• Please join me in getting to know this mom of the month, Taylor. You’ll see her on Saturdays and races with her cheerful daughter, sometimes carrying her in her back. She is always smiling with a great attitude at many of our classes. The instructors love seeing her.

• Tell us about your family!
• It’s me and my husband of almost 5 years, Michael, but I call him “Moss”. Together, we have our sweet daughter, Riley, who is two and a half now.

• Current/previous career?
• I am the diabetes social worker at University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. I help all pediatric and adult patients with any barriers to succeed in managing their diabetes.

• What does motherhood mean to you?
• To me, motherhood means unconditional. I just love my little one regardless if she smiled or screamed at me. I’m counting down the minutes until bedtime while also staring at the baby monitor for her to wake up. I love pouring my unconditional love into help forming this human to their own self. With just a dash of stress.

Please join me in getting to know our amazing instructor, Rachel! You’ll find her teaching Strides 360 at 9:30am and putting in the work on Sunday mornings as she completes her Run Club training to proudly co-lead our Spring session. Rachel is truly a team player — always jumping in to sub classes, support our staff, and this month she’s even hosting our MNO at her home. We are so lucky to have her helping lead and love on this community. 💛

• Tell us a little about your family—who’s in your crew and what stage of mom life are you in right now?
• My family is co-chaired by my husband ,Tom, who is easy going and supportive of all my various gigs and activities. We are deep in the "parenting young children" stage of life with our crew: Vera (8), Charles (4.5), and George (1.5).

• What do you love doing outside of teaching for FIT4MOM—work, hobbies, passions, anything that fills your cup?
• Outside of Fit4Mom, I love to keep active, physically and mentally. I stepped back from paid work after our 2nd child was born but stay very busy volunteering as Treasurer of the Willard Elementary PTO and Vice President of the River Forest Public Library Foundation. Giving of my time, talents, and treasures is a pillar of my life and something I want to instill in my children by example.

• Please help me celebrate our February Mom of the Month, Tracey! ✨

• Consistency, kindness, and courage to show up—Tracey embodies it all. From trying different classes to cheering on other moms, she’s such a light in our community. We’re so proud to celebrate her as our Mom of the Month.

• Tell us about your family!
• It’s just the three of us: my husband, Ben, and our 10 year old Graham. We moved to Oak Park from the city one week before Graham started kindergarten and he’s currently in 4th grade.

• Current/previous career?
• I’m a university faculty administrator teaching all of our university teaching assistants and running programs for multilingual students who need additional English language support.

• What does motherhood mean to you?
• This feels like the hardest question to actually answer. I always joke that the Peace Corps slogan is “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love,” and that’s only because they haven’t been parents yet. It’s so all-consuming to be a parent and yet also so joy-filled as well. I had an absolutely amazing mom, but she died at 50 years old and Ben’s mom died even younger. So it often feels like building the plane while I’m flying it, without a manual, and yet somehow making it all work. What else in life is like that and yet we wouldn’t change anything? (Well mostly lol.)

• Please help me celebrate our January Mom of the Month, Lindsay!✨

  Lindsay and her daughter bring so much joy to our community—from classes to family events and Mom Nights Out. We’re so grateful to have them with us!💕

• Tell us about your family!
• My partner, Dan, and I have one sweet little girl, Hadley! She is 6 months old, and absolutely the light of our life. She is the only grandchild on one side, and one of two grandchildren on the other, so she is absolutely adored and smothered with love by her entire extended family (I would say spoiled, but I don’t believe you can spoil a baby!).

• Current/previous career?
• I am currently in transition! I’ve spent the last decade as a management consultant, specializing in supporting large-scale marketing transformations, but decided it is time for a change. In the new year, I will be starting my job search in earnest, so if there are any other moms on the hunt who want to exchange resumes, let me know!

• What does motherhood mean to you?
• Motherhood to me is so many things, but foremost is joy. Hadley brings me constant joy by doing absolutely nothing. Just seeing her existing, smiling, and enjoying the world brings me so much joy. Even a huge blowout can bring me joy because I get a big smile showing me how much better she feels afterwards.

• Please join me in celebrating this incredible mama! Kaijah shows up to our mom-only classes with such positive energy. She works hard and brings a brightness to class that our instructors absolutely love. We’re so grateful she’s part of our village — and we can’t wait for you to learn more about her this month.

• Tell us about your family!
• I've lived in Chicago with my husband for the past 11 years. We moved here while engaged and planned our wedding while I was in my first semester of the MPH program at UIC. Our kiddos, Evelyn (7) and Mattias (3.75) complete our little family in the Austin (Chicago) neighborhood.

• Current/previous career?
• After being between jobs most of the year, I'm shifting from a support role in recruiting to general human resources. I'm excited to jump into all things workplace benefits and HR operations!

