Who we are

Founded in 2021, Project Fortius is a collective of seasoned coaches with over 50 years of combined coaching experience. We are dedicated to improving lives through strength, conditioning, and nutrition education. We specialize in delivering premium coaching services in person and remotely, taking the whole person into account. We meet people where they’re at and progress them toward specific goals, outcomes, or desired behavior.

We help people unlock their potential.

@MikkelNg

Mike Ng

@mikkelng

Mike has a talent for random factoid tangents in classes. He’s a self-professed gym rat who is most at home among the fluorescent lights and rubber mats with a barbell in his hands.

Mike started lifting weights at an incredibly young age. At the age of 18, he immersed himself in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting which began his competitive and coaching career.

After completing a degree in Business Administration at the University of Washington, Mike spent a number of years helping run a small construction company. He soon realized that a desk job was not in his future. At that point, he started his full-time coaching career under Senior International Weightlifting Coach John Thrush, training Weightlifters and other athletes. Eventually, he found himself working for the first CrossFit affiliate in the world, teaching CrossFit classes and learning the finer points of working with “everyday” athletes. 

Mike has over 20 years of coaching experience and has worked with thousands of people from all backgrounds. His trainees have ranged from a 2012 Olympian track athlete to a 70+ year old coming back from open-heart surgery. Mike is passionate about helping driven people unlock their full potential and become the most badass version of themselves.

When he’s not coaching, Mike enjoys lifting weights, stumbling around pretending to do Muay Thai Kickboxing, skateboarding, and watching cat videos.

Coach

Mike has a talent for random factoid tangents in classes. He’s a self-professed gym rat who is most at home among the fluorescent lights and rubber mats with a barbell in his hands.

Mike started lifting weights at an incredibly young age. At the age of 18, he immersed himself in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting which began his competitive and coaching career.

After completing a degree in Business Administration at the University of Washington, Mike spent a number of years helping run a small construction company. He soon realized that a desk job was not in his future. At that point, he started his full-time coaching career under Senior International Weightlifting Coach John Thrush, training Weightlifters and other athletes. Eventually, he found himself working for the first CrossFit affiliate in the world, teaching CrossFit classes and learning the finer points of working with “everyday” athletes.

Mike has over 20 years of coaching experience and has worked with thousands of people from all backgrounds. His trainees have ranged from a 2012 Olympian track athlete to a 70+ year old coming back from open-heart surgery. Mike is passionate about helping driven people unlock their full potential and become the most badass version of themselves.

When he’s not coaching, Mike enjoys lifting weights, stumbling around pretending to do Muay Thai Kickboxing, skateboarding, and watching cat videos.

@aulrickson

Leigh Ann Wolfe

@wolfeonthehill

Leigh Ann describes herself as an endurance athlete with a “strength problem”. She grew up playing team sports and transitioned to individual mountain sports as an adult.

She specializes in working with mountain athletes and tactical athletes who want to improve their performance and longevity in their sport or job. Leigh Ann values the role that strength plays in maintaining a high quality of life, longevity, health, and in sport performance.

Leigh Ann has been coaching since 2011 and understands that each person has individual needs and isn’t one-size-fits-all. She’s worked with people post-surgery, return-to-sport, competitive athletes, (including a nationally ranked Youth Climbing Team), and those struggling with sleep, nutrition, and well-being.

As a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), she uses a holistic approach to help people meet their goals. She’s a strong believer in working with a team of professionals and works closely with physical therapists, MDs, dietitians and mental health professionals. In addition to coaching individuals and small groups, Leigh Ann develops strategic wellness programs, lectures, webinars, and short-courses for organizations.

Additionally, Leigh Ann has a strong commitment to community. When she’s not at the gym, she’s a full-time Seattle Firefighter and avid volunteer with Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) and The Mountaineers. She teaches avalanche curriculum as an AIARE Professional Avalanche Instructor (PRO 1) and develops snow training and curriculum for SMR.

Leigh Ann spends her free time in the mountains all year-round mostly peak bagging, alpine climbing, and backcountry skiing. If she’s not in the mountains, she’s usually planning her next adventure.

