ABOUT

At STAVE OFF, we aim to build up all aspects of our community along a continuum. We aim to help you reach your goals no matter where you are starting from. Through our physiotherapy services, we can get you back to what you love to do most, reduce pain, improve stiffness and increase strength. These services are covered under many private insurance plans.

Our group exercise programs allow you to reach your fitness goals! We have programs that can cater to you such as PRIME or our arthritis-specific program, CONQUER. Our gym and rehab staff are knowledgeable about injury,

injury prevention and modification of exercise programs based on your level. We strengthen our connection to the community through our fundraising efforts for local non-profit organizations. This is why a portion of every exercise membership to STAVE OFF goes to Hospice Kingston.

Through our community, we can work to be role models of healthy, active lifestyles. With the help of our team, we can encourage all members of the Kingston community at any age to be strong contributing members of our wonderful society.

Christina Prevett (Nowak)

MScPT, CSCS, PhD (c)

Christina finished her Masters of Physiotherapy at McMaster University, graduating in 2013. After graduation, she gained experience working in both the public and private sectors in outpatient orthopaedics focusing on exercise and soft tissue based therapies for the relief of muscle aches and pains. She is a believer in the strength of exercise for rehabilitation, especially with older adults. She obtained her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) accreditation through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in 2014. She interned at McMaster University in Strength and Conditioning. She was a member of the medical staff at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, ON.

This passion led her to begin her PhD in 2015 in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Ada Tang. Her doctoral studies look at the utilization of strength training principles for healthy aging and prevention of disability.  Christina has competed in athletics for many years, including a third place finish in the CrossFit Regionals with her team in 2014. She is currently training for Nationals in Olympic Weightlifting in the 63 kg weight class

Nick Prevett

BKin, PN1
Nicholas Prevett graduated from York University with a BA in Kinesiology in 2015. During that time, Nick interned as an Assistant Strength Coach. He began as a strength coach in 2012, working with a wide range of individuals with various athletic backgrounds. While finishing his degree, Nick began working as an operator and head coach at Element CrossFit Port Credit. In that role, he was responsible for running small group and individual personal training. It is here that he began working with older adults and saw the power of strength training to improve quality of life into retirement. Nicholas believes this can STAVE OFF the effects of aging.
This passion led him to pursue more knowledge in the area of exercise in older adults, where he is currently enrolled in the Functional Aging Institute specialty program. With a passion for exercise as well as nutrition, Nicholas completed his Precision Nutrition Level I certification in Spring of 2016.
Nick grew up in Northern Ontario playing football and hockey going on to play collegiately, football for the York University Lions football team until the 2013 season as a running back.

Chantal Gignac

Coach, PTA

Chantal graduated from St. Lawrence College in 2014 with a diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion. From that, she became a Registered Personal Trainer with Ontario Fitness Council. Following that, she completed a diploma in Occupational and Physiotherapy Assistant at Kingston Learning Centre College, where she soon after gained 2 years of Physiotherapy Assistant experience working at a Physiotherapy clinic in Kingston. Chantal is currently completing the Massage Therapy Program at Trillium College, where she is following her dream to become a Registered Massage Therapist. Outside of school and work, Chantal keeps busy with family, friends and sports; playing on a family baseball and volleyball team. She is passionate about yoga, and plans on incorporating yoga into her practice as a RMT in the future.

Kelsey Valentine

BKin, MScPT

Kelsey is completed her final year of the Master of Science in Physical Therapy program at Queen’s University in 2017. Prior to her Master’s degree, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology also at Queen’s University. She is passionate about promoting health and physical activity in all individuals, and particularly enjoyed her extra-curricular involvement with programs for children and adults with cognitive, physical, and/or social barriers, including the Winter Adapted Games, Motionball, Revved Up, and Q-Jump. Kelsey has also enjoyed her experiences leading group exercise programs through her strength and conditioning internship with the Queen’s women’s soccer team, the Revved Up program, and the Cardiac Rehab program at Lennox and Addington County General Hospital. Throughout the winter months, Kelsey keeps busy with figure skating. She previously competed as a competitive ice dancer, and was the co-captain of the Queen’s Varsity Figure Skating team. She remains involved with the team through coaching and choreography to this day.

Kelsey is a strong believer that exercise is medicine, and can be used to help ward off chronic disease and pain. She hopes that she can encourage others to engage in lifelong participation of physical activity!

Carly Pappas

Coach, PTA

Carly is currently finishing off her final year of Physical and Health Education at Queen’s University with the hopes to pursue a master’s in Occupational Therapy. She has been involved with coaching and exercise for more than 6 years, and has developed a great understanding of the body and how it benefits from physical activity. Throughout Carly’s undergraduate studies, she has become very involved in studying how our ever-growing knowledge of physical activity can have such an impact on persons with disabilities or injuries. She has also worked directly with participants from Revved Up, which is an adapted exercise program service that promotes physical activity for those with mobility impairments and developmental disabilities. Their goal, like Carly’s, is to improve quality of life and to encourage healthy living.