about
THE Vent: Human Performance Center STORY
Breanne N Cochran - OWNER
My passion comes from my people. Helping clients achieve goals they never thought possible gives me motivation everyday to continue to educate and develop myself as a coach. I was an athlete all my life, two sports in college and never once thought I would be a coach for a living. After graduating college in 2008 and no jobs to be found, I decided to go back to school and pursue my Personal Training Certification. After six months and thousands of hours of practical and technical training I was an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer.
I worked as an independent contractor in for six months before pursuing a job at Mavericks Gym in Ventura, CA. Throughout the years at Mavericks my certifications expanded, USA Weightlifting, IKFF- kettlebells, CrossFit Level 1, among others. My position continued to increase, manger of group training classes, PT Department Manager, Owner of CrossFit 5171, and finally Fitness Director for the whole facility. One thing never changed, my love and passion for changing people’s lives. The years at Mavericks taught me a lot about being a trainer, managing people, building a business and the role I could play in the Ventura Community. What’s next?! I will continue my work and study as a fitness coach, this type of work brings out the very best in me. I am also pursuing a new dream, to provide the best educational fitness facility for the people of Ventura County. I have a big vision, big goals and you all will be the first to know when the dream starts to become a reality! In my free time I enjoy beach volleyball with the amazing women of Ventura on our amazing beaches. I love to study and read anything self-improvement: to really motivate people to do their best I believe I have to constantly be striving to reach mine. Birthdays are my favorite, especially both of mine! My family is the source of my strength and work-ethic, and enjoy spending vacations visiting them. There’s a rumor out there I love donuts and my drink of choice is tequila…but you’ll have to experience that for yourself!! My favorite quote comes from a sports movie (of course!): “It’s supposed to be hard! If it wasn’t hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” -A League of Their Own
OUR coaches
AJ Hebert
COACH
AJ was born and raised in Southern California. He was involved in sports and athletics from a young age. In addition to the typical baseball, basketball and soccer team sports, early on he found a love for extreme sports. Sports like surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross. It wasn't until after his teenage years that he gained interest in going to the gym. He began following the typical bodybuilding routine.
While desperately trying to gain as much mass and view as many bodybuilding videos as possible, he found himself bored of the routine and ready to try something different. That’s when he discovered the world of Crossfit. After a brutal first WOD there was no turning back. Fast forward a couple months, AJ was already at a Crossfit Level 1 seminar, excited about the possibility of not only improving his own fitness, but also having the opportunity to coach others. Now, five years later, he admits he still falls more in love with Crossfit each day. After moving to Los Angeles from Ventura, AJ began coaching at Dogtown Crossfit in Culver City. He was there for three years, and in that time he expanded his coaching toolbox greatly. While at DT, he learned from there team of high level coaches. He also expanded his education by taking the Crossfit Power Lifting and Crossfit Strongman seminars. He is still continually striving to be better. AJ is always seeking further education on coaching while also improving his own Crossfit abilities. In early 2017 he moved back to Ventura and began rooting himself in the strength and conditioning community. Outside of the gym, you can find AJ at the beach surfing all year round, on the mountain snowboarding in the winter, and taking advantage of everything that living in California has to offer.
Tyler Waid
COACH
Tyler grew up in Camarillo, California and began playing team sports at the age of 5. Unfamiliar with the term offseason, growing up Tyler rotated through football, baseball, and basketball throughout his high school years. Tyler played baseball for two years at Oxnard College and went on to graduate from California Lutheran University in 2018. Immediately following graduation, Tyler accepted a coaching position with the Adolfo Camarillo High School Baseball Program.
His passion for coaching immediately took off from there. In September of 2018, Tyler was introduced to Bree, AJ, and Lori at The Vent Human Performance Center. Bree offered Tyler an internship position and his interest and love for the sport grew from there. Once a part of the team, Tyler finished his CrossFit Level 1 certification and began to independently coach his own classes. Since then, Tyler has earned The Ready State 101 and 102 certifications and is currently working on the Power Athlete HQ Level 1 methodology course. Using expertise from his accumulated training, Tyler currently holds the position of Strength and Conditioning coach for the Ventura College Baseball Program. Tyler’s passion is to work with athletes to reach their maximum potential. Through years of personal expertise, Tyler finds the importance of strength and conditioning to play a vital part in an athlete’s personal success and in injury prevention. At The Vent, Tyler looks forward to meeting new athletes and being a part of their fitness journey.
Melanie Lindsey
VENT TEENS COACH
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Scaling
The Ready State 101 and 102
Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certificate in Exercise Nutrition
California Youth Soccer Association Category E
The woman that I am today exists because of fitness, Crossfit and the coaches and community at The Vent. I am confident, strong and have been given an opportunity to serve others - which is my calling.
I played sports as a kid – soccer and netball – but I did not connect with the experience or the teams in the way that I have connected with group exercise and CrossFit. I was always the last kid picked because I wasn’t good at ball sports – my hand eye coordination and spatial awareness are still areas of weakness to this day. My relationship with food was unhealthy and I struggled with feelings of self worth until my early twenties.
