Key staff Coaching Staff

Head Coach

George Rivera

Our Executive Director, George Rivera is a 3-time State Golden Glove Champion, 2-time Regional Golden Glove Champion, Semi-Finalist in the Regional Olympic trials and a professional fighter with over 24 professional bouts with an amateur record of 45-5. George knows the importance of mental and physical awareness because as an adolescent he was a labeled child who was misunderstood. Wartime Fitness Warriors overarching goal is to provide a safe-haven for children to reach their goals to be future leaders and bosses.

Assistant Coaches

Coach J.R. Adams

With 19 years of experience in combat sports, Coach J.R. Adams brings a wealth of knowledge, discipline, and hands-on experience to every athlete he works with. His coaching philosophy is centered on building complete athletes through technical skill, physical conditioning, proper nutrition, and mental toughness.

Coach Adams is a USA Boxing Green Level Coach, USA Boxing Nutrition Certified, and USA Strength & Conditioning Certified. These credentials, combined with nearly two decades of combat sports experience, allow him to take a comprehensive approach to training and athlete development.

Whether you're a beginner looking to build confidence and fitness or an experienced athlete preparing for competition, Coach J.R. Adams is committed to helping you become stronger, sharper, healthier, and more prepared to perform at your best.

Coach Matt

Coach Matt is a dedicated coach, trainer, and lifelong athlete with more than 30 years of experience working with and mentoring young athletes.

Born in Cobham, Virginia, Coach Matt attended Albemarle High School, where he was a three-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball, and track. He earned varsity letters in all three sports, building a strong foundation of discipline, teamwork, and athletic dedication.

After high school, Coach Matt continued his football career by playing semi-professional football for six years. He also competed with the Charlottesville Boxing Team for two years, further expanding his athletic experience and knowledge of training, conditioning, and competition.

For more than three decades, Matt has dedicated himself to working with young athletes, coaching football, basketball, and AAU sports. His years of coaching have given him a unique understanding of how to develop athletes not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.

Today, Coach Matt brings that experience to Wartime Fitness, where he has been a personal trainer for the past two years. He is passionate about helping clients improve their strength, conditioning, confidence, and overall fitness while using the same principles of discipline and commitment that have guided him throughout his athletic career.

Whether working with an experienced athlete or someone beginning their fitness journey, Coach Matt believes in helping every individual reach their full potential.

Executive Board

  • George Rivera

    President

    George is originally from Harlem, NY. With his family he moved to Lake Monticello in Fluvanna county during his Senior year of high school. George began boxing shortly after high school. He is a 3-time State Golden Glove Champion, 2-time Regional Golden Glove Champion, Semi-Finalist in the Regional Olympic trials, and a professional fighter with over 24 professional bouts with an amateur record of 45-5. George knows the importance of mental and physical awareness, as an adolescent he was a labeled child who was misunderstood. Wartime Fitness Warriors overarching goal is to provide a safe haven for children to reach their goals to be future leaders and bosses.


  • Amber Rivera

    SECRETARY

    Amber was born and raised in central Virginia, she is also George’s wife and #1 fan. For the past ten years, Amber has worked for Aetna/CVS as a Network Relations Consultant. She is also a Small Business Owner/ Craftswoman/Artisan, Of Country Girl Creations By Amber, LLC.

  • Deidre Creasy-Quirindoongo

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Deidre is the current Board Chair to the Wartime Fitness Warriors board. She holds a BS and MS in Criminal Justice from Virginia State University. In addition, she is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor registered with the Virginia Board of Counseling in the State of Virginia. Deidre works in Senior Leadership in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse field in Charlottesville, VA.

  • Aven Hormel Kinley

    GRANT COORDINATOR

    Aven was born in Charlottesville and graduated from Mary Washington College with a B.S. in Psychology. She spent her adult life building a career in bookkeeping and business management. She enjoys helping small businesses thrive and making connections within the local philanthropic community. 


  • Carol O'connor

    TREASURER

    Carol was born in Charlottesville and raised in the D.C. suburbs.  She returned to Charlottesville to attend the University of Virginia where she earned a B.A. in English.  As she graduated, she started a bookkeeping service which evolved over almost 4 decades into a small business consulting practice focused on business intelligence and automation. She has also served as full time Controller for a handful of businesses. As her full time career winds down, she is focused on regenerative agriculture as well as putting her business experience to use helping community organizations.


  • John Thompson

    YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

    John is a dedicated South Carolina native with over 7 years of experience as an employee of the Charlottesville’s Department of Human Services. In addition to this role, he works in private practice, providing therapy to youth in the greater Charlottesville area. As a passionate youth and family advocate and educator, he is committed to fostering positive change in the lives of young people. A proud graduate of the University of South Carolina, John also holds two master's degrees from Liberty University in Executive Leadership and Clinical Mental Health Counseling.


  • Diana Branscome

    SPECIAL PROJECTS

    Diana received her BA in Anthropology and JD from the University of Virginia. After working for several years in legal publishing at LexisNexis, she craved a more creative life. Diana reinvented herself as a fused glass artist at Branscome Glass, specializing in using recycled glass to make lamps, bowls, and jewelry. She also has a side hustle as a concierge gardener.


  • Brooke Dodd

    Brooke grew up in Nelson County, Virginia in a farming family. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia earning a Bachelor of Arts with a social science discipline. With a career focused on business management, Brooke has been a small business owner and worked for several small businesses in the area, including 2 local non-profits. Additionally, she was the General Manager for a large farm winery in Albemarle County for 10 years. Her volunteer involvement has encompassed work with local food banks and after-school enrichment programs for elementary school, as well as numerous programs focused on environmental sustainability and services for pre-K children and young adults. In addition to her community involvement, she is a professional scuba diver, loves gardening and is learning more about the importance of native plants in household gardens.

Testimonials

  • “My son Lane was having difficulties in school especially with listening and his behavior. My husband and I looked around for programs to get him involved in and stumbled across Wartime Fitness. Since enrolling Lane in the young guns boxing program we have seen significant improvement in his behavior at school and at home. “

    Warrrtime Fitness

  • “Wartime fitness has had such a positive impact on my son’s life. I really can’t say enough great things about this gym. My son has suffered from anxiety, depression, ADHD most of his life and this gym has been a blessing for him. The coaches at this gym have helped him build confidence, self-discipline, and, motivation just to name a few. He is no longer on ADHD medication because he works his steam off in the gym and con focus more on a daily basis. He has always wanted to become a boxer. George Rivera and the rest of the Coaches have built him into the champion that he is today. This is hands down the best gym we’ve ever been to. I highly recommend wartime fitness for anyone young or older.”

    Wartime Fitness

  • “The Wartime Family has truly changed my son’s life for the better in more ways than I can count. As a free-spirited child who struggles with attention, Uriah was often categorized as un-coachable by many who misunderstood his behavior. As a parent, it was difficult to watch coaches lose patience with him when he was giving his best effort. Everything changed when Uriah was introduced to George Rivera at age eight.”

    Wartime Fitness