One day Jo Ann decided to change her unhealthy lifestyle and made a conscious decision to begin to live healthier. Jo Ann’s decision to begin living healthier ultimately resulted in a complete body, mind and spirit transformation that changed her life forever. Once she recognized what she had done for herself and how positively it affected her life, she wanted to share this new discovery with others.

Her original goal was to become physically healthier, but she soon learned there were other benefits to be gained. She experienced a more positive outlook on life, her self-confidence grew with each new day and her energy seemed endless.

As a marketing and program director with Nike in 1988, Jo Ann organized the Dawn Walk Club. When Nike discontinued the program, Jo Ann felt the need to keep it going. That was the beginning of The Walking Connection - your connection to information, products and services for walking and hiking enthusiasts and active adventure travelers everywhere.

Jo Ann’s past accomplishments include: Program Director and Co-founder of LifeForce Marketing, a healthy lifestyle consulting company. She is a noted motivational speaker with emphasis on mind, body and spirit. She teaches for many large corporations, communities, colleges and government agencies. She was the National Spokesperson and Walking Ambassador for WalkForce, a walking program of the Leukemia Society of America.

For a past sponsor, she authored a book entitled “Come Walk With Me!” and produced a feature video entitled, “Getting the Most From Your Walk.” She has written articles for numerous publications including her own newsletter and this website. Her information and articles have been featured in the London Times, Boston Globe, Arizona Republic, MSN.com.

We invite you to read the following articles that Jo Ann has written for this web site, and we welcome your questions and comments.

Exercise is only one part of being healthy, seeing your doctor is another!If, at any time during a training session (whether it is a group session, individual personal training session, or self-training session), you suffer any mishap or injury, we urge you to stop your activity immediately and seek professional medical attention. The information contained on this site is intended to give information about personal health and fitness, not to act as a medical manual or guide to self-treatment. Keep in mind that exercise, health and nutritional needs vary from person to person, depending on age, gender, family medical history, current health status, and other individual factors. Before engaging in these, or any other exercise or recreational activities, we urge all individuals to consult a physician. He or she is most-qualified to advise each about their specific health status and needs.