Built For Every Stage Of Fitness

Michael Olivier is the Owner and a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer at CrossFit Amis. He began his CrossFit journey in 2012 and, after quickly falling in love with both the methodology and the community, earned his CrossFit Level 1 in June 2013. Just a few months later, he opened CrossFit Amis in October of that same year.

Michael brings a strong athletic background to his coaching, including long-distance running and triathlons. After facing severe hip deterioration and undergoing bilateral hip resurfacing in late 2021, he rebuilt his strength and stamina through CrossFit—deepening his belief that CrossFit is truly for everyone, at every stage of life.

As a coach, Michael loves working with athletes who are hungry to improve, whether they’re focused on general physical preparedness or competitive performance. He believes that small, consistent improvements—one little win each day—are what move athletes to the next level. His certifications include CrossFit Level 2, CrossFit Kids, Spot the Flaw, and Scaling.

Michael is passionate about being an example to the older population, proving that CrossFit isn’t just for the young—it’s for anyone willing to put in the work. His favorite movements are the powerlifts, especially the back squat and deadlift, and you’ll often hear him cue, “Get tall and get small.”

What keeps Michael coaching at CrossFit Amis is the community. What started as a gym quickly became a family—one that not only strives for better fitness, but for becoming better parents, spouses, friends, and humans.

Hope Olivier is the Co-Owner and Membership Retention Manager at CrossFit Amis, where she plays a vital role in shaping the culture, community, and day-to-day experience of the gym. While she isn’t a coach on the floor, Hope is deeply involved behind the scenes, ensuring members feel recognized, supported, and connected.

After spending 31.5 years as an elementary school teacher, Hope brought her passion for people, organization, and encouragement into the gym. She was first introduced to CrossFit after being “tricked” into attending a bootcamp at her husband Michael’s newly opened CrossFit Amis. Upon retiring from teaching, she knew she could use her skill set to help build something meaningful within the community.

Hope focuses heavily on member retention and community building. From milestone announcements and challenge awards to stickers, celebrations, and small personal touches, she believes positive reinforcement plays a powerful role in helping people stay consistent and feel valued. She loves getting to know members beyond the workouts—learning about their families, goals, struggles, and victories.

Outside the gym, Hope is a passionate crafter (something you’ll quickly notice when you walk through the doors). She and Michael have two daughters, both married and living out of town. In workouts, she enjoys bodyweight movements—just not running or burpees.

What Hope loves most about CrossFit Amis is the people. For her, the gym is more than a place to work out—it’s a community where relationships are built, wins are celebrated, and everyone belongs.

Kristen “Kris” Castille Thibodeaux is a coach at CrossFit Amis who brings contagious energy, positivity, and a lifelong love of sports to every class she leads. Having played sports her entire life—including soccer, dance and gymnastics, softball, and cheer—movement and athletics have always been part of who she is.

Kris began her CrossFit journey in early 2014 and has been hooked ever since. With a strong athletic foundation and a passion for helping others succeed, she especially loves coaching athletes of all levels, with a special place in her heart for beginners. She is confident in helping new athletes learn how to scale workouts appropriately, emphasizing that scaling is cool and an essential part of long-term progress.

As a coach, Kris thrives on watching athletes grow and overcome challenges at their own pace. She works hard to create an energetic, welcoming environment where athletes feel confident learning new movements and proud of every win—big or small. Supporting people through their journey and helping them build confidence is what fuels her passion for coaching.

Outside the gym, Kris is married to her husband Casey and is a proud dog mom to their fur baby, Zoey. When she’s not training, you’ll likely find her at the gym (of course) or front row at a metalcore show. Her favorite movement is the power clean (or a clean & jerk complex), and if she has to pick a favorite workout, it’s Diane—she loves the combination of deadlifts and handstand push-ups. You’ll often hear her coaching cues like, “Remember to breathe,” and “Fast elbows!”

