ABOUT US

OUR STORY

History

Rock Steady Boxing was founded in 2006 by Scott C. Newman after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 40. Determined to fight back, Scott, started to train with his friend and former Golden Gloves boxer Vince Perez. He found this training was helping his symptoms to the point where his tremor was controlled and he felt Rock Steady. Soon his Young Onset PD group joined in the fight and this labor of love quickly gained national attention. Adding professional boxer Kristy Rose Follmar as the initial RSB Coach led to the creation of a curriculum that has grown into what RSB is today.

How It All Started

An original group of 6 boxers started the first RSB classes in an exercise room in the back of a finance company in Indianapolis. That group moved to an aerobics room in a gym and eventually to its own dedicated space in that same gym. A 501(c)3 was formed to run the organization which moved to the current headquarters on the NE side of Indianapolis. Currently the HQ gym continues to serve 250+ boxers with PD. In 2013 we started teaching the RSB method to others to take back to their communities which has led to the RSB network around the world today.

NOW LOOK AT US

Our Growth

Today, Rock Steady Boxing is a thriving international nonprofit organization. What began as a personal journey for Scott Newman has evolved into a international network of health professionals and fitness professionals offering Rock Steady Boxing programs in over 800 Affiliate locations in every state and 14 countries worldwide.

Our Mission

The mission of Rock Steady Boxing is to equip our affiliates and empower coaches to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease through a non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum.

Our Vision

Our vision is to be the preeminent fitness program to Fight Back against Parkinson disease.

OUR FINANCIALS

Transparency and Accountability

We are committed to maintaining transparency and accountability in our financial practices. As a 501(c)3, our annual financial statements are reported on GuideStar. To learn more about our financial health and how your donations are used to support our mission go to our GuideStar page.

Support Our Mission

Your support is crucial to our continued success. Donations, bequests, and fundraising efforts enable us to expand our programs and reach more people in need. Learn how you can support Rock Steady Boxing today.

OUR TEAM

Rock Steady HQ Staff

Meet the dedicated team behind Rock Steady Boxing:

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Dr. Ryan Cotton

President & CEO
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Dr. Connie Fiems

Chief Scientific Officer
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Christine Timberlake

Director of Training & Education
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Sara Roque

Director of Affiliate Services
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Chelsea Miller

Director of Operations
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Jojo McDuffie

Director of Corporate Affiliate Partnerships
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Andrea Mallory

Director of Development
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Liz Heidlage

Affiliate Specialist
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Sarah Sturgeon

Administrative Assistant

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors comprises leaders from various fields who are passionate about our mission:

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Jay Phillips

Director

Career in Non-Profit accounting, RSB fighter since 2016, Parkinson’s advocate

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Jay Younger

Director

President and CEO of McKinley Advisors, Non-profit consulting, son to a Rock Steady Boxer

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Gabby Richardson

Director

Founder Nexus Impact for leadership and executive coaching, Degree in Neuroscience, History of Parkinson’s community engagement and advocacy

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Dr. Jill Farmer

Director

Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Drexel College of Medicine, Owner and Founder of BoroNeuro, LLC

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Eric Von Frohlich

Director

Founder Row House and EVP Performance, diagnosed with YOPD in 2021

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Marje Albohm

Immediate Past Chair

Director at Ossur

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Dr. Jennifer Brown

Director

PT, DPT, RSB Head Coach & Affiliate Owner, Dynamic Home Therapy & NeuroFit

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Mari Baxter

Secretary/Treasurer

Chief Operating Officer of Senior Helpers Franchising

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Jimmy Choi

Director

Motivational Speaker of the Fox Ninja Group, Five-time American Ninja Warrior, Patient Council Board Member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

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Jenny Enslein

Chair-Elect

Independent Commercial Real Estate Professional, RSB MAR-JCC Affiliate Owner & Coach

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George Fiedler

Director

Retired Healthcare Executive & Current HQ Gym Boxer

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Adnan Hamid

Director

Division VP & CIO CommonSpirit Health

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Edward Pollack

Director

USA Funds, Retired President and CEO

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Jan Paul Storey

Chair

Business Development Specialist, Symmetry Financial Group

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Dr. Paaige Turner

Director

Director, Provost and EVP for Academic Affairs, Aurora University

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Robert Wright

Director

Deacon & (retired) COO eastern Star Church

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Dr. Wayne Weart

Secretary/Treasurer Elect

Pharm D Professor Emeritus, Clinical Pharmacy and Outcome Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy

MEDICAL ADVISORS

Medical Advisory Committee

Meet the dedicated team behind Rock Steady Boxing:

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Dr. Jennifer Brown

Director
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Dr. Merideth DeFranco

PT
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Dr. Jessica Huber

PhD, Professor of Speech
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Dr. Stephanie Miller

PT
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Jojo McDuffie

MA, RSB Certified Coach
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Cheryl Warriner

MSW
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Dr. Wayne Weart

Pharm D
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Dr. Elizabeth Zauber

MD, Movement Disorder Specialist

OUR CULTURE

Support

Rock Steady Boxing fosters a supportive and empowering culture. Everyone in a Rock Steady class is fighting back against their Parkinson’s disease. We understand the challenges of Parkinon’s disease and are there with a pat on the back on some days, and a kick in the pants on other days.

Challenge

Rock Steady Boxing is here to challenge your perceived limits. We are athletes fighting our disease to maximize our quality of life. To progress, challenge is essential, and our coaches are equipped to challenge everyone in the gym based on their state of progression with Parkinson’s.

Community

Rock Steady Boxing is more than just a gym and an exercise program. It is a community of people with a shared experience and challenge. We understand one another’s battles in the gym and in life. You will frequently see the RSB community together outside of the gym sharing life together at dinner, on the golf course, or volunteering at their favorite charity.