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ABOUT US

THE Novem Community Fitness STORY

Our Mission

Since 2011, we’ve curated a healthy, vibrant community of fitness at Novem that’s about way more than burpees and box jumps. Here, we are the machines. You won’t see an elliptical in sight. Our goal is for you to show up three to five times each week, and have an incredible experience, every time. From strength training to gymnastics, cardio to mobility, there’s a different workout every single day. The one thing that’s always the same our support and devotion to your health and fitness goals.

OUR PEOPLE IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT

MEET OUR TEAM

Joe Ling

Owner he/him

Diana Lamberti

Coach she/her

Jessica Alvarez

Coach she/her

Jeanette Bears

Coach they/them

Hugh Black

Coach he/him

Vincent Crapello

Coach they/he

Tori DeGiosio

Coach she/her

Abby Jamiel

Coach she/her/they

Cory Payton

Coach he/him

Lindsey Shanley

Coach she/her

Dan Pineda

Coach he/him

Charlie Morgan

coach HE/HIM

Are You Ready To Level Up?

Getting Started Is Easy!

STEP 1

SCHEDULE YOUR FIRST VISIT

Talk with a coach about your goals and meet our trainers, tour the gym, and learn more about our programs.

STEP 2

START YOUR TRAINING

We will start you strong by taking you through the fundamentals of training and sound habits, putting you on the road to success!

STEP 3

HAVE FUN REACHING NEW LEVELS

Book classes easily on our app, improve your fitness, and enjoy the workouts with awesome people and reach your goals in no time!

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start Your Journey today!

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Joe Ling

Owner he/him

Whether playing football, riding bikes with friends, or competing in high school track and field, Joe has always had a strong passion for exercise. But as he got older and fell into his daily “grown-up” routine, Joe’s health took a backseat in life. On his 30th birthday, Joe realized he was overweight and knew something had to change. He spent the next two years gym-hopping through South Jersey and Philadelphia, trying to stay engaged with the workouts he needed to stay healthy. 
In 2009, Joe heard whispers of something called Crossfit—a new kind of workout that was fun, exciting, and results-driven. CrossFit challenged him both physically and mentally and he was hooked after his first workout. Joe loves CrossFit’s focus on staying healthy through proper diet and exercise, but he believes that the true bonus of CrossFit is the community created by the owners and members. Building on that love for community and fitness, Joe is excited to take his love for CrossFit to new heights at Novem and is looking forward to helping people in the CrossFit Novem community to reach their full potential in health, exercise, and life.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

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Diana Lamberti

Coach she/her

​Diana grew up in Central New Jersey where she spent her entire childhood inside of a gymnastics gym. As the oldest of 6, and the only girl, she was a very hyper-active and athletic child who never stopped moving. Her mom would even quiz her for spelling tests while she was doing cartwheels and handstand walking in the living room.

After deciding not to continue gymnastics in college, she began to feel a void. Throughout school, she tried various different gyms but didn’t find an environment that allowed her to develop a healthy and consistent lifestyle. When she moved to Philadelphia in 2012, she was looking for a way to get back in shape and make friends. Her cousin had been telling her about crossfit, and after stepping into Novem in 2013, she hasn’t looked back.

As she started to move more efficiently and learn new skills, her competitive side kicked in. She participated in a novice competition in 2014, and with that she was hooked and decided she wanted to turn crossfit into a sport. She has attended training camps to develop her skills both individually and as part of a team, and she has continued to travel around the country to compete.

In 2021, Diana gave birth to her son Bobby who is now the light of her life. Fitness helped her have a smooth pregnancy and a relatively easy recovery. Diana believes that fitness is an essential part of life and she enjoys helping people achieve their goals, no matter how big or small.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

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Jessica Alvarez

Coach she/her

South Philly native Jessica was a very active kid and spent a lot of her free time outside climbing trees, riding bikes, and flipping off of swings at Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pa. Throughout middle and high school she participated in sports like Field Hockey, Diving, Swim Team and Figure Skating. She finished her junior and senior year in Colombia where she learned and competed in show jumping.

In July of 2012, she attended her first class at Fearless Athletics CrossFit South Philly and fell in love with the community, barbell and gymnastic movements. She’s competed in a few individual competitions, but truly enjoyed and thrives on a team.

In 2018, while reminiscing about playing sports, her lifting coach encouraged her try something new, so she attended a Philadelphia Rugby Football Club game. She was instantly hooked and joined their D3 team. She currently plays 15s (Fall & Spring) and 7s (Summer).

She joined Novem in November of 2021 with her partner Graham. She enjoys taking both Bootcamp and Fit class, but when she’s not at the gym she enjoys tending to her many plants, hiking, and sneaking out to the burbs to relax and ride horses.

She looks forward to coaching existing and new members and hopes to make them feel heard and supported while on their fitness journey at Novem.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

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Jeanette Bears

Coach they/them

Jeanette has always been attracted to competitive sports, especially ones where they compete with themself. In high school they threw shotput and discus, always trying to best their own scores, and even though they hated running, they aced their PT scores in ROTC. As an adult in NYC Jeanette joined basketball and football leagues, and while meeting their wife in their first season of basketball was a plus, they still struggled to find something that would challenge them. Jeanette found CrossFit after hitting a mental and physical health roadblock in 2018. Weightlifting (and finally embracing a little cardio) not only provided tangible success, but a gateway to a sport and community that finds space for everyone. Jeanette coaches because they want to help make spaces for all kinds of folks and bodies, making sure anyone can feel empowered through fitness.

