About Your Partners
Mr. Matt Essex, MS, CCN, Founder, ActiveRx Physical Therapy
Mr. Essex holds undergraduate degrees in Exercise Science/Sports Medicine and Clinical Nutrition as well as a Master’s Degree in Wellness and Health Promotion, with an emphasis on Geriatrics. During his graduate program, along with being a successful teacher, he conducted a number of independent and collaborative research studies, and was appointed research director of ASU’s strength-based community wellness program, Project SSTRIVE—Seniors Strength Training for Independence Vitality and Energy— which grew to become nationally recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine as a “Successful Aging” program. SSTRIVE published a number of studies reporting significant and meaningful improvements in a range of wellness related functional outcomes for older adults. Since graduating with honors, Mr. Essex has accumulated over 1000 hours of continuing education and clinical experience in Gerontology, Physiology and Nutrition Science, and become one of the few Nutritionists in the State of Arizona (a non-licensure state) that meets the National requirements of a Clinical Nutritionist, a prestigious distinction held only top professionals in this field.
Mr. Essex founded ActiveRx Physical Therapy in 2003 to address the growing need for “wellness-oriented physical therapy” among older adults who want to address the “warning signs” for disability before a major incident occurs such as a fall. Since its inception, ActiveRx has established a proven record of improving physical and functional independence of older adults while simultaneously improving psychological health and quality of life.
Wayne T. Phillips Ph.D., FACSM, Intrinsic Coach®: Quality Assurance and Research Director, ActiveRx Physical Therapy
Dr. Phillips is an internationally known author, consultant, and speaker in the field of aging, strength and wellness. Dr. Phillips holds an MS in Exercise Science and Sports Psychology from Loughborough University, UK and a Ph.D. in Exercise and Wellness from Arizona State University, AZ. He is a former Post-Doctoral Fellow and Research Scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, Center for Research in Disease Prevention where he also worked closely with the renowned Stanford Prevention Research Center. Dr. Phillips is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University, a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, former Chair of their Special Interest Group on Aging, and member of their Strategic Health Initiative on Aging. He has served on the editorial board of a number of aging journals, is a past scientific advisory board member for the International Council on Active Aging and one of their designated aging and wellness experts. Dr. Phillips has advised and consulted extensively on strength, wellness and behavioral issues for more than 30 years focusing predominantly on the development of positive, ‘Best Practice’ approaches that elicit new thinking in wellness and “Successful Aging”. He has published in excess of 70 research papers on these topics and has presented on more than 200 occasions at national and international scientific and professional conferences related to aging.
