The J had already been part of Austin William’s fitness routine for three years when he landed the position of Fitness Manager. He jokes that his friends are tired of hearing him rave about how much he loves his job, but Austin wouldn’t trade that joy for anything. “I feel so fortunate that I’ve found a way to combine what I do with who I am,” he said. “I don’t have to separate ‘work Austin’ from ‘home Austin,’ I can be the same version of myself.”
Austin values the community aspect of the J and encourages it in the Fitness Center every day—he’s on a first-name basis with many gym-goers and encourages the social aspect of workouts. “Fitness should be for everyone,” he said. “We’re not just a gym, we’re a community center that happens to have a gym. It’s a whole community.”
Austin and his wife, Lisa (who has also worked in the J’s Early Childhood School and J Camp), welcomed their first child in September and already know he’ll be welcomed into the J community just like they were. “We knew we’d send him to ECS,” said Austin. “The quality of the school, the amazing teachers, and the fact that we both work in the building—we didn’t even need to discuss it.”
Austin and Lisa have continued to deepen their J connection over the past several years, from members to employees, and soon to ECS parents and beyond. “The J gave me and my family an entire community,” Austin said. “The J keeps giving to me, so I’m happy to keep giving back to them.”