• What does motherhood mean to you?
• Motherhood means growing and expanding yourself in unexpected ways. I'm different than I was before having kids, but I also shifted when we went from one to two. Loving and accepting those shifts is important to me because I want my kids to do the same for themselves.

Meet our Mom of the Month, Laura Bacon! Laura brought her energy, humor, and heart to everything this month — pushing us to 6th place in the Casket Races (in the shirts she made herself!) and then crushing a 10K the very next day with Run Club. She embodies strength, spirit, and community.

• Tell us about your family!
• I live in north Oak Park with my husband and two kiddos - ages 8 and 10

• Current/previous career?
• I am a lawyer - now I work “in-house” for a manufacturing company.

• What does motherhood mean to you?
• Learning something new every day by watching my kids experience the world through their eyes.

• Favorite local spot?
• I get all my workout gear at Lively (owned by Fit4Mom instructor Christina!) for a great cocktail and delicious food, I like Amerikas.

• How did you find Fit4Mom?
• I first joined the Elmhurst chapter of what was then “Stroller Strides” in 2015! I reconnected with the OPRF classes through Alison Newman when our kids were in kindergarten together.

Please join me in congratulating and getting to know this month's Mom of the Month. Rachel came to me last November asking if she could help organize some volunteer work to do with our kids with FIT4MOM. Thanks to Rachel our FIT4MOM community has created over 100 bags for the unhoused, litter cleanup in the park, and assembled 40 bagged lunches for housing forward. We all appreciate Rachel's kind heart and leading these volunteer efforts to raise our kids in the best way!

Please join us in congratulating and learning more about our Mom of the Month. Catherine always shows up for our community in every way - classes, checking in, and helping with our volunteer projects. We are so happy you found us when you moved here and are in our community!

• Tell us about your family!
• My husband Kevin and I have been married for 12 years and we have a 9yo son (4th grade) and a 6yo daughter (1st grade). It’s wild to me that we now have two kids who are undeniably school aged! We moved back to the Midwest (where we are both originally from) from the East Coast (New Haven, CT) three years ago to be closer to our families, so we are now fortunate enough to also be within driving distance of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

• Current/previous career?
• I’m a psychiatrist with a specialty in college mental health. I worked at Yale University for 12 years and have worked at Northwestern University for the past 3 years. I treat undergraduate and graduate students and also collegiate student-athletes. The commute to Evanston isn’t great, but I love my work, find it very meaningful and fulfilling and I feel so fortunate to have a job where I get to work with bright, talented, hardworking college students every day. Plus, working on a college campus keeps me (sort of) young- haha!

Please help me celebrate one of our incredible members, Chris Muench! Chris has been such a consistent, positive force in our community. She stayed dedicated to her FIT4MOM workouts throughout her pregnancy, joined us for Sip & Strolls shortly after welcoming her beautiful baby girl, and jumped right back into classes as soon as she was cleared. Chris is always ready to greet a new mama and share what makes this village so special. Thank you, Chris, for being such a valued and inspiring part of our FIT4MOM family!

Tell us about your family!

I live in River Forest with my husband Zack, 3 year old Niko and 4 months old Cora. When Zack and I first met he lived in an apartment across the street from where we live now. After moving in together in the city we came back here during COVID and ended up literally across the street, lol.

Current/previous career?

I'm a project manager for clinical studies and I've been working on the same drug for 8 years now, even before I moved to the US.

What does motherhood mean to you?

Right now I'm still in the thick of the baby phase and it means I'm attached to my baby (to nurse) for longer than I love, lol. But motherhood means seeing my kids grow up and rediscovering the world through their eyes.

We’re so grateful for Elise, with one of the highest class attendances year! You can always count on her and her sweet daughter to show up with warm smiles and positive energy. We’re so lucky to have Elise and her family as a cherished part of our FIT4MOM community!

Tell us about your family!

My husband and I have been married for 8 years and our daughter Ellie will turn 2 in August.

Current/previous career?

I work as a nursing education coordinator at Northwestern Hospital downtown. I worked as a nurse on a neuro unit for 5 years before transitioning to my current role in clinical research.

What does motherhood mean to you?

I love watching Ellie grow and change every day. Sometimes it might be something small or it may be a big milestone, but it’s fun being a part of it all.

Favorite local spot?

Any of the coffee shops around Forest Park and Oak Park. I love having so many options within walking distance.

How did you find Fit4Mom?

When I was pregnant, I Googled exercise classes for pregnant moms, and I found Fit4Baby. Then I continued Fit4Mom classes after Ellie was born.

Please join me in congratulating our strong, fierce, and always-inspiring Melissa! 💥 She just leveled up by completing additional training to become an even more powerful instructor. Thank you, Melissa, for everything you do to strengthen and support our mamas — your dedication truly lifts us all! 💪💖

1. What inspired you to become a FIT4MOM instructor?

I’ve always been athletic and originally planned to teach high school and coach. Deep down, I wanted to teach gym — I still joke my best award was “Best Gym Student”! While I took a different path into higher ed, FIT4MOM brought me back to what I love: helping people feel strong, capable, and confident in their bodies.

