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Meet the Orangetheory Medical Advisory Board

Orangetheory workouts are science-backed, technology-tracked and coach-inspired. They don’t come together by magic; we put a lot of muscle into designing each row, rep and run. In fact, we have a dedicated Medical Advisory Board consisting of healthcare professionals and scientists who play an instrumental role in developing our workouts and the fitness content we share with you in the studio, on social media and beyond. Our Board members have specialized training and expertise in exercise science, nutrition, physical therapy, public health, cardiology and neuroscience to ensure the Orangetheory member experience is second to none.  From keeping our workouts safe and effective, to prioritizing health and safety protocols, our Board works with both skill and heart to make sure our members get More Life.

Dr. David E. Perloff, MD

Cardiologist

David E. Perloff, MD, FACC, FACP, is a cardiologist in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he specializes in general, preventive and invasive cardiology. Dr. Perloff received his undergraduate degree and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, where he earned numerous awards and honors including the medical honorary, Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his internal medicine residency training and cardiology fellowship training at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. Dr. Perloff currently serves as president of the Florida chapter of the American College of Cardiology. He was president of the Broward County Medical Association from 2016-2017 and continues to be active on both the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the BCMA.

Dr. Amy Ratcliffe, DS

Epidemiologist

Dr. Amy Ratcliffe is an epidemiologist who has spent 25 years working in global health, specializing in infectious disease and reproductive health. She has worked directly with health programs in more than 70 countries through government aid, philanthropy and private sector engagement. Her public health career was established in the late 1990s in West Africa, where she led research on men's reproductive health and supported research and development to control malaria and other infectious diseases. In 2006, she helped establish CDC technical leadership of the President's Malaria Initiative and gained interagency agreement on targets and policies that defined success. She has worked on strategic development of health initiatives for some of the world's most intractable diseases within the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Over the last 10 years, Amy has led the teams responsible for planning and tracking progress toward universal access and health impact at large international organizations serving women and their families across 50+ countries. Her approach to public health is always grounded in science but managed toward the achievable.

Dr. Shannon Odell, PhD

Neuroscientist

Dr. Shannon Odell is a neuroscientist and science communicator. She completed her PhD in neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she researched the molecular basis of memory formation and how our brains adapt to meet environmental challenges. Driven to share science with the public in creative and entertaining ways, she created the digital neuroscience explainer series Your Brain on Blank and the podcast The Science of Self-Care. As a member of the Medical Advisory Board at Orangetheory, Dr. Odell provides guidance on psychological constructs that affect exercise, such as motivation and behavior change, and provides education for coaches and members on the cognitive and mental health benefits of exercise.

Fabio Comana, MA, MS

Exercise Physiologist

Fabio holds master’s degrees in exercise science and nutrition. He is currently on the faculty at SDSU and NASM and is a Medical Advisory Board member/scientific advisor for Orangetheory, Core Health and Fitness, Caloric Responsibility, FEA-Asia and HuaKu-China. He also works with various international agencies to build fitness throughout Asia. Previously, with ACE, he was the original creator of ACE’s IFT™ model and their live educational workshops. Other prior experiences include Division I collegiate head coach and strength-conditioning coach; opening/managing clubs for Club One; and president of Genesis Wellness Consulting. He is an award-winning national and international presenter, media spokesperson and accomplished author. Fabio holds multiple certifications in the fitness space, including: NASM CPT, CES, PES & CNC; NSCA CSCS; ACE-CPT & HC; ACSM EP-C; USAW1; CISSN.

Kim Plessel, MS, RDN, LD

Registered Dietitian

Kimberly Plessel, MS, RDN, LD, is a registered dietitian and wellness consultant, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to promote fitness, weight loss, diabetes prevention and management, women’s health, and integrative wellness. She is skilled in program development, public speaking, nutrition education and consulting. She serves as a content expert for local and national companies, joining Orangetheory’s Medical Advisory Board in 2018. She has participated on several community consortiums and state health education committees and has published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, medical newspapers and multimedia consumer platforms. Kimberly is certified in adult weight management, intuitive eating and integrative and functional nutrition. She is also a member of the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is passionate about translating nutrition science, applying integrative approaches and partnering with clients to develop personalized, actionable strategies to improve their health. Previously, she held positions as program coordinator for a Robert Wood Johnson initiative to build community supports for diabetes care as well as director of community health programming for a medical health clinic. She also provided nutrition expertise for a medically based fitness facility inclusive of an integrative team of medical, fitness and mindfulness practitioners.

Aaron Santiso, DPT

Physical Therapist

Aaron Santiso is a physical therapist who owns and operates SANTISO PT, Inc., an outpatient physical therapy sports medicine facility located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Aaron specializes in human movement analysis and performance enhancement. His patient populations include athletes ranging from the amateur to professional level in every sport, locally and internationally. He serves as a leading physical therapist, performance enhancement specialist, and injury prevention health care provider.  His philosophy and treatment consist of a skilled hands-on approach combined with a functional movement analysis assessment designed to create custom plans of care to correct muscular imbalances often seen as a result of injury, surgery or chronic compensation.  As a founding member of the Medical Advisory Board at Orangetheory, Aaron contributes to exercise programming and assists with development of both coach and member education. Aaron earned his master’s degree in physical therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2003 and achieved his doctorate in physical therapy from Nova Southeastern University in the summer of 2021.