About Simone Samuels
Welcome! I’m Simone Samuels—a writer, fitness professional, consultant, and speaker dedicated to promoting holistic, anti-oppressive wellness for individuals and organizations.
My entrepreneurship journey arose out of a quest to be well — as someone living in a larger body, as a Black person, as a woman (and all of the concomitant intersectional identities), as a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and as someone living with polycystic ovarian syndrome and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and, and, and….
In my quest to figure out what wellness may look like for me, I discovered that I could also help people figure out what wellness looks like for them.
I want everyone to be well. I want organizations to be well. I want people to be well.
And I think that wellness needs to be holistic and anti-oppressive in order to be effective and meaningful.
“I’m so happy to have had the chance to work with Simone as a body-positive personal trainer. Simone’s open and flexible approach is a refreshing change from the “one-size-fits-all” dynamic I have experienced with other personal trainers. I appreciated the movements she taught me and the insight she shared about physical issues I’ve experienced, as well as her encouragement to view myself as someone who is active. But, more than that, I valued her willingness to share her own experiences and observations from her time doing this work with others. I’m grateful that our conversations contributed to the creation of her on-line discussion group on repairing our relationships with our bodies. There is a real unmet need out there for those of us in non-traditional bodies who want to be active and accept ourselves as we are and Simone is leading in this space. I look forward to seeing what else she comes up with!”
— Juliana R.
“Everyone loved it! The feedback I’ve received from all the managers has been overwhelmingly positive. They couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it and guess what? They’re already counting down the days until the next [EDI] session.
I have to say, your expertise, enthusiasm, and engaging delivery style hit the mark. The valuable insights and knowledge you shared have left a lasting impact on our team. Trust me, they’re hungry for more!
We truly value your dedication and the incredible impact you’ve made on our team. You’re doing an outstanding job, and we’re lucky to have you on board!”
— Graham T.
Our services
Fitness
I provide body-positive, weight-inclusive group classes and personal training, fostering environments where everyBODY feels empowered. Click here to learn more.
Consulting
I’m a trauma-aware, somatic, relational DEI educator. With expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion, I collaborate with organizations to create accessible and impactful strategies that promote belonging and effectiveness.. Organizations hire me because they respect my knowledge in diversity, equity, and inclusion and the down-to-earth, disarming, humorous ways I make these concepts accessible and the work effective.
Speaking
I’ve addressed diverse audiences—from schools to nonprofits and corporations—on topics ranging from social justice to wellness.
Writing
An acclaimed writer, my writing has appeared in a variety of periodicals. I also maintain an online blog at Medium.
Anti-Oppressive. Body Positive. Anti-Racist. Diverse.
Official Biography
Simone Samuels, B.A. (Hons.), LL.B., B.C.L. is a consultant in equity, diversity and inclusion, a weight-neutral personal trainer/group fitness instructor, a writer, a speaker and thought leader.
Born and raised in Toronto (Scarborough), and living at the intersection of multiple identities—as a Black woman, daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and someone managing polycystic ovarian syndrome and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis—she’s navigated the complexities of wellness firsthand. This personal journey ignited her passion to help others define and achieve their own versions of well-being.
She has held senior management positions in equity, diversity and inclusion in the federal government, non-profit, post-secondary education and regulatory sectors.
She is a graduate of York University, Glendon Campus in Toronto where she earned a bilingual Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree (with high distinction) double majoring in political science and philosophy along with a Certificate in Law and Social Thought, a Certificate in Practical Ethics, a Certificate of Bilingualism and a Certificate of Bilingual Excellence. She was nominated for the Murray G. Ross Award, the University’s highest honour and featured in the University’s magazine for her academic achievements.
She then studied law at the reputable and top-ranked McGill University, Faculty of Law in Montréal, and graduated with both a Bachelor of Laws (Juris Doctor equivalent) and a Bachelor of Civil Law.
She also has CCC (advanced) results in the Public Service of Canada Second Language Assessment and an Attestation de l’Office québécois de la langue française (which is required by the government of Quebec for anglophone lawyer candidates to practice law or any other profession in Quebec). She articled in the National Capital Region (Ottawa) as part of the prestigious Legal Excellence Program of the Department of Justice Canada, working in the Human Rights Law Section and the Professional Responsibility Service.
A lawyer by training and a fitness professional, she has consulted for law corporations and fitness organizations in Canada, US and the UK and has delivered courses, classes and talks on weight stigma, fatphobia, anti-racism, allyship and anti-oppression.
Simone is also a canfitpro-certified fitness instructor specialist and personal training specialist and has taught a variety of formats in a variety of gyms, community centres and fitness centres, both online and in person, big box and small, for almost ten years. She is also a Canadian Aquafitness Leadership Alliance certified aquafit instructor and was a canfitpro PRO TRAINER.
Simone was the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion reviewer of the canfitpro Personal Training Specialist textbook, helping to create an inclusive curriculum for future personal trainers in Canada. She has won multiple awards and commendations in the fitness industry, the most notable one being named as a top three finalist in canfitpro’s Fitness Professional of the Year Award and a feature in Shape Magazine and The Today Show.
She has received many awards including a Harry Jerome Award for Leadership, an African Canadian Achievement Award and the YWCA Montréal Young Woman of Distinction Award (Jeune femme de mérite).
A thought leader, prolific writer and content creator, her work has been featured by the Ontario Bar Association, the Law Society of Alberta, The Real Daytime Talk Show and The New York Times.
Her mission is to promote holistic, anti-oppressive wellness for individuals and organizations alike.
In her spare time, Simone loves to cook, bake, read, write, garden, sing and dance.
I’m a multimedia communicator, not just a writer or speaker. I also share my thoughts, teachings, and creative work on my YouTube channel. From wellness reflections and workouts to faith-based commentary and social analysis, it’s another space where I connect, inform, and empower. Subscribe to join the journey!
- A place to deepen engagement with my content.
- A resource hub where I share talks, vlogs, workouts, or reflections.
- A creative outlet that complements my work in wellness, DEI, and faith.
I like to think of innovative, out-of-box ways to do things and live better. That pretty much sums me up. 🙂 Feel free to poke around my website and reach out to me if you would like to work together.
Let’s Connect
Whether you’re an individual seeking personalized wellness guidance or an organization aiming to foster an inclusive culture, I’m here to collaborate. Together, we can unlock potential and redefine limits.
Simone Samuels 