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Post Date: Monday, October 2, 2023 |
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 Resident Feature: Meet Michelle Doherty, Director of Health & Wellness at BallenIsles Country Club
My name is Michelle Doherty. I have lived in the Palm BeachCounty area for 20 years. Prior to relocating here, I lived in Naples, Florida, and Miami, Florida. I have one son, Cameron Gordon, who is21 years old. Cameron is a junior in college in Tallahassee, Florida. I am originally from Scotland. I attended college in Scotland, where I obtained my BA in Business. I began my career working for the local government in Glasgow, Scotland. During my early years, I developed a passion for fitness. I began my career as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor in my early twenties. At the age of 21, I moved to Italy and spent one year working in hotels, restaurants, and traveling the country. I returned to Scotland, and as much as I love my country, the passion for travel was still within me. I interviewed for a position on board cruises hips, which jump-started my career in the Spa/Wellness/Fitness industry. I quickly progressed through the ranks, and by my second year, I was promoted to Spa & Fitness Director. I spent 5 years traveling the world and was then promoted to Operations Manager, a land-based position in Miami. During my tenure in the corporate office, I was responsible for the spa/fitness management operations of the following cruise lines: Princess, Carnival, Renaissance, NCL. I was just as passionate then as I am now about the evolution of health & wellness and how it can positively impact people’s lives. From there, I spent a decade with The Ritz-Carlton hotel company as Executive Spa Director, working in Naples, Florida, as part of the opening team for their flagship property. I then relocated to Jupiter, Florida, and opened their first residential community, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa, Jupiter. Fifteen years ago, I joined the team at BallenIsles. At that time, they were embarking on a new plan to build a 65,000 sq. ft. Sports Complex, encompassing a fitness center, full-service spa & salon, locker rooms, physical therapy, group exercise studios, Pilates, and a restaurant. It was another amazing opportunity to get in at the beginning of a new project and help it grow and evolve! And here we are today, a #5 top ranked “Fitness and Wellness Centers” award by Club + Resort Business and one of America’s Healthiest Clubs, with the Sports Complex currently under going a $19 million expansion and renovation project. I’m excited about the renovations including a spacious 3,000sq. ft. racquets shop, enhanced fitness facilities, and a Member’s Lounge designed for relaxation and socializing. The dining experience at Bistro 105 will be elevated with improved outdoor spaces, while the ground breaking addition of the Arts Center will allow all BallenIsles Members to immerse themselves in visual and performing arts programs. Our renovated Aquatics Center is set to accommodate even more users in our new main swimming pool to include dedicated lap lanes, while additional pool seating ensures ample spots for relaxation. The pool Cabana will be expanded offering light bites and refreshments, while kids can delight in the indoor play area perfect for rainy days. With these upcoming renovations, BallenIsles’ pool complex is poised to become an even more delightful and rejuvenating oasis for our esteemed members. The BallenIsles Community is beautiful, the members are incredible, and the team of professionals who work here are the best of the best. I am proud to be part of the team. I recently moved into a neighboring community in Palm Beach Gardens, Bent Tree. This location is so close to BallenIsles that I could actually ride my bike to work. The neighborhood is very small, with approximately 150 homes. It is super quiet and beautifully kept with lovely neighbors. I don’t spend much time at home at all. I am very close to PGA Blvd, which is essentially the heart and soul of Palm Beach Gardens, with lots of restaurants, shopping, and close proximity to our beautiful beaches. We live in paradise. I am an identical twin; we are 11 minutes apart. My twin sister moved to the US approximately 6 years ago. It is wonderful to have her here in the same country. We used to love, as kids, pretending to be the other twin and would play games on the phone when people called. It is true about the twin instinct; we understand each other inside out, and when there is a feeling about one another, it’s always accurate. We are currently planning a trip to celebrate my son’s 21st. It could be Europe, it could be Vegas, it could be California, or NYC. He gets to decide because it’s all about him. Our family is very close, and we were brought up to treat everyone with kindness and to never judge anyone. My motto is: we are too hard on ourselves. Let’s allow ourselves grace to grow into the best version of ourselves we can be. We must recognize that some days are better than others, but on the bad days, what do we learn, and what can we do better? Lead with compassion always!
Resident Feature: Meet Vicki Friedman, Executive Assistant at BallenIsles Country Club
My name is Vicki Friedman and I have lived in Palm Beach Gardens for 19 years. Prior to moving to Palm Beach Gardens, I lived in Jupiter. I have three boys, Daniel – 29 yrs. old, Eric– 28 yrs. old and Jacob – 25 yrs. old. They all were born and raised in Florida and most of their years spent living in Jupiter/Palm BeachGardens. My son, Eric, is a musician and now lives in Orlando. His band, Sweet Cambodia, opened for Weezer and they continue to write and play music wherever they can. Hopefully, you will see them one day at Sunfest! I’m originally from New York City, where I was in the entertainment industry. I began my career in television and was one of the first employees for what is now MTV: Music Television. I worked alongside the original MTV VJs and was responsible for getting all the newest music videos and concert tickets for the VJs. This allowed me to go to many, many concerts! I was even in the first MTV Christmas video with Billy Squire! I have been at BallenIsles for the past 15 years and it is a wonderful place to work. Not only is it the most beautiful environment to work in, the members are wonderful and I have gotten to know many of them. I cannot imagine a better job than making people happy! The leadership team at BallenIsles is the very best in the industry and I am proud to be a part of it. I currently live in Legends at the Gardens, a small townhouse/condominium community in the heart of town. I love living there. I can walk to shops and restaurants, and best of all, I am 3.5 miles from the beach! I am on the board of directors for my community, which allows me to get to know my neighbors and help whenever I can. During my free time I like cooking, baking, and going to the beach as much as possible, as well as spending time with my family and friends. I love traveling and I am looking forward to going to Italy this October!
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