Meet the Wellness Team

Amanda Breeden

Fitness/Wellness Instructor 

Amanda has always had a passion for fitness from a young age, when she fell in love with sports. She continued that passion in college, where she graduated from Wayne State College with a double degree in Exercise Science and Applied Human & Sport Physiology, along with a minor in Psychology. She began her career here at Mercy Fitness Center, where she developed her love of teaching fitness classes and working one-on-one with individuals in personal training. She also has 10+ years of experience as a Health Coach, meeting individuals where they are and helping them make small, realistic changes to improve their overall well-being and meet their personal goals. She is a certified Exercise Physiologist and is passionate about connecting with people and finding real solutions that work for them.  

Outside of work, Amanda stays active with her husband and three children. She loves supporting her children in all of their activities, and they are often found creating unique and messy art projects. Amanda enjoys coffee; arts and crafts; being in nature; reading; and solving murder mystery games and escape rooms with her husband.  

Kayla Burkle

Wellness Program Consultant

Kayla has been with Mercy for since 2011.  She has a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from the University of Northern Iowa and is a certified Exercise Physiologist and nationally certified wellness coach. She is also certified in Yoga and Spin/Cycling, allowing her to take a well-rounded, practical approach to wellness. 

In her role with Mercy, Kayla manages wellness portal content and data while partnering closely with clients to build, administer and evaluate engaging wellness programs. She is driven by her passion for helping others and thrives on collaborating with individuals and organizations to support meaningful, sustainable lifestyle changes. She values the relationships she builds!

Outside of work, Kayla is inspired by adventure and experiences that encourage balance and growth. After her morning cup of coffee, she enjoys staying active by teaching spin classes; practicing yoga; hiking; biking; and traveling with her spouse, dogs, friends and family.

Julie Fontanini

Fitness/Wellness Instructor 

Julie is a dedicated fitness instructor and personal trainer with a B.S. in Exercise Science from Iowa State University and more than 20 years of experience leading a wide range of fitness programs. She loves the energy that comes from working out together and is passionate about building relationships and fostering a welcoming, motivating atmosphere. Julie specializes in providing safe and effective workouts for participants of all fitness levels. 

In her free time, she enjoys swimming; playing sports; listening to music; and watching movies with her husband, three kids and two dogs.

Dana Foster

Wellness Coach at Mercy Medical Center

Dana has her MA in Health Promotion and Fitness Management from the University of Northern Iowa. For the past 30+ years Dana served as the Fitness Director at the University of Northern Iowa and a Professor at Wartburg College. Dana is a fitness expert, a curriculum and continuing education provider for American Council on Exercise. She holds a Health Coaching certification as well as a variety of certifications in fitness. Dana loves helping people find their wellness potential. She is inspired by people who celebrate the baby steps in their health journey, knowing the big rewards are coming! Outside of work, Dana enjoys chasing her 3 children in their sports and activities. She loves running, biking, hiking, tennis, gardening, and finding new healthy recipes to cook!

Breezy Frazier

Wellness Coordinator, Wellness Coach & Fitness Trainer

Breezy has always had a passion for fitness.  She thrives on the feeling she gets both mentally and physically after a good workout.  In college, at the University of Northern Iowa, she initially studied psychology and quickly realized she wanted to pair it with her love for fitness. She decided to enroll in a health promotion class and loved the idea of studying her interest in human behavior in conjunction with her interest in wellness.  She has been with MercyCare Business Health Solutions for a year, and a certified wellness coach for a few months now.  She loves seeing clients achieve their wellness vision and being part of their support team to get them there. 

Breezy is inspired by the knowledge that the choices she makes now can impact her in the next 50 years to come.  She is motivated to keep improving and finds joy in celebrating the successes that make up the journey.  In her spare time, Breezy enjoys being active by attending workout classes or taking long walks with her pets, family, or friends.

Bailey Goodman

Health Education Specialist 

Bailey came to Mercy after earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Public Health and Multidisciplinary Science from the University of Iowa, where she developed a strong foundation in health promotion, prevention and behavior change. She is passionate about helping individuals build healthier lives through practical, evidence-based education that makes wellness approachable and fun.

