What is the IDEA® Fitness Leader of the Year Award?
The IDEA® Fitness Leader of the Year is a prestigious honor that is awarded annually by IDEA® Health & Fitness Association, a leading organization in the health and fitness industry. According to IDEA’s website, this award “honors an individual whose outstanding contributions to the fitness industry serve staff, fitness professionals, students, clients, and their community in inspiring ways and whose leadership and business skills better the overall success of [the] industry.”
Dr. Desi Bartlett (L) with Amy Boone Thompson, CEO and Owner of IDEA® Health & Fitness Association, receiving the 2025 IDEA® Fitness Leader of the Year Award in Sacramento, California.
Upon being named the 2025 IDEA® Fitness Leader of the Year, Dr. Bartlett shared:
“The award celebrates not only my work but the communities I’ve served – from prenatal yoga to menopause education – and it’s a reminder of why I chose this path: to help women feel strong, supported, and empowered at every stage of life.”
As a certified expert in yoga, personal training, prenatal/postnatal fitness, and group fitness, Dr. Bartlett has guided countless individuals on their wellness journeys, including celebrity moms like Ashley Tisdale, Emma Roberts, and Kate Hudson. She is a respected voice in women’s health and her inspiring work has been featured on major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, Univision, Hallmark, and Lifetime. She is the creator of the Bodymind Workout™, a unique blend of yoga, fitness, and meditation designed to cultivate strength from the inside out.
A Transformative Experience in the Online Doctorate in Kinesiology
Earlier this year, Dr. Bartlett completed her online kinesiology doctorate with a concentration in exercise science at CSP Global, which she described as a “transformative” experience.
“Completing my EdD in Kinesiology deepened my ability to blend evidence-based research with the practical, heart-centered work I’ve been doing for decades.”
Applying Doctoral Research to Empower Women’s Health
For many established leaders in the fitness industry, the challenge is often how to scale their impact and gain the academic credentials to validate their hands-on expertise. Dr. Bartlett found that the EdD program provided the perfect structure to rigorously research the topics she was most passionate about, like yoga’s role in the menopausal transition, and translate that research into globally recognized courses and trainings.
Her dissertation explored how yoga and education can help women navigate the menopausal transition, which she is now translating into courses, retreats, and professional trainings that reach women around the globe. She believes that her exercise science doctorate at CSP Global gave her the “academic tools and the supportive community to bring this vision to life.” Upon further reflection of the Kinesiology program, she feels “so blessed to have found an online doctoral program led by a brilliant educator [Dr. Matthew Buns] with a heart for service.”
“Service is at the heart of everything” Dr. Bartlett does, including new and innovative educational programs on her platform, such as a Menopausal Yoga program and international retreats (next one is in Cabo in February 2026). Her goal is to “make women’s health education both accessible and inspiring, whether that’s in a yoga studio, a corporate wellness program, or online.”
Advice for Future Kinesiology Doctorate Students
In addition to her exemplary work in the industry, Dr. Bartlett will also be making an impact at CSP Global, where she will be returning as a dissertation committee member for future students enrolled in the online kinesiology doctorate. Her advice for current and future CSP students is to:
“Say yes to the opportunities that scare you a little – they’re usually the ones that help you grow the most.”
Follow in Dr. Bartlett’s Footsteps
To learn more about Dr. Desi Bartlett and her impactful service to the health and fitness industry, visit Desibodymind.com.
Dr. Bartlett’s journey from practitioner to award-winning industry leader is a testament to the power of applied doctoral education. If you are a kinesiology or exercise science professional looking to deepen your expertise and amplify your impact, learn more about the 100% online kinesiology PhD/EdD program at Concordia, St. Paul that helped her achieve her goals.