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SPOTLIGHT ON: The Iron Chick

There’s no doubt about it, Rebecca Jackson is unstoppable.

A seasoned athlete and professional trainer, Rebecca earned the nickname “Iron Chick” while training an NBA player and running him through one of her highly effective - and very challenging - sessions.

“I love the energy of athletes, regardless of age and sport,” Rebecca said. “And when someone tells me they can’t do something, or their doctor said they’re no longer able, that’s the best challenge!”

In high school, Rebecca was active in just about every sport possible, including tap, jazz, ballet, and anything that involved a ball whether it was a game or just making up new ways to play. With her dad as a coach, she was supported and encouraged to try everything, eventually going to college and earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science.

“I considered nursing school but what drove me was helping rehabilitate athletes, particularly after surgery,” she explained.

Her strength, both mental and physical, did not come easy.

When she was 22, Rebecca’s path abruptly shifted after she was in a car accident, revealing symptoms that were eventually diagnosed as a hereditary condition affecting the brain and spine.

“The impact of the accident really jarred my brain and sort of shook loose this condition I didn’t know I had, causing me to blackout at random times and the potential for further problems with my spinal cord,” she explained. “I was 22 years old with an incredible neurosurgeon, but after brain and spine surgery, they just handed me a bunch of pills and said, ‘Good luck, kid.’”

During her recovery, Rebecca found herself staring at the bottles of muscle relaxers and painkillers and thought - this can’t be the answer. Physical therapy had never been mentioned, or any kind of physical rehab.

“I knew I had to do this myself because no one else was going to do it for me,” she said. “That kicked off my mission to help others do the same.”

As Rebecca found her way back to the healthy, active lifestyle she loved, she became a Mom and continued dedicating her time and energy to helping others do the same.

When her youngest was just 2 years old, she found herself with a new diagnosis - thyroid cancer - resulting in another surgery and a lifelong prescription for thyroid hormones.

Undeterred and focused on her future, she knew was she had to do.

“I found a new way to do things and when I was 35, I started competing in fitness competitions, and winning!” Rebecca said. “There’s no excuse, you just have to find a new way of doing what you love.”

Today, the Iron Chick owns her own training company - ICF Performance - and among her clients is the Dynepic team. “Fit Friday” is a live, weekly online session where she takes us through everything from Pilates to kettlebells to heart-pounding intervals. The company offers two similar sessions each week during work hours and has shown significant results in team morale and individual health concerns.

“The way Rebecca trains, she helps you understand the correct way to perform the movements and provides variations so everyone, regardless of where they’re at in their fitness journey, can maximize their time at Fitness Friday,” shared Christian Willis, Dynepic’s Program Manager III.

“My husband says I act like I’m 12 years old, but I’m walking proof that age doesn’t define you,” Rebecca shared. “This attitude has allowed me to do so many cool things - things doctors said I couldn’t do - I just don’t take no for an answer.”

Dynepic’s Fitness Friday led by the Iron Chick is held at 0900 Eastern each week. Joining the Dynepic, Inc. team means you too can be part of the fun and #LevelUp!

Employee Spotlight: George Moats

George Moats is one of a kind and a stellar fit at Dynepic!

As our Senior Cybersecurity Engineer and platform Information System Security Officer, George recently helped secure an IL4 Authorization to Operate (ATO) for MOTAR, a huge accomplishment for a small business that requires strict cybersecurity compliance and significant coordination with federal law, Department of Defense policy, and standards. Thanks to his experience and unrelenting motivation, Airmen and MOTAR Creators can rapidly contribute and deliver Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) level information, enable students and instructors to use virtual reality headsets for multi-modal learning (including XR applications), and allow creators to operationalize their code. MOTAR Live (IL4) will open in May 2023.

Achieving ATO was no small feat and George was quick to give credit to everyone involved: "When you stand on the shoulders of giants to achieve something like ATO, it's easy to see over the horizon to a powerful and innovative future! And this is only the beginning."

Having served several years in the US Air Force and nearly 20 working in education and DoD information technology roles, George’s passions are what ultimately led him to his role at Dynepic.

“Right now, I'm chasing down a process to secure Unity applications in a continuous integration pipeline, and I’m really excited to streamline and securely scale AR/VR training and host on our platform” he shared. “It's an awesome role for me as I get to explore all of the coolest technology but cannot dwell on any one thing too long. The chess match I play with possible adversaries is exciting.”

While he’s certainly proud of his professional milestones, there is nothing George is prouder of than his family. He and his wife currently reside in Nebraska where they’re raising their two boys with plenty of access to the outdoors and daily adventures.

Working with a fully remote team fit into his lifestyle well, too.

“The freedom is unmatched,” George said. “We all work incredibly hard, but it’s a gift to be able to take a 10-minute break for a chore or enjoy a smile with my boys in the summer.”

He added: “I’m grateful to be able to innovate and grow with Dynepic. We have miles to go before we sleep, but something tells me I’ll enjoy the walk.”

Thank you, George!

Employee Spotlight: Tyler Wallace

Tyler Wallace is a true self-starter, making him a perfect fit for his role at Dynepic! 

A whip-smart software engineer and Unity developer, Tyler is currently creating a set of tools to help creators with little to no software development experience realize a fully functional virtual reality training application in MOTAR. 

“My role is to bring to life and develop any new ideas and products,” Tyler shared. “It's a great fit for me because most of my career I have learned how to teach myself, which comes in handy when dealing with brand-new ideas.”

Originally from Oregon, Tyler now lives in Utah with his wife and two rescue pups, Bella and Moose. Having served five years in the US Air Force as a computer programmer, Tyler originally joined Dynepic as a DoD Skillbridge intern, a program that helps military members transition to civilian life through relevant, matched job opportunities. Turns out Dynepic was a perfect match! 

“After working fully remote I probably could never go back to in person. I have a 0-minute commute, have my fully personalized office with minimal distractions, and my only in-person coworkers are my two dogs!” Tyler said. 

When he’s not helping build the backbone of the Military Metaverse, you can find Tyler enjoying his other favorite activities, including photography, golf, rock climbing, hiking and playing video games. 

Thank you, Tyler, for bringing your skills to the Dynepic team!