Kate O’Connor

Founder, RN, MSN FNP-C

Kate is the owner of Optimal Health & Wellness and takes great pride in providing great care to every patient that steps foot in her office. Kate’s main goal in life is educating her community and helping people achieve health, wellness, and happiness.

When Kate is not in the office she is very busy with her 3 young boys, Hudson, Austin, and Mason. Since her oldest son was 3 years old she’s been coaching him in baseball and that time spent together on the baseball field is something she loves being a part of. Kate and her family have recently joined the BMX community to support her two youngest boys in their love for BMX racing. Kate also has a love for animals and treats all her animals like her children. The O’Connor family houses a dog (Poppy), 3 cats (Kitty, Willow, & Luna), and 4 goats (Hunter, Pepper, Everest, & Ellie). She’d love to add chickens to the clan ONE DAY!

Amanda

Life Coach

Amanda Kontor is a social worker with an unwavering commitment to guiding clients through a transformative journey of self – discovery, heightened awareness, and an enhanced overall well – being. With over 15 years of extensive experience, Amanda is recognized as a leading advocate for empowerment, specializing in aiding individuals to navigate a spectrum of goals, from personal aspirations to addressing severe psychiatric disorders.

Amanda’s wealth of expertise extends beyond individual counseling, encompassing significant contributions to underserved populations. Amanda’s commitment to community – centered well – being as further manifested through her proficiency and life coaching. In addition to traditional therapy, Amanda, excels in life coaching, offering clients a unique and empowering approach. Amanda’s integration of life coaching into her practice underscores her commitment to providing clients with versatile tools for personal growth and fulfillment.

Complementing her dedication to social work, Amanda is the founder of Saving Grace Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, a not-for-profit organization. Her passion for animal welfare aligns seamlessly with her commitment to empowering individuals, promoting animal – assisted interventions and therapy in collaboration with mental health professionals, educators, and community organizations. Amanda is dedicated toward creating a world where compassionate treatment of animals and protection of children, coexist, inspiring empathy, and harmony and society for all.

Liz

PNOE Expert

She started her journey as a fitness instructor in 2016. She’s always had a passion for fitness and has always been active, so becoming an instructor was a natural Evolution. Over the years, She has been certified in many formats: Spinning, Group Ex, Barre, Pilates Reformer,  TRX, Personal Training, and now PNOE Metabolic Testing.  She is the founder and owner of Body Evolution, which offers small group classes, personal training, and fitness assessments and consultations.  She is excited for her partnership with Optimal Heath & Wellness, and is looking forward to helping people create a healthy lifestyle regime that is sustainable.

Liz met her husband at Purdue, and they got married in 2006. They live in Valparaiso and have two incredibly active kids, Alaina & Aidan. They are always running to a gymnastics meet, basketball tournament,  BMX race, violin or choir concert. She also has two fur babies, Mack & Olive.

I am so very fortunate to be in the fitness industry.  I love helping people grow and Evolve into stronger individuals, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Helping people reach their potential is incredibly rewarding!

Heidi

FM Health Coach

Heidi Staley is a certified Integrative Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). Her training has provided her with extensive training in holistic health, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching, equipping her with the knowledge and tools to support individuals in achieving their wellness goals.

Heidi’s passion for health and wellness was sparked by her own personal journey with autoimmune disease. Through years of research, lifestyle changes, and personal experience, she discovered the power of nutrition, stress management, and holistic healing in improving overall well-being. This journey inspired her to guide others in navigating their own health challenges with compassion, knowledge, and personalized strategies. She understands the challenges of balancing family, work, and personal health, which allows her to connect with clients on a real, relatable level.

As an Integrative Health Coach, Heidi takes a whole-person approach. Her training at IIN emphasizes bio-individuality, meaning she understands that no single diet or lifestyle approach works for everyone. Instead, she guides clients in discovering what works best for their unique needs, empowering them to make informed choices that align with their personal health and wellness goals.

Beyond her work, Heidi is a wife to her husband, Nate, of 20 years. She is a mother to their two children, Kherington and Callen. She is busy homeschooling them and driving them to music lessons and more. She LOVES to be in the kitchen, cooking or baking and adapting recipes to fit her own specific dietary needs. Sharing her love for healthy cooking with others is a big passion of hers.

Heidi is passionate about helping others take control of their health and live their best lives.

Sierra

Medical Receptionist

Sierra comes to us with a strong background in the dental field but has always had a passion for health and wellness, making the transition to our team a perfect fit. Her personal love for routine, fitness, and helping others has driven her to pursue a career where she can make a positive impact on people’s health.

Outside of work, Sierra enjoys hiking at the dunes with her boyfriend and their two fur babies, Koda and Zara. She’s an outdoor enthusiast, embracing the winter months with skiing and the summer months with hiking and rollerblading. Sierra also loves exploring new coffee shops and attending hot yoga classes.

Leah

Social Media/Marketing Coordinator

Leah graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Marketing and has always had a passion for creativity and social media. Naturally drawn to building brands and connecting with others, her journey into the marketing world has felt like a perfect fit. She’s gained experience in content creation and social media strategy, helping small businesses share their stories in an authentic and engaging way. Now, she’s excited to bring her skills to Optimal Health & Wellness, where she can help grow the online presence and connect more people to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.

Outside of work, Leah enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible—especially at the beach or relaxing at the lake on weekends. From a young age, she was driven, dedicating 15 years to gymnastics, which taught her discipline, mental toughness, and the importance of balance. These lessons continue to shape her life today as she enjoys hot yoga, Pilates, and even recently picked up golf as a fun new way to stay active.

Leah recently moved into her first home with her high school sweetheart in Crown Point and loves building a life filled with simple joys. She’s a big fan of country music, an avid concert-goer, and a passionate traveler—having explored Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Malta, the Czech Republic, and many more. Whether it’s through her work or her personal life, Leah finds the most fulfillment in making meaningful connections and helping others feel their best.

Kelly

FNP-BC

Kelly has been practicing in the integrative/functional medicine space for over 20 years. Her passion began as a teen with severe acne and after unsuccessful treatment she began her journey into nutritional optimization and supplements.

Later her and her family diagnosis of Celiac Disease led her further down the path of food as medicine; a long standing pillar of integrative and functional medicine.

She is trained through American Academy of Anti-aging and has their Masters Degree education through the University of South Florida in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine. Kelly desires everyone to look and feel their best and experience joyful peace through balanced living.

Her spare time is spent reading, walking and as a comprehensive trained and certified Pilates instructor, which she has practiced for over 10 years. She loves to cook. She feels Breath and Movement are integral to life in abundance, alongside whole food nutrition. She loves pilates for strength and flexibility while preserving joint integrity. She is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a Clinical Nurse Specialist in women’s health.

She received her BSN from Valparaiso University and Her Masters from Purdue University as well as her post graduate FNP from Valpo.

Lisa

IV Nurse

Lisa has been a nurse for 16 years, all in the emergency room. She began her career as an RN fellow and tech and was hired full time in the emergency department after graduating nursing school. Her experience in the ER has given her a strong clinical foundation and a deep passion for patient care.

In recent years, Lisa has been on her own health and wellness journey and is excited to continue learning more about functional medicine to help patients live their healthiest lives possible. She is a proud mom to two incredible sons and a devoted animal lover who spends her free time caring for a local feral cat colony, providing food, shelter, and compassion to animals in need.