About Me: Tia Orlando - Region 1 Alpha Factor Relationship Manager

Tia Orlando
Alpha Factor Relationship Manager
Region 1

At the age of 2 I started dancing at my mother’s studio, Pennsport School of Dance, located in South Philadelphia. I absolutely loved it, until we started incorporating gymnastics into the class and realized that I no longer wanted to be a ballerina, I wanted to be a gymnast. At the age of 3 my parents brought me to a gym in New Jersey called Cherry Hill Gymnastics, and I became absolutely obsessed with the sport. Competing in level 5 was not what I had hoped for however, and I was not this superstar I imagined myself to be. I was lucky to even receive a medal, but I still craved and loved competing. The summer of 1998 I attended a gymnastics camp in Allentown, Pennsylvania at Parkettes Gymnastics and it was there that my Olympic dream was born.

I was 10 years old, and when I returned home from camp I sat down with my parents and let them know that I had to train at Parkettes. If that meant moving to Pennsylvania, then that is what I had to do. Deep down I knew I could make the Olympic Team if I just got the opportunity. After many discussions, I packed my bags and moved to Pennsylvania with my grandmother. Eventually, my parents wanted the family to be together, and so they uprooted my sister and brother and moved to Pennsylvania so I could follow my dream.

Once at Parkettes, I moved up the ranks quickly, and before I knew it I was a home-schooled, elite gymnast on the National Team. I competed for the USA from 2000- 2004, and traveled the world. I brought home medals, and was even congratulated by the President for helping the team win gold in Santo Domingo. My Olympic dream was shattered in 2004 when I broke my foot at Olympic Trials, and I realized that all the years of hard work had come to an end. I sometimes still wonder what my life would be like if I had been able to compete in the 2004 Olympics, but I know through my beliefs there was a different path laid out for me.

I continued on to compete for Arizona State University and graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in communication. I sit here now as working professional and know that gymnastics gave me so much more than my medals, it made me the person I am today. I still have fans let me know that I have made an impact on their daughter’s lives, and that is something that means the world to me. As your Relationship Manager I not only want to help create the perfect leotard for you and your team, but I also strive to share the love of the sport with you and your athletes. 

I look forward to working with you!

- Tia Orlando

You can contact Tia via email at torlando@alphafactor.com.

Alpha Factor® Welcomes New Team Members Tia Orlando, Shelby Prunty, and Adrienne Putrow

Perform Group, LLC® is excited to introduce three new members of the Alpha Factor® Relationship Manager team to the gymnastics community.  The company proudly announces Tia Orlando, Shelby Prunty, and Adrienne Putrow, as their new Relationship Managers for regions 1, 5, and 8, respectively.  Tia, Shelby, and Adrienne join Samantha Engle, the Alpha Factor® region 3 Relationship Manager.  All four of the Alpha Factor® Relationship Managers have extensive gymnastics experience and are experts in their field, providing them insight into the needs and expectations of coaches and their athletes.

“We are delighted to have these experienced gymnasts join our relationship management team, and are confident that they will continue Alpha Factor’s tradition of extraordinary customer service with integrity,” expressed John Misner, President and Chief Operations Officer of Perform Group, LLC.

About the New Relationship Managers
Tia Orlando – Relationship Manager, Region 1 (California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona):
Tia hails from Arizona and was a member of the US National Team from 2000-2004. She attended the Olympic Trials in 2004, but was sidelined due to injury. Tia attended Arizona State University on a full athletic scholarship as a member of their women’s gymnastics team, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. While Tia now resides in Arizona, her roots are in Pennsylvania where she trained at Parkettes, located in Allentown. 

Shelby Prunty – Relationship Manager, Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio): 
Shelby is a proud Louisiana State University alum where she was a member of their women’s gymnastics team and a three-time All-American. Shelby received her Bachelor’s degree in Sport Administration Commerce in May 2013. She worked as a Marketing and Promotions Intern for LSU Athletics and came highly recommended by DD Breaux, LSU’s well respected Head Coach of gymnastics. Shelby currently lives in Tennessee, but her hometown is in Illinois. She will manage Region 5 along with the state of Tennessee.

Adrienne Putrow – Relationship Manager, Region 8 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina): Adrienne is the team director at the highly respected Brown’s Gymnastics in Florida. She has been involved in all aspects of gymnastics for over twenty years, as a competitive gymnast herself and then moving into the coaching world. Adrienne brings a wealth of knowledge about what coaches and athletes need. She is also an Alpha Factor® customer and is very excited to be joining a company that she admires and respects. Adrienne graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies. 

Please continue to contact customer service at 800-825-7428 or shop online, www.alphafactor.com, while our new Relationship Managers undergo training. They will reach out to their regions directly within the next few weeks.