Sherri Laffey Sarrouf – Owner

A Certified Fitness Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Coach, President/Owner of Elite Fitness Professionals, Inc and SLS Fitness, Sherri is also the founder of the Fitness For a Cure fundraiser to benefit ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis TN, and the New England Volunteer Spokesperson for ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  Fitness For a Cure has raised 2 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hosptial.

Sherri is certified through ACE,  Strength and Conditioning, Metabolic Effect, Thomas The Promise Kick Boxing, Maddog Spinning, Pre and Post Natal fitness, Yogafit and Les Mills Body Pump.

The breadth of Sherri’s experience in the group fitness industry spans 27 years in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Officially incorporated 12 years ago under the corporate banner of Elite Fitness Professionals, Inc. providing group fitness management for NH Gold’s Gyms in Nashua, Merrimack, Manchester and in Tewksbury, MA. Elite Fitness Professionals has continually provided a variety of first rate group fitness programs and quality fitness trainers.

Sherri’s motivational, inspiring and high energy style have brought 100’s to her weekly classes. She has trained thousands including classes specifically designed for the New England Patriots Cheerleaders and has been widely interviewed in area magazines and newspapers. Chosen in 2009 from Applaud magazine as one of  New Hampshire’s  most inspiring women.  Recently, Sherri is  facilitating new strength and conditioning programs for high school  students in the North Andover Crusaders Special Olympics program, Girls Inc highschool program in Lowell, MA and an Elite Tennis camp Andover, MA .

Susan Kirby – Trainer, Co-Manager, ME Nutrition Consultant

Susan’s interest in fitness began as a child with dance and continued to include a wide range of areas from belly dance to boxing.  For 15 years, she juggled classes in 3-4 different gyms at once.  In 2007, Susan met Sherri and she was instantly inspired by Sherri’s energy, fitness knowledge and business skills.  In no time, Susan narrowed her number of gyms to one – SLS Fitness!  There is just no other place like it to service the health and well being of the members. 

One main interest of Susan’s is how the human body functions best with diet and exercise to maximize quality of life from children to the elderly.  She loves meeting with members on a one-on-one basis to analyze their food and exercise habits to help them make healthy lifestyle choices.  Susan is especially devoted to the members who are new to exercise or getting back into fitness.  Susan’s primary goal is to use her skills & experience to help SLS Fitness grow and prosper in order to maximize the number of lives it can touch. 

Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts, Syracuse University

Masters of Business Administration, Simmons Graduate School of Management

Certifications:  AFAA Group Fitness, Metabolic Effect, ME Fat-Loss Nutrition, CPR

Steven Crowley – Trainer, Co-Manager

Steven is a certified Metabolic Effect trainer and co-manager at SLS Fitness.  Steven first met Sherri when he one day happened to drive by Shedd Park in Lowell and saw her leading a boot camp class.  When Steven joined in on that class, it was the first day of the rest his life with a new philosophy of healthy & fitness. 

As a skilled, professional carpenter, Steven contributes to the SLS Fitness cutting-edge facility development.  As a co-manager, Steven, uses his leadership skills and clever sense of humor to ensure a high-quality, safe and fun environment for members to take charge of their health. 

For the past three years, Steven has specialized in ME, strength training and TRX classes, motivating members to dig deep within them selves to experience the best work out possible.

Certifications:  AFAA Personal Trainer, Metabolic Effect, CPR

Ann Buerger:

Ann has been involved with fitness in one capacity or another from an early age. Starting ballet at the age of four, she progressed to modern dance in high school. In college, Ann was Captain of the elite University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh pom-pom squad.

After graduating with a BS degree in Education with a minor in Sociology, Ann began her thirty eight year classroom teaching career. Along the way, she continued her love of fitness and dance, taking ballet and jazz classes, “Jazzercise”, Gloria Stevens (yes, Gloria Stevens!) Workouts and aerobics classes.

In 1986, Ann took her first Sherri Laffey (the Sarrouf came later) highly motivating, aerobics class and was hooked on Sherri’s ability to energize, get fit and have fun!

Nine years ago, Ann decided to take her passion to the next level and become a certified group fitness instructor. She has been an instructor for Elite Professionals, owned by Sherri, Gold’s gyms and Focus on Fitness. Ann has taught hi-low aerobics to corporate organizations, weights conditioning classes, Pilates, water fitness, and iron and fitness yoga.

Some highlights of Ann’s fitness career have been judging the Green Bay Packer cheerleading tryouts, and conducting water fitness and yoga classes at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH, the Barceló Resort, Punta Cana, and the Occidental Resort, Aruba. She has also enjoyed teaching yoga routines to her fifth and sixth grade students, and being a proud member of the St. Jude Performance Team.

