Instructors

The Back Safety Academy Instructors

Meet Your Expert Team

Ted Skinner, CEAS III, CET, CBSP, AOEAS

President and CEO Prestige Business Solutions, LLC

Ted has almost 42 years of experience in safety and risk management. He is the President and CEO of Prestige Business Solutions, LLC and is the founder is The Back Safety Academy. Ted is a recognized expert in occupational safety and health, ergonomics and back safety. His professional certifications include: Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist (CEAS III), Certified Ergonomic Technician (CET), and Certified Back Safety Professional (CBSP), Advanced Office Ergonomics Assessment Specialist (AOEAS). For over 25 years, he has been a Master Instructor Trainer in Emergency Medicine for industrial and commercial clients throughout the southeast. Mr. Skinner is also an expert in industrial hygiene and conducts air and sound level testing for Georgia businesses.

As an active member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (formerly ASSE), Ted has lectured companies and civic organizations on ergonomics and safety issues.

He is a published author on ergonomics and has a long career in the commercial insurance and professional employer organization (PEO) industries. He provides safety and risk management consulting services to several Fortune 500 companies.

Dr. Matt Germain, Chiropractic Doctor

Owner of Back to Basics Wellness Center

Dr. Germain is a registered Doctor of Chiropractic medicine in Georgia with a multiple location practice in the Atlanta area. He obtained his Bachelor of Science from The University of Georgia in 1994 and then went on to earn his doctorate degree at Life Chiropractic University. Matt is now the owner and CEO of the Back to Balance Wellness Center. The vision of Back to Balance is to relieve the pain and injury of patients while also improving the quality of their life. He spent 3 years as a doctor at The Atlanta Spine Center and enjoys teaching about chiropractic medicine as it relates to the back and well-being.

Jackie Warren, Registered and Licensed Dietition

Wellness Expert

Jackie Warren is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian and professional wellness consultant. She has over ten years of experience in wellness as a health coach, director of operations and wellness consultant. In current position as a wellness consultant at Corporate Health Partners, she implements and manages health management programs for 40+ clients. Jackie has had a private practice as a dietitian for fifteen years working with a diverse clientele where she focuses on weight loss and smoking cessation. She earned a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Georgia State University and earned a BA in English Literature from Belmont University.

Donna Shipman, Certified Personal Trainer

Fitness Expert

Donna is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She has worked as a Certified Personal Trainer for Benchmark Physical Therapy and Gold’s Gym. Currently, she is the owner and lead personal trainer at Competitive Fitness Solutions located in Woodstock, GA. Additionally, she is certified in CPR through Medic First Aid and is studying to become a dual specialist in women's and senior fitness.

Amelia Harkleroad, Marketing and Sales Director

Marketing and Sales

Amelia is the Marketing and Sales Director for Prestige Business Solutions, LLC. She graduated Cum Laude from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Communication and Rhetorical Studies and a minor in Sociology. Amelia is responsible for all of the administrative duties of The Back Safety Academy including sales, marketing and assisting with course development.

Ron Porter Back School of Atlanta President

Ron Porter, CEAS III, PT (Companion course instructor)

President of The Back School in Atlanta

Ronald W. Porter is a nationally recognized expert in the field of Occupational Safety and Health, and Ergonomics. He teaches the companion course necessary to achieve the Certified Back Safety Professional professional certification (CBSP).

In the past 35 years, since becoming Director of the Back School, he has instructed over 1000 workshops and seminars on Ergonomics Awareness and Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention to physical and occupational therapists; medical doctors; chiropractors; occupational health nurses; and industrial health and safety professionals.

Ron has worked with over 300 companies, including Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; US Foods; Mars Incorporated; E.I. Du Pont; DS Waters; Shell Oil; International Paper; WestRock; Arizona Public Service Company; Association of California Water Agencies/Joint Powers Insurance Agency and the United States Navy; consulting on the development and implementation of innovative ergonomics programs for both individual plant sites and entire corporations.

He was chosen as the 2012 ASSE Ergonomics Practice Specialty Safety Professional of the Year, one of the 50 Most Influential People in Workers' Compensation by the 2014 SEAK National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference and received a 2016 President's Award presented by the ASSE.

His recent presentations include:

The 2007 - 2017 American Society of Safety Engineers Professional Development Conferences - The 2016 Region IV ASSE Professional Development Conference | The 1995 - 2005 and 2011 American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Annual Conferences | The 2010 National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition | SEAK Annual National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conferences in 2005 - 2007 and 2013 and a March 2010 national webinar on the Aging Workforce for the ASSE Virtual Classroom.

His Bachelor of Science degree is from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and his Graduate Degree in Physical Therapy from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, American Society of Safety Engineers, the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.