Dr. Tyler’s journey to founding Ascent Health & Performance is rooted in a life shaped by harsh winters and a love for outdoor adventure. Raised in Minnesota, just outside the Twin Cities, Dr. Tyler excelled as a competitive water-skier and all-state track and field athlete, honing the discipline and resilience that define his practice today. His formative years included time in Grand Forks, ND, during his undergraduate studies at the University of North Dakota, and seven years in western Wyoming, where he and Dr. Laura built their first clinic. These experiences not only prepared him for life in rugged environments but also deepened his appreciation for outdoor pursuits.

Initially pursuing a career in commercial aviation, Dr. Tyler shifted gears after recognizing the physical toll of a sedentary lifestyle. He enrolled at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota, earning a B.S. in Human Biology and a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine, launching a career that allows him to help others achieve their wellness and performance goals.

In 2017, Dr. Tyler with Dr. Laura founded JH Backcountry Health in Jackson, WY, building a 5-star clinic serving thousands of patients, including professional athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. His expertise includes treating low back pain, frozen shoulder, headaches and cervical dysfunctions, sciatica and piriformis syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, and disc-related issues. As a certified provider of Active Release Techniques (ART), he combines evidence-based hands-on care with personalized rehabilitation exercises and patient education to deliver lasting results.

Dr. Tyler’s approach reflects the core philosophies of Ascent Health & Performance: bridging clinical care and performance, emphasizing progressive loading, functional movement, and a patient-centered focus. A combined vision for health and recovery with Dr. Laura led to the integration of the Performance Lab into the Jackson practice, fostering a culture of fitness and success where patients transitioned seamlessly from rehabilitation to peak performance.

Dr. Tyler believes in leading by example, which is why he sets ambitious personal goals and spends considerable time in the gym. This year, he is striving for very specific yet ambitious goals in the gym, exemplifying the dedication he encourages in his patients. Outside the clinic, Dr. Tyler’s passion for outdoor adventure continues to fuel his personal pursuits. An avid hiker, mountain biker, and snowboarder, he is eager to explore everything Alaska has to offer. From carving the slopes at Alyeska to venturing into the Chugach backcountry, he looks forward to embracing the rugged wilderness and deepening his connection to the outdoors. Always up for new adventures, Dr. Tyler is excited to take on hunting and fishing as part of his Alaskan experience, embracing the state’s rugged lifestyle and rich outdoor traditions.

Dr. Tyler’s journey to founding Ascent Health & Performance is rooted in a life shaped by har... Read More

Shreena has been a physical therapist and personal trainer for 8+ years. After graduating from PT school, Shreena went into a cardiopulmonary residency in St. Louis and found a love for the cardiothoracic ICU. By day, she was practicing physical therapy in the hospital, helping people learn how to walk after a hospital stay or life-changing surgery. By night, she was working with everyday people learning how to move their body efficiently and with proper form. Now, she is looking for a change by switching to the outpatient world and helping people get back to their hobbies after over-use injuries or traumatic events. If you’re looking for someone to get you back to your passions, Shreena is your girl! Please email shreena.chopra.dpt@gmail.com to book an appointment for either physical therapy or personal training and let’s get to work!

Shreena has been a physical therapist and personal trainer for 8+ years. After graduating from PT... Read More

Solomon is an ISSA-certified personal trainer and graduate of West Anchorage High School. While studying English and creative writing at Centre College, fitness became an important source of structure and purpose in his life—whether through distance running, team sports, or strength training.

His relationship with exercise changed after an overly aggressive approach to training contributed to debilitating injuries. Feeling disconnected from his body and uncertain about returning to the activities he loved gave Solomon a firsthand understanding of how frustrating the recovery process can be. Rebuilding required a more intentional approach—one that balanced strength, athletic development, nutrition, and recovery.

That experience inspired Solomon to become a personal trainer and help others build capable, resilient bodies without losing sight of what makes movement enjoyable. His coaching extends beyond improving lifts or completing workouts. He wants clients to feel confident running, jumping, climbing, changing direction, and responding to the physical demands of everyday life.

At Ascent, Solomon works with personal-training clients while also supporting the clinical team as a rehabilitation specialist. This hybrid role allows him to help people carry the movement strategies developed during treatment into progressively stronger, more confident exercise. His sessions combine thoughtful structure with creativity, play, and measurable challenges that help clients recognize what their bodies can do.

Solomon is an ISSA-certified personal trainer and graduate of West Anchorage High School. While s... Read More

After seven years of practicing in Jackson, WY, we fled the mountains and snow there - for more mountains and snow here in Anchorage. We are so excited to be here and to reopen our business in this incredible community! We have two young kids, a love of anatomy and biomechanics, and a bit of appetite for adventure.

