Donna Sharples is very likely the first personal you will meet at with Ascend. As our Office Manager, Donna takes care of client membership, payments, phone calls and scheduling but more than that she is here to take care of YOU and help you feel welcome and comfortable as you begin your time here with us.

Donna has been with us for over 5 years and if you have a question or a concern or you just want to chat, she is definitely the one you want to go to. Her welcoming smile, witty personality, and caring heart will make you feel comfortable immediately and she always goes that extra mile to make sure your training schedule and appointments are booked and any questions you have answered.

I asked Donna some questions about herself and this is what she had to say:

Tell us a little about yourself (personal accomplishments, your journey, etc.)
I remember as young as 13 yrs old having weights in my bedroom and doing Jane Fonda aerobic videos on TV (yes, I’m THAT old!!). None of my family were the least bit interested in anything active, so they watched and made fun of me, as families do! Years later, my friend convinced me to go to the gym, and when I did, I started to see changes in my body. It was then that I realized I wasn’t totally doomed by my genetics and I had some control over how I wanted to look and feel. That was a fantastic moment!! By my mid 20’s I became a personal trainer and worked at a gym until my kids were born. After being back in the workforce for several years, I saw the job posting for Ascend Fitness. It seemed to be the perfect fit for me. I would still be in the fitness industry that I loved, but would also be using my office and people skills.

What do you love about health and fitness?
It empowers you to be who you want to be and helps you live your best life.

Why Ascend? Why does it matter to you and why would you recommend someone join Ascend?
Because everyone here cares and is genuinely interested in the well-being of others. It matters to me because I love to help people and am so grateful to work somewhere that shares the same ideals. I would recommend us because we listen, we care and we truly want everyone to be successful.

How do you stay active? (favourite workout or activity)
I love early morning walks when it’s quiet, I do my strength workouts at the Ascend studio and I run the stairs. The Stairs are definitely my favourite for the challenge part, but the walks are my favourite for stress relief and that general feeling of well-being.

Favorite indulgence?
A good Italian red wine and some aged cheese!! Yum

Are you a cat or dog person or other?
Dog

One thing you do to keep motivated?
I try to remember how strong and fierce I feel when I’ve finished a really good workout. When I’m not active, I feel very blah and tired.

Share something unique about yourself.
When my kids were young, I wrote a children’s book.

Share a non-fitness-related interest or hobby.
I do volunteer work, which I love.