What Kris loves most about CrossFit Amis is the community—the support, energy, and camaraderie that push everyone to be better together. She’s proud to coach in a gym where progress is celebrated, effort is encouraged, and no one trains alone.

Kenneth is a Level 2 certified coach at Crossfit Amis. He has also been a real estate broker since 2000 enjoying helping clients buying and selling one of the biggest investments they will make in their lives. Working to help people has always been a passion of his so coaching Crossfit takes a high priority in his life.

Hobbies include an occasional game of golf, attending LSU football games and LSU girls basketball. Training four to five times a week has always been important to him as well as coaching athletes on how to eat following a macro focused diet that he follows himself.

Kenneth has one saying that he follows: “I would rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest person in the nursing home!

Gareth DiBetta is a CrossFit Level 2 Coach, certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and USA Weightlifting coach with over five years of experience working with athletes at every level. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Nicholls State University and brings a performance-driven, athlete-centered approach to coaching at CrossFit Amis.

Gareth’s athletic background is rooted in football and track, where he earned multiple honors including All-District, All-Metro, All-State recognition, and induction into St. Bernard Parish’s Hall of Fame. He went on to play Safety at Nicholls State University on scholarship. After a senior-year injury, Gareth spent eight months training with a sports performance coach, earning a New Orleans Saints training camp tryout and later competing in Arena Football with the Green Bay Blizzard—experiences that shaped his passion for strength and conditioning.

As a coach, Gareth has worked with athletes ranging from middle school to professional levels across sports including football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field. He specializes in building customized strength and conditioning programs that emphasize injury prevention, performance enhancement, and long-term athletic development. His coaching philosophy blends strength training, mobility, flexibility, and mental conditioning to help athletes perform at their best both inside and outside the gym.

Beyond daily coaching, Gareth is committed to education and mentorship. He regularly leads workshops and seminars focused on strength and conditioning, speed, and agility, and strives to create a positive, supportive training environment where athletes can grow, gain confidence, and reach their full potential.

Lizzy Landreneau is an athlete and coach at CrossFit Amis and a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She brings a lifelong background in sports and movement to the gym, along with a deep understanding of how the body moves and performs.

Lizzy played collegiate volleyball and continues to compete in beach volleyball through local recreation leagues. After graduating college and starting a family, she found herself missing the competitive outlet she once had as an athlete. That search led her to CrossFit in 2018—and she’s been all in ever since.

As a coach, Lizzy loves helping athletes improve workout strategy and movement efficiency so they can train smarter and perform better. She believes consistency is the foundation of progress and encourages athletes to focus on their own journey rather than comparing themselves to others. Hitting the intended stimulus of each workout—whether scaled or not—is always the priority.

Outside the gym, Lizzy is married to her husband Kevin and is a mom to two sons, Luke and Drew. She works as a pediatric physical therapist and has a special passion for working with kids. In the gym, she loves workouts that include double unders, running, dumbbell snatches, or heavy cleans.

CrossFit Amis holds a special place in Lizzy’s heart—it’s where her CrossFit journey began and where she continues to train and coach today. From day one, she fell in love with the community and has built lifelong friendships through the gym.

Jason Powers is a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and coach at CrossFit Amis who has been part of the CrossFit community since 2013. What started as a goal to improve fitness and lower his 10K race time quickly turned into a long-term commitment to CrossFit as a sustainable way to stay strong, healthy, and active.

Jason’s coaching style is rooted in encouragement and support. He takes pride in helping athletes build confidence through positive feedback and smart scaling, making CrossFit approachable and effective for athletes of all backgrounds and experience levels. He believes that safety and proper movement are the foundation of long-term progress and works closely with members to ensure they move well and train appropriately.

Outside the gym, Jason works full-time as a golf professional at a local private country club. Having played golf most of his life, he credits CrossFit with helping him build the strength needed to improve performance on the course. In the gym, Jason gravitates toward strength-based movements, with favorites including back squats, front squats, deadlifts, bench press, and strict press. His favorite workout is CrossFit Total.

