Peak Women Founder Lissa Pietrykowski Appointed to Michigan Board of Physical Therapy
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed our founder and owner, Lissa Pietrykowski, to serve on the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy.
This honor recognizes Lissa's experience in fitness and education, and her commitment to helping people live healthier lives. It's also an opportunity for her to contribute to public health and safety across Michigan.
For those of us who know Lissa, whether as a trainer, business owner, or friend, this appointment feels especially meaningful. Helping people feel stronger, move better, and gain confidence has been at the heart of her work for years.
Now, she'll bring that perspective to a statewide board.
An Honor to Serve the People of Michigan
Lissa officially began her term on the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy on April 16, 2026. Her appointment runs through December 31, 2027.
She was appointed to fill a vacant seat representing the general public, joining a board that oversees the licensing and regulation of physical therapy professionals throughout Michigan.
In an article announcing her appointment, published by Troy Patch, Lissa shared what this opportunity means to her:
"I am honored to serve on the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy and to contribute to the protection of public health at the state level," Pietrykowski said. "My work in fitness has always been rooted in helping people move better, feel stronger, and live healthier lives. I look forward to bringing that perspective to the board."
That statement captures why this appointment matters so much.
Lissa has spent years helping people make positive changes in their lives through exercise. She's seen how building strength, improving mobility, and feeling more confident in your body can affect everything from daily activities to overall well-being.
Serving on the board gives her an opportunity to bring those experiences into conversations about professional standards and public safety.
It's a different kind of responsibility than running a gym or coaching clients, but it closely aligns with the values that have guided her career.
What Is the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy?
The Michigan Board of Physical Therapy operates under the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
Its primary responsibility is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Michigan residents by overseeing professional standards and regulating physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
The board consists of 11 voting members appointed by the governor:
Six licensed physical therapists
One licensed physical therapist assistant
Four members representing the general public
The board oversees professional licensing, competency standards, administrative rules, and disciplinary action when practitioners violate professional requirements.
These responsibilities matter because many Michigan residents rely on physical therapy as a healthcare profession.
People may need physical therapy after surgery, while recovering from an injury, managing a chronic condition, or working to improve mobility and independence. Qualified professionals and appropriate regulatory standards help protect people receiving that care.
Lissa serves as one of the board's public members. Rather than representing the physical therapy profession itself, public members help bring a broader community perspective to the board's work.
Her fitness and education experience provides a valuable background for those discussions.
A Career Built Around Helping People Move and Feel Better
Lissa brings more than 12 years of personal training experience to her new position. As owner of Peak Women and Peak Physique Fitness in Troy, Michigan, she has spent much of her career working directly with people who want to improve their health, build strength, and feel more comfortable moving.
And if there's one thing that years of personal training can teach you, it's that everyone's needs are different. Some people are excited to start exercising but aren't sure where to begin. Others are returning to fitness after years away. Some want to feel stronger as they age, while others simply want to have more energy for their everyday lives.
There isn't one approach that works for everyone.
At Peak Women, that understanding shapes how we work with our clients. Our one-on-one and shared personal training sessions are designed to meet women where they are, rather than expecting everyone to arrive with the same experience or abilities.
We focus on helping women build strength safely, develop confidence, and create routines that fit into their lives. Lissa's work has also shown her how closely physical health and emotional well-being can be connected. For someone who has never felt comfortable in a gym, learning how to exercise in a supportive environment can be a big accomplishment.
For someone who wants to maintain their independence as they get older, improving strength and mobility can make everyday activities feel more manageable. Those experiences have helped shape Lissa's understanding of the role movement plays in people's lives.
While personal training and physical therapy are different professions with distinct responsibilities, both involve an appreciation for how physical function can affect a person's quality of life.
That is a perspective Lissa looks forward to bringing to her service on the board.
Bringing a Background in Science and Education
In addition to her fitness experience, Lissa brings a strong educational background to her new role. She earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from the University of Michigan and a postgraduate certificate in elementary education from Eastern Michigan University.
Her science background provides a foundation for understanding the human body, while her education training has shaped how she communicates, teaches, and supports others.
These skills are central to her personal training approach. At Peak Women, we believe in helping women understand their movements, ask questions, and build confidence at their own pace.
Together, Lissa's education and hands-on fitness experience provide a valuable perspective as she takes on her new role representing the public on the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy.
Why This Appointment Is Especially Meaningful to Us
If you've read about Lissa's story before, you know that her connection to health and fitness is personal. In 2012, while raising three young children, Lissa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
During a challenging time in her life, movement became an important way to reconnect with herself physically and emotionally.
That experience shaped how she thought about exercise and what she wanted fitness to mean for others. She understood that being healthy wasn't simply about appearance or achieving a particular number on a scale.
It was also about having the energy to participate in daily life, feeling capable in your body, managing stress, and taking care of yourself through different stages of life. Those beliefs eventually helped shape the environment we have today at Peak Women.
Our women-only personal training studio was created to offer something different from the traditional gym experience.
We wanted women to have a place where they could exercise without feeling judged, ask questions without feeling embarrassed, and work toward their goals with encouragement from trainers and other women. That philosophy continues to guide everything we do.
Lissa's appointment to the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy matters because it gives her another opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of others.
The setting and responsibilities are different, but her commitment to helping people remains the same.
A Proud Moment for the Peak Women Community
One of our favorite things about Peak Women is the community we've built here.
Women come through our doors with different goals, experiences, and reasons for wanting to exercise. Over time, we get to celebrate their progress, encourage them through challenges, and watch them accomplish things they may not have thought possible.
Lissa has played an important role in creating that environment.
She believes that fitness should be approachable, that people deserve to feel supported, and that strength is about much more than what happens during a workout. Those values have helped shape both Peak Women and Peak Physique Fitness.
While this appointment is an individual accomplishment, we're excited to celebrate it as a community.
Congratulations, Lissa!
From her early experiences in science and education to more than a decade spent helping people improve their health through fitness, Lissa's career has been shaped by a commitment to learning, teaching, and supporting others.
Her appointment to the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy is an exciting new chapter in that work.
We know how much helping people feel stronger and healthier means to her, and we're thrilled that she has this opportunity to contribute to protecting public health across Michigan.
Most of all, we're grateful for the care, encouragement, and dedication she continues to bring to our Peak Women community every day.
Congratulations, Lissa! We're so proud of you and can't wait to see all that you accomplish in this new role.
You can learn more about Lissa's appointment in Troy Patch's coverage or read more about the Michigan Board of Physical Therapy through the State of Michigan.
