Newfield’s Stephanie Wright: all the fun stuff

When we inquired about Newfield resident Stephanie Wright’s packed schedule, she said that her life is very full, but that suits her, since it’s “all the fun stuff.” She explained that she had to overcome a terrifying childhood of loss, trauma and deprivation to become the woman she is today.

Stephanie remembers how determined she was to face down huge challenges to begin a healthy life while living in a dangerous and unhealthy environment. Only her spiritual guidance gave her the inner strength as a teenager to navigate toward the good life she has now.

Every day, Stephanie savors her life as a wife, mother and associate minister, in addition to her professional life as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. She also makes time for much pro bono community service and serves as an advocate for equality and inclusion in Newfield.

These days, the waterfront Cayuga Center for Healthy Living, home of Island Health and Fitness (IHF), is bustling. Every parking space is filled. The IHF staff is welcoming. Physical therapy patients are working out in their customized gym space, and Stephanie is preparing to expand high-quality class offerings and membership.

“It was good to be an instructor at IHF, along with classes I taught each week in many other facilities,” she said. “I was honored to be appointed the IHF group fitness coordinator in 2020. Now, all my fitness work is focused on Island Health and Fitness since being promoted in May 2021 to programming manager.”

Stephanie described her daily routine.

“I spend time each day helping top-notch exercise instructors go to their next level to implement their expertise and training,” she said. “I help people figure out where they are currently and how to get where they want to go. I take pleasure in helping people maximize their abilities. I get to do the best stuff.”

IHF’s second facility at Community Corners in Ithaca is poised to reopen as a unique boutique fitness center, and that is Stephanie’s second focus at work. With her training and work in interior design and her background as a popular instructor, she understands what members and staff want and need and how to achieve that in a luxurious, renovated setting.

With IHF General Manager Steve Brandt, Stephanie is working toward a winter opening.

“Our expert personal trainers will bring advanced certifications, degrees and experience to members’ prescribed fitness plans in conditioning, mobility [and] strength training,” she said. “Members will receive personalized adjustments, progressions and coaching during expertly formatted and fresh, new classes.”

When the workday is over, Stephanie looks forward to her husband and son’s companionship at their home in Newfield. Nathaniel Wright, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, and Malachi Wright, a 13-year-old Newfield high school student-athlete, round out Stephanie’s life.

Some Sundays, this first lady of Calvary Baptist Church is also the travel mom, as she and Malachi and his teammates head to out-of-town basketball games.

“God is first important,” Stephanie said. “My husband and I cultivate a belief in God that we can feel everywhere, not just in a beloved church setting. It is not just a Sunday morning thing. … We are fortunate that Malachi also enjoys going to church, and some Sundays, he passes up other activities to attend church. Our supportive congregation understands when I am doing my mom thing.”

Stephanie said that her colleagues, both at work and in the community, understand that “all that Nate and I do is integrated.”

“It is all part of our ministry,” she said. “Being first lady of our church, I have always gotten to church early and done whatever I could to help behind the scenes. As a licensed associate minister now, I have new responsibilities. I participate in more regional and national religious training, and I teach more Bible classes. These days, I am studying more and writing sermons.”

Stephanie said she views everything she does as “service unto God.”

“Wherever I go, I feel that my job is to leave things better than I found them,” she said. “I try to work hard at what I do, and like when we do a workout, things can be challenging, but we feel good when we finish. … I fought so hard to survive, to figure out alone as a child how to thrive. I worked really hard to get here. Now, I have a healthy life, surrounded by people I love and who love me, and I am unapologetic about who I am and how I serve. I thank God for all the good things in my life.”