Behind The Shield

Mark Pearce is a British health and fitness coach specialising in tactical populations, with over 20 years’ experience in the fire service. He spent 17 years as an operational firefighter and three years as a fire service fitness advisor, giving him first-hand insight into the physical, psychological, and organisational demands placed on frontline professionals.
A qualified Strength and Conditioning Coach within the tactical sector, Mark supports firefighters, police officers, and other high-stress professionals to improve functional strength, manage body composition, reduce injury risk, and sustain long-term performance. His approach blends evidence-based practice with practical, real-world application that fits the realities of shift work and operational life.
Alongside his coaching work, Mark regularly delivers guest lectures at universities on Strength & Conditioning, health, and wellbeing programmes. These sessions provide students with insight into the role of S&C beyond traditional sport settings, highlighting the complexities, constraints, and organisational challenges of applying performance support within emergency services and other non-sport environments.
Mark is the founder of Fitness for the Frontline and is actively involved in research projects aimed at driving meaningful, system-level change in frontline health and performance. He is open to conversations around delivering presentations, workshops, and collaborative projects.

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Ishmael Beah grew up in the African Country of Sierra Leonne. At the age of 10, civil war broke out and his world change forever. By thirteen, his family had all been murdered and he was forced into war as a boy soldier. Three years later, he was rescued by members of UNICEF and ultimately brought to the US. We talk about his journey through this nightmare, how he rehabilitated, gratitude, forgiveness and much more. Do not miss this episode!!
Ishmael Beah, best-selling author and human rights spokesperson, was appointed UNICEF’s first Advocate for Children Affected by War on 20 November 2007. In accepting the position Mr. Beah said, “… for me it’s just a way to give me more strength to continue doing what I’ve already embarked on, what I’ve dedicated my life to doing – which is to make sure that what happened to me doesn’t continue to happen to other children around the world.” He pledged to give a voice and hope to children whose lives have been scarred by violence.
In 1991, the outbreak of a brutal civil war in Sierra Leone upended the lives of millions. Ishmael Beah’s parents and two brothers were killed and he was forcibly recruited into the war at age 13. After two years, with UNICEF help, he was removed from the army and placed in a rehabilitation home in Freetown.
At the 1996 United Nations presentation of the Machel Report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, Mr. Beah spoke about the devastating effects of war on children in his country. In May 2000, at the UN Special Session on Children he served on a panel entitled ‘Reclaiming Our Children: The UN Responds to the Plight of the Child Soldier’. The panel included then Secretary General Kofi Annan and UN agency heads.
Mr. Beah continues his advocacy to help change the course for the thousands of children still trapped in wars. He is a member of the Human Rights Watch Children’s Rights Division Advisory Committee and has testified before the United States Congress. In 2008, he co-founded the Network of Young People Affected by War (NYPAW) with a mission to raise awareness of the plight of children in conflict zones, advocate for an end to hostilities and provide role models for children who are currently struggling to recover from war.
Activity highlights
Ishmael Beah’s book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier was published in the United States in 2007. It has since been published in Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia and appears in over 35 languages. The book was also available in Starbucks shops, and for each book sold, US$ 2.00 went to the US Fund for UNICEF. A Long Way Gone has been assigned to freshman classes of several universities in the US.
Mr. Beah has received numerous humanitarian and writing awards. He has spoken at many literary festivals including the Hay on Wye Literary Festival in Wales, United Kingdom. He appears in Bling: A Planet Rock, a 2007 documentary that draws attention to the diamond conflict.

Sheila Thelen, President of Vestibular Training Services and Master Rated Figure Skating Coach, applied these world class vestibular training tools (US PATENTED) INNOVATION on how spinning affects the vestibular system and can improve the brain’s ability to balance the cognitive processes. How these sports innovation can help the entire general public.
Vestibular Training Services, LLC specializes in vestibular training tools addressing: Vestibular: Balance, Cognitive, Spatial & Sleep. Vestibular training enhances more than just balance—it sharpens memory, abstract thinking, and decision-making. Stimulating the vestibular system improves neural integration, helping the brain process spatial awareness and executive functions more efficiently.
The Romberg Test, a trusted measure of postural stability, highlights the connection between sensory integration and cognitive performance. Strengthening vestibular input leads to better neural responsiveness, improving cognitive flexibility. Movement refines the mind.

Michael D’Angelo was born and raised in Las Vegas. He left high school his junior year to join the Marines, escaping the war back home. The Corps saved his life, and after he got out, his buddies pushed him into standup comedy. He started performing in 2013, spent four years in the Vegas scene, then moved to LA to sharpen his skills.
In 2018 he launched the Rapid Fire Comedy Tour, a 501(c)(3) bringing live comedy to military and first responders. His mission for 2026 is expanding the tour’s reach- more bases, more shows, more morale.
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WildFitLife805 is a family-run business owned by Justin and Jenny Mahaffey. They have five kids and are passionate about challenging themselves to grow. As the driving force behind this Southern California company, Justin has been a wildland firefighter for 15 years. WildFitLife805 was born out of his commitment to growing stronger and building a community. Anyone is welcome — firefighters, athletes, wellness enthusiasts, and fitness beginners. There is a place for every journey in this incredible group of people!
As a firefighter, Justin understands the importance of taking risks the right way. He also understands that risks look different for everyone. To tackle any challenge successfully, you have to be smart about it. You have to have community to back you up. WildFitLife805 is the community you need. It’s a place full of people who are not strangers to facing challenges — people who have won/lost and learned enough to understand that both are worthwhile experiences.
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