Outside the gym, Jeanette is making movies, writing, or out exploring with their wife Ciara, daughter Everly, and pup Geoff.

Certifications

CF L2
USAW L1
Pre & Post Natal Coach Cert – Girls Gone Strong

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Hugh Black

Coach he/him

Hugh Black is a Philadelphia transplant, growing up in Phoenix, and coming to us from Las Vegas. Hugh is a pilot in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and an avid CrossFitter, loving everything the sport has to offer and enjoys competing. However, Hugh wasn’t that athletically inclined while growing up, until he got to high school and had a goal to get accepted into the United States Air Force Academy. He began to run cross country and track for his high school. His coach encouraged him to sign up for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon to train in the off season, and after completing that race the endurance junkie was born. He went on to join the Marathon Club at the Air Force Academy, competing in multiplemarathons over his years in college and qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

After graduation, Hugh was looking to push himself to the next level in endurance sports and signed up for his first full Ironman triathlon: Ironman Louisville. While barely having enough time to train during pilot training, he crossed

the finish line of his first Ironman in 2012. He raced in two more Ironman triathlons if the following years, and while he still enjoyed it, he was getting burnt out and looking for a change in his fitness routine.

Hugh joined his friend for his first CrossFit workout in 2016 and was hooked. He loves what CrossFit has done and will continue to do to improve his overall health, fitness, strength, and coordination, while still maintaining his endurance and stamina. He also loves the community and comradery that you get from a CrossFit gym, especially with the CrossFit Novem community. Hugh is excited to share his passion for CrossFit and training with the Novem Community and help every member reach their goals and have fun while getting there!

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Vincent Crapello

Coach they/he

Vincent grew up in the woods of Sussex county New Jersey. Interested in sports at an early age, he bounced from soccer, to hockey, to wrestling, and more became a jack of all trades, master of none rather than finding a niche. Through high school and college, he found theater and working out to be his main venues for creative release. After graduating college in 2010 with Bachelor of the Arts degrees in both Theater Arts and Communications, Vincent decided to take his education to the San Francisco Bay Area, and discovered in less than a year that neither an office life nor theatrical one was the life for him.

He worked jobs at gyms, retail establishments, and many restaurants but only found that he needed to be a part of people’s lives, and part of a community. The need to help people, and desire to change people daily is what helped Vincent decide to become… a barber.

Vincent moved to Philadelphia in 2012 to pursue this dream of following an old-fashioned barber apprenticeship. All the while, fitness was starting to stagnate. Years of corporate gyms, and bro-science bodybuilding style workouts he was bored and could no longer motivate.

He had heard of CrossFit occasionally over the years, and after meeting Coach Lesha at the shop he was apprenticing, he decided to give Novem a try. After four and a half years of loving CrossFit as a program and Novem as a community, Vincent decided to try his hand at coaching to help the community that’s helped him so.

Vincent has been vegan and sober for over 10 years, and emphasizes the importance of physical as well as mental health. He’s had a stint as a professional wrestler at a local promotion, and works full time at a Fishtown barbershop, which services much of the Novem community.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

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Tori DeGiosio

Coach she/her

Although she now calls Philadelphia home, Tori grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania and first found her love for CrossFit while living in Washington, D.C.

After exploring machines and free weights in her college gym, then following powerlifting programs on her own after college, in 2017, she started CrossFit after being enticed in by a free class. She loved the “constantly varied” of CrossFit that brought new movements like gymnastics and weightlifting that she had never tried before, and was quickly hooked.

Tori is naturally more competitive with herself than others, so from day one, she was on a mission to learn all the CrossFit movements. She quickly learned, and began to even enjoy, bettering her weaknesses and building on her strengths (even though she still says anything over five reps is too much cardio).

In 2019, Tori became a CrossFit Level 1 Certified Trainer. Her goal in coaching classes is to help others realize how strong and capable they are — mentally and physically — and to make the gym a safe and happy space for every member.

Outside of CrossFit, Tori works full time as the Director of Digital Fundraising at a digital agency helping democratic campaigns and non-profits run successful digital programs funded by grassroots donations.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Abby Jamiel

Coach she/her/they

Abby grew up as her family’s “non-athletic-artsy-child.” Ironically, her inability to throw a ball or hit a target led her towards a high school running career and eventually to row crew in college. As a member of Ithaca College’s NCAA crew team, she rowed in the Varsity 1 boat her senior year, placing 4th in Nation (let’s go bow seat). After an intense collegiate experience, Abby fell in love with womxn in team sports. Her fellow rowers are still some of her best friends. Abby found CrossFit when searching for a competitive and rigorous athletic environment after college. She started coaching in 2017 and currently has her L-2 CrossFit Certification and is CPR Certified. She has placed in the CrossFit Open quarterfinals in 2022, 2023, and probably would have made it in 2024 if she felt like paying the $50.

