Clinic Director and Physical Therapist

Brian Diaz, The founder of Upright Athlete and ActivEdge Fitness and Sports Performance, grew up in Chicago where he was a three-sport high school athlete competing in soccer, basketball, and baseball. He continued soccer at the collegiate level.

He received his Master’s degree in Physical Therapy (MPT) from the nationally ranked program at The University of Iowa. Brian is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is one of only two people in the Triangle area certified in Sportsmetrics ACL and knee injury prevention by the Cincinnati Sports Medicine group.

Brian is certified in Pilates Mat by Balanced Body and is a Level II Certified TRX® Suspension Training instructor. He has coached soccer locally for the top area clubs and the Durham Academy Men’s Varsity team.

Certifications

Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Trigger Point Dry Needling
Sportsmetrics ACL knee injury Prevention
TRX Suspension Level II
Certified USA Triathlon Coach

Massage Therapist

Ellen Langhi is our lead massage therapist and has been voted #1 in the Triangle area by Endurance Magazine. Ellen is a former Duke University basketball player who then became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT) after college.

She has been working with ActivEdge for the past 5 years while still seeing clients and athletes at both Duke and UNC. Despite her allegiance to Duke, she has been the massage therapist for the UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams, and the UNC men’s tennis team for the last several seasons. She has added several athletes from Duke’s cross-country, track & field, and golf teams as well. She is passionate about helping her clients return to activity pain-free and ready to perform at a higher level.

Some of Ellen’s many massage techniques were written up in Endurance Magazine and reprinted on our website under Articles. Please call the studio to set up an appointment directly.

Gabe grew up in Greensboro, NC and attended Appalachian State University, getting his BS in Exercise Science in 2013. While at App State, Gabe was a walk-on catcher for the baseball team and earned team MVP honors his senior year.

After graduation, Gabe was a baseball performance coach for 4 years where he studied the biomechanics of hitting and throwing and taught hitting and catching lessons. Gabe earned his doctorate of physical therapy from UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated in 2020. Gabe is certified in SFMA level I and integrates functional movement and manual therapy into his approach. Gabe enjoys sports, exercise, and spending time with his wife and two boys.

Personal Trainer

Leah grew up in Huntersville, North Carolina and recently graduated from her dream school, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in May 2019. While pursing a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science, she also was a member of the softball team.

Leah served as the team’s community service coordinator as well as one of the veteran leaders. Aside from softball, she enjoys, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and a variety of other outdoor activities.

In an attempt to apply to a Doctorate of Physical Therapy program, Leah is taking a year off to gain some experience in the field and finish some prerequisite classes. At Upright Athlete, Leah works as a therapy aide and front desk manager.

Patricia was born and raised just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a Fitness Professional concentration. During her undergraduate experience at Carolina, Patricia was involved in the UNC Club Cross Country and Track team, interned for several UNC Division I sports teams as a Strength and Conditioning Intern, and became certified as a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

She then earned her doctorate degree in physical therapy from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2022. Patricia enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle through weight lifting, running, and hiking. She also loves traveling, game nights, and reading mystery novels.

Mia grew up in Durham, North Carolina and graduated from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University with her Bachelor of Science in Biology, minor in Chemistry, in May of 2021.

Mia is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and enjoys volunteering in the community. She is also Emergency Medical Technician certified and is finishing her Master’s degree through Duke University School of Medicine. Aside from school, she enjoys traveling and teaching others life-saving life water skills.

While finishing her current degree, she is also applying to Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs. At Upright Athlete, Mia works as a therapy aide and front desk manager.