Coach

Andy Ulrickson

Back in his twenties (a long time ago) Andy got the hair-brained notion that he was going to learn how to surf and snowboard. Most sensible people would have gone out and taken a lesson, or four, from someone who knew what they were doing. Andy decided he would figure it out on his own. So, he went and bought some gear and ventured out - first to the mountains, and later that year, into the oceans. To say there were some glorious falls would be an understatement. What he did learn though was that each fall was an opportunity to learn, an opportunity to try something just a little bit different the next time around. With that, and being a touch on the stubborn side, he got his skills up to where he was riding in the backcountry and having fun when the waves were overhead.

This, and his 10 years spent working in middle and high school science classrooms, has largely shaped his coaching style. He's not an "I'll just tell you what to do" type of coach. His clients get the captain's chair. He's more of the navigator. He'll ask "where do you want to go?" and then help his people chart their own course on how to get there. And when the inevitable stumbles and falls come he's there to help them figure out something just a little different.

Andy has worked with clients all across the fitness and performance spectrum. He has helped his people return to action following knee replacement and back surgeries, while others have gone on to complete events like the KXT IronMana (a very cool event that involves multiple ocean sports) and lots of great stuff in between.

Coach

Nicholas Liwanag

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Mike has a talent for random factoid tangents in classes. He’s a self-professed gym rat who is most at home among the fluorescent lights and rubber mats with a barbell in his hands.

Mike started lifting weights at an incredibly young age. At the age of 18, he immersed himself in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting which began his competitive and coaching career.

After completing a degree in Business Administration at the University of Washington, Mike spent a number of years helping run a small construction company. He soon realized that a desk job was not in his future. At that point, he started his full-time coaching career under Senior International Weightlifting Coach John Thrush, training Weightlifters and other athletes. Eventually, he found himself working for the first CrossFit affiliate in the world, teaching CrossFit classes and learning the finer points of working with “everyday” athletes.

Mike has over 20 years of coaching experience and has worked with thousands of people from all backgrounds. His trainees have ranged from a 2012 Olympian track athlete to a 70+ year old coming back from open-heart surgery. Mike is passionate about helping driven people unlock their full potential and become the most badass version of themselves.

When he’s not coaching, Mike enjoys lifting weights, stumbling around pretending to do Muay Thai Kickboxing, skateboarding, and watching cat videos.

@aulrickson

Rick Meldrum

Coach

My journey into fitness started after I discovered CrossFit in 2006 during deployment to Iraq with my infantry unit, the 82nd Airborne. A battle buddy of mine showed me the main site and said “we should do one of these workouts”. We chose Helen and used the treadmills, makeshift pull-up bar, and broken dumbbells to get it done. We promptly fell asleep on the treadmills post workout and I was hooked ever since.

After leaving the Army, I started a CrossFit gym called CrossFit Kona. After a year, I realized I wanted more education. I sold the gym equipment and let my friend take the CrossFit Kona name as I headed to the University of Hawaii to pursue a degree in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science. I started my collegiate career interning in the Athletics Strength and Conditioning Department for 3 yrs during my undergraduate studies.

After graduating, I began coaching at UMass Lowell taking that college into Division 1 and then had a short stint at West Point Military Academy (GO ARMY). I was also the Director for a youth sports performance gym that emphasized the use of timing gates and jump mats to train kids. I have also coached many Olympic Weightlifting athletes to multiple state records and podium finishes.

After getting my Masters degree in Sports Science and Performance, I worked as a Sports Scientist. After a few years in the corporate space, and some serious reflection, I’ve decided to leave a space that was no longer serving me, to start my own performance consulting business and return to what I’m passionate about, coaching.

I am a sailing instructor and lead U.S. Patriot Sailing: Team Seattle and competed in the Beaufort Cup at Volvo Cork Week in Corek, Ireland (2024).

My unique background, education, and near 20 years of experience allows me to offer high-level insights into your health and training that no other personal trainer, performance specialist, or strength coach can do. I’m excited to help you reach your strength and performance goals!

Markus King

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Bee Blackmon

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Who we aren’t

Project Fortius is all about the long-haul and not about cutting corners. We don’t focus on making you sweat or “busy” work that isn’t productive. We pride ourselves on smart progressions, not on providing distractions. With Project Fortius, you will learn how to tune in, not tune out.