Outside of the fitness world, Abby is trained as an Urban Planner and nerds out about public art, public space, and elements of play, movement, and cultural reflection in communities. Sometimes, she paints too. You can most likely find her in the weight lifting room or facing her demons in the ice bath. Come say “hey” or talk to her about rowing, nutrition, your favorite city, or anything that makes you laugh.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Cory Payton

Coach he/him

Originally from the land of Bourbon and Horses, Cory comes to us from the great state of Kentucky. He found his first love for fitness during his High School years while making attempts to join West Point Military Academy. Although life took him elsewhere, he used the knowledge he gained from fitness and group mentality and applied it throughout his life.

Cory found his first CrossFit gym in Lexington, Kentucky after a friend encouraged him to look beyond the vast globo gyms. Cory steps into the walls as a member in 2018 but after 2 years Cory achieved a role he gravitated to, a CrossFit coach.

Cory made his way to NovemFit in 2023 after making a tour of all Philly CrossFit Gyms and is proud to call Novem home. Usually found in the weightlifting room and rarely seen doing cardio, Cory is here to help make Novem your favorite place.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Lindsey Shanley

Coach she/her

Lindsey grew up in upstate New York where her love for fitness started with her dad bringing her along to the gym as a teen and throughout high school. She got her degree in Athletic Training from Springfield College where she taught group exercise on campus, and worked as a high school athletic trainer for two years before realizing she loved helping people avoid injury through fitness more than she enjoyed treating injury. She earned her master’s degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern while transitioning into the Head Coach position at Orangetheory Fitness in Rhode Island. After just eight months in studio, Lindsey moved to South Florida to work for the Orangetheory corporate headquarters, opening studios and training fitness Coaches in ten different countries (and four languages!) including Poland, China, the UAE, and India. In June of 2022 while spending a month in Philadelphia, Lindsey took classes at Novem and quickly realized this style of training would be her next fitness venture. Lindsey loves that in CrossFit there is ALWAYS something to get better at, and most importantly that you need to eat A LOT of food to keep up with the workload. Lindsey became a full-time Philly (and Novem!) resident in June of 2023 and when not in the gym she can be seen taking her pups out on coffee walks around Fishtown.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Dan Pineda

Coach he/him

Dan is from Wall, NJ. He grew up playing baseball and competed at the Division II level at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Dan is a physician and enjoys advocating healthy lifestyles and exercise prescriptions in his daily practice.

Dan’s CrossFit journey started in medical school. He appreciates the community and lifelong friends he has made along the way. Never one to pass up an opportunity for friendly competition, he enjoys participating in the CrossFit Open and local competitions.

Along with being a Doctor in Medicine, Dan has a Bachelor’s in Biology, his CrossFit Level 1 Certification, and is BLS, ACLS, and PALS certified. Outside of the gym, he enjoys riding his bike around the city, hopping around breweries, and snapping photos with his camera.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

Charlie Morgan

Coach HE/HIM

Charlie grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs and spent most of his athletic life on a baseball field. As a highschool sophomore, he was introduced to Crossfit in 2010 during offseason training where he found a new passion and enthusiasm for fitness.

After high school, Charlie went on to Penn State to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. During his time in college and even as a young adult, he bounced around conventional gyms, loosely following a hodgepodge of weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding training programs. He decided to move to Fishtown in 2020 alongside a group of close friends where he was invited to his first Novem class. He fell in love with the community and found a new home where he could improve in and advocate for movement and fitness.

Charlie is USAW L1 certified and plans to complete his Crossfit L1 certification this year. He values the physical and mental health benefits of being and staying active. Whether you’re training competitively or just coming in for a great workout, he’ll help guide and support in getting everyone closer to their goals. If you see him bopping around Fishtown, whether at a record store, concert, or brewery, feel free to say hi!

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

GET STARTED!

GETTING STARTED IS EASY!

Simply fill out the form below and then schedule Your Free Consultation on the next page.

Shortly after we will be in touch with you to confirm your intro session. We are excited to meet you!

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Novem Community Fitness celebrates, affirms, and creates empowering spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals. We honor and support the ongoing march toward equality for the LGBTQIA+ community.

GET STARTED

GETTING STARTED IS EASY!

Simply fill out the form below and then schedule Your FREE intro session on the next page.

Shortly after we will be in touch with you to confirm your intro session. We are excited to meet you!

(give our form below a second to load, we love you for it!)

ARE YOU LOOKING TO DROP-IN?

We Would Love To Meet You!
WARNING! Class Sizes Are Limited.

If you would like to reserve a spot…
Simply fill out the form below
letting us know what day you might come by
& one of our amazing coaches
will reach out to you to reserve your class.

OUR DROP-IN RATES

$25 for Bootcamp
$25 for FIT with Experience

FIND US AT
1732 N Howard St Suite B,
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 398-1398

OUR PRICING IS SIMPLE

We Want To Offer You The PERFECT Membership For YouR NEEDS.

Simply fill out the form below and one of our amazing coaches will send you our current membership information.

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