My backstory: Raised by two medical doctors with a penchant for travel, I spent my childhood moving every few years, living in Kenya, Wisconsin, Georgia, Zimbabwe and Virginia. I attended the College of William and Mary and majored in linguistics. My love of travel called, and I spent a year teaching English in Nanjing, China before returning to Virginia and earning a degree in culinary arts. This led me to my first job in Jackson, Wyoming working in pastry at the Four Seasons Hotel. I fell in love with the mountains, and my “one winter stint” quickly turned into six years. My passion for sports and health conflicted with my work in pastries, and arm deep in cookie dough I decided to make the switch to a career in health. I found the perfect match in chiropractic, and moved to Minnesota to study at Northwestern Health Sciences University.

With a plan to return to mountains after graduation, I focused intently on learning what would help me treat everyday athletes. During school, I worked with the Minnesota Vixen and Minnesota Freeze players, treating sports injuries and creating rehab programs. After graduation, Tyler and I – yes, we met in school - opened JH Backcountry Health in Jackson, WY and spent seven years working there. Then Tyler called me out on for all the times I had said, “When Jackson gets too crazy, I’m moving to Alaska.” He was right. And within the year, we packed up and moved up here. My childhood best friend has been here for almost three decades, so I had visited quite a few times. Tyler had been once in February.

Clinically, I like adjusting manually (but if you don’t want to be adjusted, I respect that and can do soft-tissue work and rehab only) and I can use the clicker/adjusting tool if need be. I am full-body certified in Active Release Techniques, certified in Graston and SmartTools, and hold the FMT Performance Certification by RockTape, have studied Neurodynamics, and am a Certified Functional Strength Coach. I love working on extremity joints, including the jaw, shoulders, elbows, knees, and feet (and actually feet are one of my favorite things to work on), and am ready to work on your tennis elbow, dysfunctional knee or plantar fasciitis. Having been through two pregnancies and two unplanned C-sections in the last few years (which did result in wonderful kiddos) I have learned a lot about healing from surgeries and rebuilding function and strength.

Outside of the office, I love things related to business, playing with my little loves Madeleine and Westley, weightlifting, and exploring the outdoors. I am hoping soon Tyler and I have time to return to snowboarding, mountain biking and rock climbing now that the kids are getting ever so slightly older.

After seven years of practicing in Jackson, WY, we fled the mountains and snow there - for more m... Read More

Chris is a passionate and experienced personal trainer with over 17 years of helping individuals unlock their strength, confidence, and enjoyment in movement. Growing up in a globally-minded, adventurous family, he developed an appreciation for resilience and adaptability—traits that now shape his training philosophy. A dedicated coach and competitor in powerlifting, Chris thrives on guiding clients of all levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes, through smart, effective programming. His approach blends science-backed strength training with a focus on longevity, ensuring fitness is both rewarding and sustainable. Clients love his thoughtful coaching, top-tier programming, and the occasional mischievous grin that signals a particularly tough (but worthwhile) workout. Whether helping someone hit a new PR, move pain-free, or simply enjoy training, Chris makes fitness an engaging, lifelong pursuit. When not coaching, you’ll find him exploring Alaska, training hard, and maybe plotting your next workout challenge.

Chris is a passionate and experienced personal trainer with over 17 years of helping individuals ... Read More

Lucia Garcia is in her final year studying Kinesiology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, with minors in Athletic Training and Nutrition. She is also a collegiate track & field athlete specializing in middle-distance events. Her experiences as both a student and athlete have shaped a strong interest in human movement, health, rehabilitation, and athletic performance.

Throughout her athletic career, Lucia has navigated overuse injuries and other setbacks that required significant time working with physical therapists and athletic trainers. Experiencing rehabilitation firsthand gave her an appreciation for how frustrating it can be to feel limited by injury—and how meaningful the right guidance and support can be when working toward a return to the activities you love. Those experiences sparked a broader interest in healthcare and in understanding how different professionals help people recover, move better, and return to the things that matter to them.

As Lucia approaches graduation, she is exploring where that interest may take her professionally. Her internship at Ascent Health & Performance gives her the opportunity to experience an integrated approach to healthcare firsthand, with exposure to physical therapy, chiropractic care, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and performance training. By learning alongside professionals from different disciplines, she is gaining a better understanding of how each field approaches injury, movement, recovery, and performance—and where she may ultimately see herself within healthcare.

Lucia is especially interested in the space between rehabilitation and performance: how people progress from being injured or limited to rebuilding strength, confidence, and eventually returning to activity or sport. Whether that interest ultimately leads her toward physical therapy, chiropractic, or another healthcare profession, her time at Ascent is helping her explore those possibilities while building practical experience working with active people.

Outside of school and track, Lucia loves spending time outdoors and exploring new places. Backpacking, climbing, rafting, and staying active with friends are some of her favorite ways to experience Alaska and beyond. That active lifestyle reflects what initially drew her toward kinesiology and healthcare: an appreciation for what our bodies allow us to do and an interest in helping others continue doing the activities they love.

Lucia Garcia is in her final year studying Kinesiology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, wit... Read More