My Specialties
Over the years, I've continued my education in areas that reflect the clients I work with and the different needs I encounter as a trainer.
Women's Fitness
I work with women across different stages of life, including women who want to build strength and mobility, prenatal and postpartum clients, and women returning to or beginning exercise.
Learn More About Women's Fitness →Senior Fitness
I work with older adults with a wide range of exercise experience—from people who have stayed active throughout their lives to those beginning strength training later in life. I've also worked with clients following joint replacements and physical therapy.
Learn More About Senior Fitness →Corrective Exercise
My corrective exercise education helps me assess movement and recognize areas where strength, mobility, balance, or movement patterns may need additional attention.
I use that information to help determine which exercises and modifications make the most sense for the individual.
Learn More About Corrective Exercise →Stretching & Flexibility
I incorporate stretching, mobility, and flexibility work when appropriate to help clients move well and support the activities they enjoy.
Behavior Change
My background in psychology and behavior change has shaped the way I coach. Exercise isn't just about knowing what to do—consistency, confidence, habits, motivation, and finding something you actually enjoy all matter.
My Background
How I Got Into Fitness
My passion for fitness began in middle school through cross country and track, where I discovered a love for running. As I got older, however, I developed scoliosis and began experiencing pain during and after runs.
That experience led me to explore yoga and Pilates and ultimately changed the way I thought about exercise. Instead of focusing only on running, I began learning more about strength, mobility, movement, and how different forms of exercise could work together.
Becoming a Pilates Instructor
Before heading to college, I decided to become a certified Pilates instructor, without realizing at the time how important that decision would become to my career.
I completed a 500-hour Pilates apprenticeship under Julian Littleford of JL Body Conditioning and began teaching Pilates.
While attending the University of California, Santa Cruz, I taught at multiple Pilates studios while earning my B.A. in Psychology. I originally considered pursuing a career in therapy, but eventually realized that what I really loved was helping people through movement and exercise.
Expanding Beyond Pilates
After college, I returned to San Diego and continued working in Pilates studios.
As I gained experience, I began to realize that Pilates wasn't necessarily the best or only tool for every person or every goal. Some clients needed more traditional strength training. Others needed mobility, balance, cardiovascular conditioning, or a combination of approaches.
I became a certified yoga instructor through YogaSix and later a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, which allowed me to broaden the way I worked with clients.
Over the years, I've continued my education in corrective exercise, women's fitness, senior fitness, stretching and flexibility, and behavior change.
I still love Pilates, but I also love having the freedom to pull from different forms of exercise depending on the person I'm working with.
I am also currently attending massage therapy school and plan to add massage therapy to my professional toolkit. I’m excited to continue expanding the ways I can support clients by combining my background in movement, strength, Pilates, mobility, and hands-on bodywork.
Opening Fit Monkeys
In 2015, my mom, Denise, and I opened Fit Monkeys.
After years of working in different gyms and Pilates studios, we wanted a place where we had the freedom to work with clients individually instead of feeling tied to one particular style or method of exercise.
Fit Monkeys gave us the opportunity to combine our different backgrounds and create the kind of studio we wanted to work in: small, personal, welcoming, and centered around the individual.