2. What’s your favorite part of leading FIT4MOM classes?

Watching people level up — like when someone grabs heavier weights — is the best. I also love making people laugh with my awkward stories and cheesy jokes!

3. How has FIT4MOM impacted your motherhood journey?

My pregnancy and delivery were tough, and I felt isolated after moving to Oak Park during the pandemic. FIT4MOM helped me feel like myself again — physically and emotionally. It gave me my confidence back and connected me with a local community of moms I truly needed.

Meet Greta, our Mom of the Month for April 2025!

Tell us about your family!

I live in a little bungalow in River Forest with my husband, Joe, our three rescue cats (Frank, Trixie, and Tuna) and our almost 6 month old daughter, Eloise. Joe and I both grew up in Illinois, and met my senior year of college, right before I was supposed to move to Maryland for grad school. He ended up joining me out east for a few years while I got my degree and then we moved back here in the summer of 2020 to be closer to family. (Moving during the height of a pandemic is 0/10 - would not recommend!)

Current/previous career?

I’m a Montessori teacher! I teach ages 3-6 years at West Suburban Montessori in Oak Park. It’s like my home away from home. My students often remind me that I actually have 21 children, when I count all of them :)

What does motherhood mean to you?

Right now, it’s a lot of late night pumping sessions and dirty diapers. But in all seriousness, I have dreamed of becoming a mother ever since I was a little girl, and it’s been everything I could have imagined, and then some. I really hope I can raise Eloise to feel proud of herself and trust her gut, and not worry so much about what others think of her. I wish I had done that more as a little girl myself; I hope I can help Eloise get there faster than I did!

Meet Sarah, our Mom of the Month for March 2025!

Tell us about your family!

My husband Rob and I have been married for 8 years this March. We have 2 energetic kids - Charlie is 6 and Millie is 2. We have lived in River Forest for almost 6 years. We moved across the street from our first house about a year ago! We just loved our neighborhood and couldn't leave.

Current/previous career?

I am currently a SHM and have been since Charlie was born. Before I made the choice to be a SHM, I worked in Human Resources in the restaurant industry. I worked in Recruiting, Benefits, Payroll and Employee Relations. Both fields are challenging and so rewarding in their own ways!

What is your favorite part of motherhood?

My favorite part of motherhood is watching my kids grow, learn and experience pure joy eachday. It is hard, but the belly laughs, hugs and snuggles make it so great!

Favorite local spot?

CAVA is quickly becoming a favorite place to grab a quick healthy lunch and we spend a lot of time at the RF library during the winter

How did you find Fit4Mom?

Meet Amy, our Mom of the Month for February 2025!

Tell us about your family!

My husband Rob and I have been married for 9 years, together for 15. We went to Dominican and started dating our Senior year. Our daughter Molly is nearly 5, and our son Sam just turned 1 a couple of weeks ago. We also have 2 dogs, Wi-Fi and Suellen. Wi-Fi is probably around 12 and an Australian Cattle Dog/Beagle mix, Suellen is probably like 8 and we say she's a Border Collie mixed with love because we don't know what else is in there (and knowing doesn't really matter anyways). Both were adopted from PAWS.

Current/previous career?

I've been a graphic designer with The Royal Group, a corrugated manufacturer, for the last 13 years. Which is the fancy way to say I work at a box factory. I get the artwork ready for everything from your regular ol' Amazon boxes to endcap displays in CVS, Walgreens, and Target, to trays inside Costco.

What does motherhood mean to you?

Strength, in so many ways beyond physical strength.

Favorite local spot?

The chocolate dipped brownies at Twisted Cookie on Madison street are SO good and SO big that you can eat half and save the second half for the next day's "I deserve a little treat" moment.

Meet Jessica, our Mom of the Month for January 2025!

Current/previous career?

I am a Nurse and Professor. I currently teach a variety of classes including pathophysiology, pharmacology and Adult Health. My nursing experience is in Emergency and med-surg nursing.

What does motherhood mean to you?

Motherhood is the most rewarding experience. I love watching my kids develop into amazing humans. I love seeing the world through my kids eyes.

Favorite local sport?

The patio at Maya del sol. I can’t wait for better weather to enjoy a margarita outside with amazing food.

How did you find Fit4Mom?

Shortly after the birth of my twins I saw a Facebook post to join the start of fit4mom. I was so grateful to join this amazing community during that crazy time. So many moms helped hold and feed my twin newborns. Thank you so much to those mamas. I would have lost my sanity without you.

What's the best part of Fit4Mom?

The moms! I am so grateful for the moms that have supported and guided me as a mom. This is the best community!

Favorite class/exercise?