I started my journey into the fitness world in 1994. I learned about nutrition and joined an old school gym. This was my first experience with group fitness and weight lifting and I fell in love. My journey since has been one that has followed many of the changes and trends that the fitness world has experienced. I became a group fitness instructor in 1996 teaching aerobics. I added a step aerobics certification in 1997. From there I taught classes at my gym in South Africa and learned more and more. I even participated in step aerobics competitions – talk about a blast from the past.
When I moved to the US in 1998 I continued teaching group classes at Mavericks and added various certifications to the mix: Spin, Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Step, GRIT and an AFAA personal training certification. It was at Mavericks that I met Bree and was introduced to CrossFit. Bree changed my life – as an athlete and a coach. She introduced me to the concept of mobility and the idea that I could and should squat below parallel. She gently coaxed me into the world of CrossFit and encouraged me to pursue my certification so that I could share my love and passion for fitness with the teen crowd. (By day I am a high school English teacher and teenagers are my jam.)
My journey into fitness has been both physical and emotional. I would not be the confident, enthusiastic, well rounded adult that I am today without being fitness -it truly saved my life. My mission in life is to bring others into a relationship with fitness that empowers them and improves their whole life – physically, memtally and emotionally. I love watching the teens that I work with and the people that I workout with, support, uplift and empower each other. There is no better feeling than watching someone hit a personal best and strut out of the session feeling like their best self.
You will catch me working out at 5 am (during the school year) – I am one of those crazy people. Any spare time I have is spent reading (usually 5 books at once), going to the movies, listening to P!nk or walking my four crazy dogs. I love deep conversations with small groups of people and knowing the stories of the people around me.
Courtney
Legends Coach
I was born and raised in Southern California. At an early age, I learned movement and exercise were beneficial to my mind and body. Beginning at the age of 8, I was involved in team sports including softball, soccer, and volleyball. I continued playing sports through high school, while playing softball, I injured my back. I was in constant pain and I learned to live with it, I thought it was normal to walk around in pain.
I began going to the gym in my twenties when team sports weren’t an option anymore. Here is where I found my love for weight lifting. I began CrossFit in 2018 when I joined The Vent, where I met coaches that were trained and extremely knowledgeable in movement mechanics. And after 20 years in pain because of my back, Bree and her team surrounded me and guided me through physical therapy, chiropractor visits, rehabilitation, and strength training. Through this process, I continued to dive into learning about the human body and all the ways our experience connects back to our bodies. Utilizing my love for learning, I began watching videos and movies while reading articles and books on movement, position, nutrition, and anything else our coaches were talking about. I wanted to learn more and understand better movement mechanics and use the knowledge to become a better human.
As a teacher for many years, it has been my passion to teach, serve, and love humans. With my experience as a teacher and gained life experience in the gym, Bree asked me to consider becoming a coach. I agreed and began coaching our Legends class over a year ago. This is where I have found a love for coaching and helping clients move safely while becoming stronger even through injuries, old or new. I believe all humans, at all ability levels, are able to participate in the movement that benefits their unique bodies and mind. I truly enjoy helping clients find what works for them and watching them grow in strength and confidence.
I am currently working on The Ready State Movement and Mobility 101 and am looking forward to taking 102!
Liz
Coach
Born in Ventura, Liz grew up playing sports. At the young age of thirteen, she started strength training to help with her sporting endeavors. That ignited in her a love for biomechanics and movement. She went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Sports Physiology from Biola University and after a few years of work experience continued her education by working on a Masters in Physiotherapy from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland.
After her years in grad school, she found CrossFit and fell in love with the variety of movements used to gain optimal fitness, so she got her CF Level 1 certificate, and during that time also enjoyed using yoga as a complementary movement practice and received her 200hr Yoga Teacher Certification. Since joining The Vent she has also received certificates from the Ready State mobility 101 and 102 courses. Movement efficiency is her focus and she loves educating members on how to use their bodies to their highest potential, often by learning how to use their glutes :). In everyday life, Liz loves to travel, be active, hike, surf, and try new activity classes, but also spend time with family and friends enjoying a good meal and drinks.
Tira Menali
Nutrition Coach
I received my ACE fitness certification in 2002 and started my personal training career with 24-Hour Fitness in Oxnard.
I also participated in a four-month sports nutrition immersion program with UCLA.
Later I enrolled at Thousand Oaks Healing Arts Institute where I refreshed my anatomy knowledge and was exposed to sports massage.
While I was working towards completing my undergraduate program at CSU Channel Islands, I became a trainer at a private women’s gym. I completed a kinesiology and anatomy course at CSUCI (not required for my major) to expand my knowledge of the human body.
After completing my 300-hour Massage Therapy Certification and a 300-hour work study program, I worked for Las Posas Family Chiropractic and Gilmartin Chiropractic in Westlake Village for over two years.