What Jason loves most about CrossFit Amis is the people. The supportive community and strong relationships—especially his long-standing connection with Coach and Owner Michael Olivier—made it an easy decision to call CrossFit Amis home when he returned to Lafayette.

Rob Guillory is a CrossFit Level 2 Coach at CrossFit Amis, serving as a Coach, Onboarding Coach, and Chief Technology Officer. With 10 years of experience as a CrossFit athlete and seven years of coaching, Rob brings both technical expertise and a deep passion for helping people create lasting, positive change in their lives.

Rob’s CrossFit journey began after a friend talked him into attending a “bring-a-friend” day—and he’s been hooked ever since. With an athletic background in high school baseball and adult softball, he developed a strong appreciation for skill development and movement quality, which carries directly into his coaching today.

As a coach, Rob loves helping athletes improve their Olympic lifting and truly understand the intended stimulus behind each workout. He is passionate about helping members hit meaningful milestones, improve their health, and build confidence through consistent effort. His coaching philosophy is simple and uncompromising: “The standard is the standard.”

Outside the gym, Rob is all about family. He and his girlfriend Aubreigh have four kids—three daughters in college and one son—who keep life busy and fun. In the gym, Rob’s favorite movements include Olympic lifts and dumbbell snatches, and his favorite workout is the notoriously challenging San Francisco Crippler. You’ll often hear him coaching with cues like, “Slow burpees are better than no burpees,” or his trademark, “Let’s make some money.”

What keeps Rob coaching at CrossFit Amis is the tight-knit community. The Amis family looks out for one another and genuinely pushes each other to become better, stronger, and healthier versions of themselves.

Stephen Romero is the Weightlifting Coach and a Personal Trainer at CrossFit Amis, bringing decades of experience in strength training and athletic development to the community. He holds a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certification and specializes in Olympic weightlifting and youth weightlifting instruction.

Stephen is a lifelong multi-sport athlete with over 30 years of strength training experience, including competitive powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. He has coached athletes at the national level and is passionate about developing strong, technically sound lifters from the ground up.

As a coach, Stephen believes that consistency beats perfection. He focuses on building proper technique, discipline, and confidence in every athlete, helping them progress safely and effectively over the long term.

Outside the gym, Stephen is married and has four kids. He enjoys spending time on the golf course and tennis court when he’s not coaching or training. His favorite movement is the front squat, and his favorite workout is hill sprints. You’ll often hear him coaching with the cue, “Stay tight!”

What Stephen appreciates most about CrossFit Amis is the supportive, accomplishment-driven environment created by Michael and Hope. He values the culture of generosity, encouragement, and growth that defines the Amis community.

Heather DiBetta is a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer and highly experienced strength and conditioning coach with over 13 years in the field. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a Master of Arts in Education from North Park University in Chicago, and brings a deep, well-rounded background in performance training, education, and athlete development to CrossFit Amis.

Heather’s athletic journey began in multiple sports before she transitioned to Cross Country and Track, where she thrived as a collegiate athlete at North Park University. She competed in a wide range of events—including the 6k, 800m, 400m, relays, javelin, and shot put—and earned All-Conference honors in Javelin for two years.

Throughout her career, Heather has coached and positively impacted more than 1,500 athletes across Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, and Washington State, working with Division I collegiate athletes, high school and middle school programs, Special Olympic athletes, military personnel, and everyday athletes alike. Her experience includes serving as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Northwestern University across multiple sports, as well as leading training programs at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for Army personnel.

Heather later specialized in high school strength and conditioning through teaching Physical Education, Health, and Adaptive Physical Education, spending nine years as a teacher and coach across a wide variety of sports. Her coaching philosophy centers on whole-athlete development—blending performance, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and character development.

Having overcome significant personal challenges, including spinal surgery, ACL reconstruction, and other major injuries, Heather brings unmatched empathy, grit, and perspective to her coaching. Her resilience and commitment to excellence drive her mission to help athletes of all ages move better, train smarter, and reach their full potential.