Inspiring Health and Community through Clinical Excellence

Recognizing Brian Cleven’s extensive experience as a Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist at Emplify Health by Bellin, this exclusive article provides valuable insights into the power of blending clinical excellence with community engagement to foster holistic health, wellness and meaningful life balance.

Career Journey and Clinical Practice Innovations

The road to my current role as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist at Emplify Health by Bellin has been a fantastic journey. I give a huge amount of credit to my parents Russ and Kathy for being role models of excellence, a strong work ethic and integrity who always supported me. Attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse provided me amazing handson experience with athletes in the Athletic Training undergraduate program (hundreds upon hundreds of hours) plus a very similar experience in the Clinical Exercise Physiology master’s program except the population shifted to older individuals through Adult Fitness and Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. My first professional role allowed me to sharpen my skills in both fields as a 50 percent Athletic Trainer overseeing care at a High School and 50 percent Clinical Exercise Physiologist performing almost everything in the field. Joining Bellin Health in 2017 afforded me the opportunity to start my own Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation program, supervise Cardiac Stress Testing, and become a Community Ambassador/Race Director all of which led to becoming 2024 Certified Professional of the Year by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Time has led to many positive improvements in computer and device technology, but the importance of top-notch patient centered care remains the same. I take immense pride in the care and positive experiences provided to patients by me and the teams that surround me at the Emplify Health by Bellin Marinette Clinic. I loved my position at my former hospital, but I also recognized that Cardiology Associates of Bellin Health was one of the absolute best Cardiology practices in the whole country, so when Dr. James Rider reached out with an opportunity to spread my wings with Bellin, I chose to soar to with the eagles.

Community Engagement, Leadership, and Life Balance

True success with health and wellness comes from what happens outside of the walls of the hospital or clinic. Building and supporting opportunities for the community to get active and be healthy throughout the entire year motivated me to first create the Bellin Marinette 5K Heart Run/Walk and Kids Run with my amazing team at Bellin Health and then the Tri City Event Series in partnership with my Marinette County Nutrition and Physical Activity Workgroup. We purposely designed the Heart Run/Walk to offer something for every age and ability level, and it makes me extremely proud that we have had participants ranging in age from 1 to 94. Emplify Health by Bellin does an exceptional job of supporting the communities we serve so our clinical care is supported by promoting a culture of social connection and wellness outside our walls.

In 2026 the Bellin Run in Green Bay will celebrate 50 YEARS of getting feet on the street and bringing communities together in a celebration of health and wellness, so it was a “Big Deal” to start a new Bellin Run event. Randy Van Straten and Linda Maxwell graciously shared their experience to help spread the success of the Bellin Run. Directing the Heart Run and playing a large role in launching the Tri City Event Series both have boosted my confidence and greatly increased my community connections. I have learned not to be afraid to ask for funding or support because the worst that can happen is the answer may be no, but it absolutely could be YES! Meeting patients and the community where they are physically and emotionally always produces the best outcomes but requires that you understand the needs. Showing genuine kindness, inviting everyone to the table and having a strong work ethic lead to success. To showcase the power of coming together for our Tri City Event Series motto we chose, “In Partnership, We All Win.”

Finding balance in life is a challenge for everyone, and staying organized while sharing responsibilities has been key to my success. We all have the same 24 hours each day, but how we use that time shapes our journey. Daily gratitude, celebrating successes, learning from mistakes, and surrounding myself with inspiring people have helped me rise higher. Running and triathlons have been avenues for growth and connection. Completing 13 IRONMAN triathlons honors my mentor, Dr. Tom Leow, an orthopedic surgeon who passed away in 2015. On October 10th, 2026, “Team Cleven” and I will finish his legacy in Kona, Hawaii, at the IRONMAN World Championship, coinciding with Day 5,945 of my running streak. Inspired by my wife, Amy, a novelist, I published two children’s books: It’s TRIATHLON Time (2023) and Kenzie Runs The World (2024). In January 2026, I aim to be the first from Northeastern Wisconsin to complete 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days.

Always keep learning, but understand that to truly be successful, you need to find meaningful ways to share your knowledge and experience. Stay on the lookout for community activities that you have a passion for and when you find one, have the courage to step up and pursue it. Things won’t always go your way but never give up. Choose to learn from each one and view setbacks as SETUPS for something even greater. When the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 Bellin Marinette Heart Run/Walk, more time to plan created an even better community event for 2022 with Green Bay Packer Quarterback Jordan Love joining us for our inaugural race. Finally, one of my favorite pieces of advice, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”