In her role, Bailey focuses on workplace wellness initiatives that empower employees to make sustainable lifestyle changes that support both their personal health and professional performance. She is particularly passionate about teaching classes and seeing participants connect health information to real-life behaviors they can apply right away. Outside of work, Bailey enjoys spending time with family and friends; cooking new recipes; exploring the outdoors; and walking her black lab or cuddling with her cats.  

Lacey Hadden

Wellness Program Consultant

Lacey has been a certified wellness coach since 2013.  Her role with Mercy includes managing content and data in the wellness portal, and working with clients to build, administer and evaluate their wellness programs.  She started nursing school, but after realizing that was not her calling, she explored corporate wellness and health promotion and quickly fell in love. Lacey is inspired by clients who choose to put one foot in front of the other, even when the deck is stacked against them. She enjoys helping clients break down those barriers to make real progress toward their goals. She finds motivation in seeing others make a difference in the world and feeling the desire to do the same. 

In her personal time, Lacey can be found outdoors – drinking coffee or hiking with her dog, Hank. She loves to travel, cook, and try new restaurants. 

Jenna Heitshusen

Health Education & Fitness Specialist

Jenna has always been passionate about being active and striving to take care of her own wellbeing. It wasn’t until college that she realized it could be turned into a career. She is motivated by the feeling of empowerment she experiences from taking small steps to improve overall health and wants to help others find the confidence to do the same. Jenna is inspired by individuals who overcome adversity and better themselves through the process. She enjoys the opportunity that her position on the wellness team gives her to build relationships and really connect with others.
On a more personal level, Jenna enjoys working in her vegetable and flower gardens and helping out around the farm. She has recently started selling her home, canned goods, baked goods and produce as local farmers markets. She and her husband also like to take advantage of the outdoors by kayaking, hiking, camping and skiing.

Kim Meyer

Health Education Specialist

Kim joined Mercy in 2022 as a Health Education Specialist after running her own coaching business since 2015. She's earned her Health Coaching Certification and is also a published author, podcaster and Life Coach. She is motivated by seeing her clients make lifestyle changes that give them more confidence and energy to live healthy and fulfilling lives. 

Outside of work, Kim is often found at one of her kids' many sporting events or being active out in the community. She enjoys being outdoors, spending time with family, Hallmark movies and binging personal development books/podcasts.

Amy Prewett

Wellness Coordinator & Health Coach

Amy has had a career in fitness and wellness for 36 years and knew that this was her career path when she was in high school.  Amy loves supporting people through their own wellness journey, whether it’s through helping them find motivation or providing them new information to help improve their understanding of a given topic. She is inspired by honest, hard-working people, kindness, simplicity and faith.

In her free time, Amy enjoys walking, biking, camping, or just spending time in nature.  You can also find her exercising, reading, spending time with her husband and animals, and volunteering.

Olivia Smith

Health Education Specialist

Olivia has always had a passion for helping others and discovered her path in wellness coaching during her undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Health Promotion and is currently working toward a master of science in nursing. She has been a wellness coach for almost 4 years and has a background in substance use and gambling prevention as a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS).

As a coach, she is certified through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches and also holds her certification as Health Education Specialist (CHES). She loves working with her clients to set meaningful goals, build sustainable habits and create realistic lifestyle changes that support long-term well-being. Her approach is holistic and person-centered, empowering clients to feel confident and capable in their health journey. 

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys practicing and teaching yoga and any time she can soak up being outdoors in the sunshine. She also loves to bake; try new recipes; and spend time playing with her one-year-old puppy, Roux!

Dacey Waldron

Wellness Coach & Exercise Specialist

Dacey graduated from Grinnell College with a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology, but had a change of heart shortly after and decided to get her Masters degree in Health Promotion from the University of Iowa. She started working at Mercy in 1998 in the Community Fitness Center and Acceleration Sports Training program. She has been with Mercy ever since, as a Health and Fitness Specialist and, for the last 8 years, as a Wellness Coach. Dacey enjoys her one-on-one time with clients whether she is just talking with them, or helping them get to where they want to be from a wellness perspective. She is inspired by people who think and do things outside of the box; making the most out of life without letting obstacles get in the way.
In her free time, Dacey enjoys visiting history museums, traveling to learn about histories and cultures around the world, working with her church, hiking, family time, and finding new ways to challenge her competitive spirit.