Meet Carla Zedicher PsyD, the Fitness Manager at Madonna ProActive (proactive.madonna.org).
Tell us a little about your business. – Madonna Rehabilitation, and most specifically the Wellness Club, is an extraordinary organization to be a part of; it is innovative, collaborative, research-driven, holistic and truly cares about the individuals we are fortunate enough to serve. Decisions are made daily to positively impact the wellness of all individuals – regardless of where they are in their health, wellness or fitness journey. Through Madonna, there is something (and someone) for everyone. Teams work collaboratively to support the needs of clients, patients, members and nonmembers! Trainers, therapists, instructors, coaches, customer support… everyone!
How did you get started in the business? – My journey is not much different than that of others. I began with a personal health goal. Specifically, I wanted to compete in a fitness competition that required multiple hours of training each day. From that, a passion developed. The more I trained, the more questions I received from spectators – exercise options, thoughts on nutritional aids, programming, etc. Not feeling equipped to answer the questions I received, I went to school to gain more knowledge. I began training others and teaching classes before and after my full-time career, then eventually made the leap towards making health and wellness a full-time career.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Acceptance.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – Completing my doctorate degree while working multiple jobs in vastly different areas has been my biggest professional accomplishment. After graduation, my students decorated our classroom with congratulatory signs and Band-Aids, as they did not understand why I was now titled, “Dr. Z.”
Tell us a little about your family. – My family is highly competitive! They constantly are in search of ways to be “more and better” – more productive, more engaging, more efficient with a goal of making a better impact on the world.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – The death of my father. The strength of my mother. The birth of my son.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – I do not have many days off. I love being able to witness growth and change in clients – whether training one-on-one, in a group, on a bike, on the training floor or in wellness coaching sessions. I strive to create time for all who desire to create sustainable, healthy change.
Who inspires you? – My father has always been my biggest inspiration, and most of my accomplishments have been dedicated to him. He passed away when I was young, yet, I remember his commitment to others and his pursuit towards greatness. He was a veteran, a principal, a community leader and a sports coach. This, he did while completing a PhD, which was awarded posthumously and explains my motivation.
However, my mother is a terrific inspiration. She raised my siblings and I alone, never let us use tragedy or adversity as an excuse and always used failures as teaching opportunities.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – “Not even a mosquito gets a pat on the back until it does its job. Why not you?”
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – czedicher@madonna.org