I was awarded a yoga teaching scholarship through the Camarillo Yoga Center where I eventually taught for over 12 years, including workshops + seminars. I also enjoyed co-leading yoga and outdoor rock-climbing day trips.
While in the San Francisco Bay Area attending graduate school, I was hired by VF Outdoor Corporation and Gordon + Rees law firm to teach yoga classes as part of their wellness programs, as well as by Alameda Hospital and Alameda Mastick Center. I volunteered at Alameda Point Collaborative to teach basic fitness and yoga to homeless teens. I contracted with Alameda Yoga Center, Pilates to the People, and various other local studios in addition to private and semi-private sessions.
During my graduate studies I participated in hip-hop and West African dance classes and capoeira.
I was trained in the Pilates Method and taught pilates, HIIT and Shadow Yoga at pilates studios in northern and southern California.
I worked as a yogi- and massage therapist-in-residence in Costa Rica. I traveled Central and South America surfing, horseback riding, hiking, running, swimming, foraging, cooking and blogging.
After a year of CrossFit experience and medalling in two developmental Olympic Weightlifting meets sponsored by the USAW, I earned my CrossFit L-1 and CFN-1 and have been enjoying coaching Crossfit, Olympic weightlifting and sports nutrition for almost three years. I am in training with Body Fat Test California to run hydrostatic body fat testing.
I’m currently in the 89th percentile globally for my age division of CrossFit athletes and looking to crack the 90th percentile this year!
When I’m not fitnessing, I’m working as a bicycle mechanic, eating kelp, and nerding out on cutting edge physiology and sports performance research on Google Scholar.
Austin
Coach
Austin Barradas is a passionate advocate for sports, fitness, and an active lifestyle. With a deep love for physical well-being, Austin has embarked on a journey into the world of coaching, fueled by a personal commitment to self-improvement over the past ten years.
Born in Southern California, Austin has always been drawn to an active lifestyle, involving himself in a multitude of sports like soccer, volleyball, climbing, surfing, and martial arts. Through this love of sports, he was able to discover what the body was capable of achieving and became consumed with finding and pushing his boundaries.
Austin brings a fresh perspective to coaching, drawing inspiration from his own transformative experiences. Embracing the ideology of bettering oneself, Austin is on a mission to extend that positive influence to others. Despite being relatively new to coaching, his enthusiasm, dedication, and genuine desire to make a difference are the driving forces behind his approach.
Health & Fitness Certifications:
Crossfit L1: in progress
The Ready State L1: in progress
Arlene
Coach
Arlene Ward grew up in Southern California, but moved to Colorado Springs for 16 years before coming back home. While in Colorado, Arlene graduated from (and then later taught at) the National Personal Training Institute. Her first job as a trainer was in a physical therapy clinic, which gave her a foundation in working on core movement patterns with her clients and working on functional strength.
Through her NPTI studies, she discovered the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, and launched into a 7+ year career competing nationally and internationally. Once her competitive career came to a close, she found her passion coaching others in weightlifting, helping them discover their own strength and abilities. Arlene has found that the mobility and strength trained in the Olympic lifts directly tie to functional movement patterns that benefit every human being. She hopes to bring the joy she finds in weightlifting to athletes of all ages and abilities.
While today, Arlene’s full-time job is working with her family’s almond and pistachio orchards, she is hoping to keep a tie to the sport and community that she loves through the amazing community and coaches at the Vent. When she isn’t working or coaching, she is busy keeping up with her wife and two young kiddos, improving their home, and finding creative outlets wherever she can.
Academic Accomplishments:
Graduated cum laude from Colorado College in 2008
Graduated with honors from the National Personal Training Institute in 2009
Health and Fitness Certifications:
NSCA Certified Personal Trainer
USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach
IKFF Certified Kettlebell Teacher
Our Physical Therapists
Brandon Selvey
PT, DPT, CSCS
Dr. Brandon Selvey is a Ventura native with a passion for athletics who, after completing his academic and athletic career, returned to Ventura to establish his hometown’s first all-inclusive athletic performance enhancement facility. He grew up playing football for the Ventura Packers and Buena Bulldogs. After high school he continued his education and football career at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, playing all four years before graduating with honors and receiving his B.S. in exercise science with a business administration minor. Following undergrad, he attended Chapman University from which he received a degree as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. While in graduate school, he was certified as a strength and conditioning specialist through the NSCA. He now strives to bridge the gap between movement science and strength and conditioning to enable the student-athletes of Ventura to reach their full potential.
Scott Edwards
Fit4Golf was established by Scott Edwards. A lifelong golfer and athlete who has been practicing physical therapy and performance training for over 25 years.
Scott attended the University of California at Davis and San Diego State University and obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Exercise Science, respectively.
After that, Scott attended the University of Southern California, where he obtained his master’s degree in physical therapy in 1994, began his career practicing orthopedic and sports physical therapy.
In 2011, Scott returned to USC for a residency in Sports Physical Therapy, where he worked with, and learned from, a broad spectrum of athletes.
The residency honed Scott’s movement analysis and ignited his interest in the intricacies of the golf swing.