaching Experience
Working Against Gravity Certified Coach
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
8 Years’ CrossFit Coaching Experience
2 Years’ Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaching
Competitive CrossFit Athlete (2019, 2020 Sanctionals Team, 2022 Semifinals)
B.S. Human Wellness Management
Jenn Craig - Fitness Coach
With over two decades of experience in the healthcare field, coupled with certifications as a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, NASM Personal Trainer, Massage Therapist, and Nutrition Coach, I am dedicated to guiding individuals towards optimal health and wellness.
My journey into the world of fitness began unexpectedly after undergoing ankle surgery at the age of 50. Despite never considering myself athletic, I discovered the transformative power of CrossFit in 2016. This newfound passion ignited a desire within me to help others realize their potential and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
Originally from Buffalo, I settled in Rochester in 1997, where I continued my career in healthcare. Now, residing in Penfield with my husband, I've found fulfillment in coaching and empowering others to overcome obstacles and achieve their fitness goals. Combining my extensive healthcare background with specialized training in fitness, massage therapy, and nutrition, I offer comprehensive support to individuals seeking to enhance their physical and mental well-being.
Level 1 CrossFit Trainer
NASM CPT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Meg Perdew - Fitness Coach & Nutrition Coach
Everyone has their own story when it comes to nutrition, exercise, body image and self-esteem. Our past plays an integral role in the habits and mindset we develop regarding what and how to eat, how fitness fits into our lifestyle and our self-concept. As a coach I have found that having a complete understanding of an individual’s past and current challenges or goals surrounding health and fitness is key to providing support that helps clients improve their lifestyle and reach a wide variety of performance, aesthetic and mindset goals.
My interest in nutrition and fitness began when I faced my own health challenges as a teenager and experienced firsthand that dialing in my own lifestyle habits could not only improve my physical health, but my mental health too. This personal impact led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Nutrition Applied Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, I went on to earn a Master of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria. Through my graduate studies, I was able to apply my knowledge about nutrition across the lifespan, studying eating behaviors in children and families and supporting a research team in developing a Family Healthy Living Program (FHLP).
Ultimately, however, my time doing research helped me to realize that I was more passionate about working with people one-on-one and helping them to achieve their individual goals. In 2020 I began working as a nutrition coach and have continued to do so ever since! I have worked with over 300 clients including postpartum women, women entering menopause, collegiate athletes, CrossFit athletes and older adults. My goal is to meet each client where they are in the present moment and best inform a path forward with their nutrition. My coaching style involves motivational interviewing techniques and incorporates an evidenced-based approach rooted in behavior change techniques, habit and identity formation.
BSc. Degree in Nutrition Applied Sciences
MSc. Degree in Kinesiology
M2 Performance Nutrition (PN) Hormone Health Certification
M2 PN Practical Nutrition Coaching Certification
Published Public Health Researcher