Debra Atkinson, MS, Senior Lecturer, Iowa State University (ISU)
As a personal and business coach, writer and speaker, Debra Atkinson specializes in helping personal trainers develop thriving businesses in unique niches that result in rewarding careers and balanced lives. She works with clients who want to go to the next level in their careers and personal lives and to partner with someone to make the transition quickly. A Coach U-certified graduate, she also holds a master’s degree in sports and exercise psychology from Iowa State University. Prior to diversifying her business by adding coaching services, she owned and operated a business devoted to personal training, helping clients as a clinical exercise specialist to overcome obstacles and achieve their physical best. As a senior lecturer in Health and Human Performance at ISU, she teaches core courses that prepare students for leadership roles in fitness, and supervises student internships for exercise science majors. She is an international presenter at events including the IDEA Personal Training Congress and FACT Fest, Chicago, Ill.; IDEA’s World Convention in San Diego; and CAN-FIT-PRO in Toronto, Canada.