MEET THE TEAM
Dr. Luke Barhorst
PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, TRS-C, CF-L1, PRA-C
-CEO and Founder, Training Nation Physical Therapy
-Licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy
-Orthopedic Certified Specialist
-Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
-CrossFit Level I Trainer
-Certified Fascial Movement Taping Advanced Kinesiology Practitioner
-Certified Total Joint Manipulation to the Spinal Column Practitioner
-Certified CPR
-Certified Neurologic Dry Needling for Pain Management and Sports Rehabilitation
-Certified Movement and Mobility Specialist, The Ready State Coach
-Trained in Strong First Kettlebell
-Certified Performance Rehab Authority
Dr. Luke is originally from the Dayton area. He completed his undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University #GOBUCKS and earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Dayton where he received the distinction of “Overall Excellence in Academics, Clinical Performance, Scholarship, and Service.”
Dr. Luke’s passion for helping people move better has taken him across the country—from Lexington, KY to Miami, FL, Seattle, WA, and San Diego, CA—where he learned from top-tier physical therapists, trainers, and athletes. He’s worked with tactical, professional, and recreational athletes, gaining a well-rounded perspective on performance and injury recovery.
A lifelong athlete, Luke grew up playing baseball and basketball and now stays active through CrossFit, Hyrox, garage gym workouts with his wife and friends, jiu-jitsu at MPower Gym, and boxing with Coach Will at MPower! 🏋️🥊
His passion for physical therapy is rooted in personal experience—after an injury kept him out of the gym and away from the community he loved, he became even more motivated to help others stay healthy, active, and connected to what they enjoy. That drive continues to fuel the way he shows up for his clients and the Training Nation team today.
When he’s not in the clinic, Luke is spending time with his wife and three kids—Oakley, Harlow, and Lawson—hosting Harry Potter game nights, hanging out with friends, or doing anything outdoors: mowing, hiking, fishing, hunting, spikeball, soccer, golfing, snowboarding, or swimming.
Dr. April Einsfeld
PT, DPT
-Licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy
-Institute of Clinical Excellence (ICE) Fitness Athlete Completion
-Certified CPR
Originally from Fairfield, OH, Dr. April earned her undergraduate degree from Miami University before completing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Mount St. Joseph University. Her career has taken her across the country—from Nashville to Florida, Massachusetts, and Arizona—giving her a broad range of experience and a deep appreciation for helping people move well in every season of life.
Dr. April’s personal journey as a softball and basketball athlete shaped her approach to care. After dealing with sports injuries in high school, it was the mental and physical support of her physical therapist and athletic trainer that allowed her to finish her athletic career. That experience inspired her passion for physical therapy—not just to heal the body, but to support the whole person. Her compassionate nature and love for movement, health, and longevity continue to guide the way she works with each client.
Dr. April’s favorite way to stay active is to get outdoors🥾⛰️—whether it’s hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, or outdoor workouts with friends and family. She’s always up for learning something new, and her latest hobbies include pickleball, golf, and Pilates.
Outside of the clinic, you’ll likely find Dr. April exploring a new National Park, checking out a new coffee shops, spending time with family—especially her nieces and nephews, going to concerts, or cheering on a Cincinnati sports team (even when they let her down)!
Mike Peyton
PTA, ISSA-CPT, ACE
-Physical Therapy Assistant
-International Sports Sciences Association - Certified Personal Trainer
-American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer
-4th degree Black Belt in Taekwondo
-Certified CPR
Mike is from Piqua, Ohio, and was homeschooled before earning his Physical Therapist Assistant degree from Edison State. He also has a background in missions work, where he traveled the country leading retreats for middle and high school students.
Mike has been a personal trainer since 2022 and has practiced martial arts since he was 10 years old—earning his 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo and the opportunity to instruct. His passion for physical therapy began with a desire to improve his strength for martial arts through weightlifting. Inspired by trainers and a physical therapist/strength coach he followed online, he pursued a career where he could blend his love for fitness, movement, and helping others. He believes the body knows what it needs and enjoys working alongside patients to restore them to what they love doing.
For years, Mike’s habits and routines have included hiking, lifting, and martial arts. 🥋
Outside of the clinic, you can catch Mike spending time with his wife and son, watching a good show, reading, or building projects like bookshelves. 📖
Shannon Szelog
-Personal Trainer
-Client Experience Coordinator
-Team Social Planner
Shannon was born and raised in Toledo, then lived in Columbus for 10 years before moving to Dayton. She has worked in retail and restaurants since her first job at 14 developing a deep love for taking care of people. She currently also works at Whole Foods Market going on 9 years—coaching and mentoring future leaders as well as educating customers about the importance of what they put in their bodies.
As a client of TNPT since September 2021, she understands first hand how it feels to have someone invested in your recovery and give you hope. “That hope was the catalyst for my path to healing and getting stronger than I was pre-injury.” From client to teammate, Shannon is the best person to support our clients and our team!
Shannon’s preferred form of movement is hiking and Yoga🧘♀️, but inside the gym, you can find her playing with all sorts of mobility techniques, core exercises, and pushing + pulling the sled around. “Where I once had a dream to lift the heaviest barbell off the ground, now I focus on longevity, building muscle, and being able to play on the monkey bars with my little one.”
Outside of the clinic, you can find Shannon at a local coffee shop ☕️, making food for her friends, a park with her daughter, Zoey, or going on roadtrips to see live music. 🎶 She enjoys attending local SoundBaths and coaching people on a journey of self-discovery through breath work and cold-plunging. 🥶
Brett Benner
-Client Experience Coordinator
-Certified CPR
Brett grew up in San Diego, California, and graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Human-Centered Design. After a decade of designing software and websites, he discovered a new passion in physical therapy.
He moved to Dayton, OH to care for his grandfather and father while returning to school to study physical therapy. Currently, he’s taking science courses at Sinclair College in preparation for applying to local Doctor of Physical Therapy programs.
A lifelong athlete, Brett grew up playing competitive soccer and now competes in USTA men’s tennis leagues at KTC and Quail Run Racquet Clubs. He also enjoys surfing, skiing, and is a former powerlifter. His interest in physical therapy grew after rehabbing his own shoulder and knee injuries—learning how to restore his mobility and return to the activities he loved. That experience sparked his drive to help others live active, pain-free lives doing what they love.
Outside of the clinic, Brett enjoys playing tennis 🎾, attending music festivals, learning salsa, and reading about psychology and human behavior.
Ali Barhorst
-Social Media Creator
Ali is Dr. Luke’s wife. She grew up in Findlay, OH and attended The Ohio State University for nursing. She enjoyed a career of pediatric nursing, travel nursing, and working in eye surgery before “retiring” to join the TNPT team.
She is typically the first line of contact for Training Nation when you text, call, or email! She also does many things behind the scenes managing schedules for our performance therapists, helping with scheduling our clients, checking-in with clients, organizing, ordering, posting on social media, and anything else our clients and doc’s need support of.
She also fulfills the non-stop role of being a mom to three! Ali enjoys being active with her family, hiking, playing soccer and home gym workouts. “It’s important to be strong and active for my health, but—just as importantly—to be an example to my kids that mom takes care of herself and can run around with them.”
She enjoys being a mom and wife, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends, cooking, and using essential oils. 🌿 Favorite foods include (but not limited to) homemade pizza with ranch, and chocolate chip cookies.