Through her energy, motivation and continual enhancement of skills, Ann provides effective, enthusiastic, and challenging workouts. To be able to live out her passion is a dream come true!

Education and Qualifications:
• AFAA certified group fitness instructor since 2002
• AEA certified group water fitness instructor since 2001
• YogaFit certified instructor since 2001
• CPR certified
• Pilates training
• Classroom educator since 1970

Valerie Williams

Certified Personal Trainer
Valerie has been into fitness and physical activity for as long as she can remember. She found her talent that earned her a scholarship to participate on the Women’s Track and Field Team at the University of New Hampshire. While there, she broke numerous records that qualified her to compete against the best runners in the country. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and also took various courses outside her major such as General and Sports Nutrition, Sport Psychology, and Kinesiology. She also holds a second degree black belt in Taekwondo and trained in that discipline for 15 years. Her greatest satisfaction from that experience was being able to train, teach and coach young students to become nationally ranked junior Olympians.

“Once an athlete, always an athlete.”  That is a powerful mantra Valerie carries with her. Ability and agility should not be taken lightly or for granted. That is why being part of the St. Jude Performance Team is nothing short of an honor. Being able to have seen the faces of St. Jude, one has to take a moment and recognize that being fit and healthy is a blessing, not a right. Nothing in life is guaranteed and one should make the most of the life they have and if they can try to make it a little better.

Nicole “Nikki” Russell:

Certified Group Fitness Instructor

Fitness has always played a pivotal role throughout Nikki’s life. From her first GBL All-Star Award as a freshman at Medford High to running cross country at the collegiate level where her team won the league championship three out of the four years Nikki raced at Merrimack College. Most recently Nikki was inducted into the Medford Mustang Hall of Fame for her accomplishments in Cross Country and Track while attending Medford High School.

After not seeing enough gain in muscle mass Nikki started looking for something different to change her workout and turned to Sherri and Metabolic Effect. Within a few weeks Nikki noticed significant gains in overall core strength and realized that this is what has been missing in her workout regime. Nikki was so impressed with this type of training that she wanted to introduce others to the strength and conditioning philosophy of SLS Fitness.

Courtney Ford-Licensed Physical Therapist

Courtney’s love for exercise began in high school as a track and cross country runner.  Receiving the “Most Valuable Player” award two years in a row on the women’s cross country team and earning several personal and team school records in track – including one in the 4×400 meter relay with SLS Fitness’s own, Val Williams, Courtney made a personal commitment to lifelong exercise and fitness.  After graduating from Saint Anselm College in 2002 with a BA in Biology, Courtney began training with Sherri at Gold’s Gym, Nashua.  It was, and still is, Sherri’s energy, intensity, endurance, drive, and philosophy on physical fitness that brings Courtney to SLS Fitness today. Having recently graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Courtney seeks not only to treat those who are acutely ill, but also to educate, motivate, and promote wellness and disease prevention to the general population.

Kate Geary

Melanie Coughlin

Fitness has always been a part of Melanie’s life. At an early age, she began extensive training in dance and gymnastics. She was the captain of her high school field hockey; and participated in Track and Field for 6 years.

Melanie received her first fitness related certification in 1999 through the Dance Education Training Program of Boston which allowed her to teach various forms of dance.

Melanie joined SLS in May 2010 and immediately knew this was the gym for her.  In October 2010 she received her certification through AFAA as a group fitness instructor while at the same time worked with SLS trainers to learn the techniques and fitness goals of SLS.  Melanie is excited to be part of such a great team and most importantly, help others become as enthused about health and fitness as she is.

Education and Qualifications:
• AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor since 2010
• CPR & AED certified
• Certified Dance Educator since 1999

Nick Zullo – Trainer

Nick was raised in Stoneham, MA and comes from an Italian family with a deep passion for soccer.  While playing on the Northeastern University Huskies Soccer Team on an honors scholarship, Nick participated as a lead player in both offense and defense.  Nick is currently a volunteer soccer coach for local Youth Soccer Leagues and he takes pride in passing down his enthusiasm for the sport to the children.

Having come from a traditional athletic background, Nick found the new approach at SLS Fitness to be his missing link to a greater level of fitness.  After experiencing positive changes in his workouts and health, Nick became dedicated to SLS philosophy.  With Sherri’s support, Nick became a certified Metabolic Effect Instructor and now shares his energy and motivation in his classes.

Certifications:  AFAA Personal Trainer, Metabolic Effect Instructor, CPR

Classes:  Metabolic Effect, Spin, Advanced Circuit Training, TRX

Specialties:  Pyometrics, Sprinting