Personal Trainers & Instructors
We pride ourselves on our experience, training knowledge and no-hype approach to healthy living. Our staff are all professionals who have made health and fitness a career, gaining experience with a wide range of people and goals.
MELANIE HILARIO
Instructor, Personal Trainer and Corporate Operations Manager
Mel is an instructor and personal trainer with certifications from NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), TRX, and Spinning.
A reformed klutz who loves teaching fitness, Mel trains in the martial art wun hop kuen do (it was love at first kick), runs occasional trail races, and engages in her worldwide mission of sharing the correct form for plank and push-ups.
When she isn’t instructing, training or managing, she writes essays and fiction and co-wrote a recently published graphic novel titled, Debian Perl, Digital Detective: The Memory Thief. It’s an educational comic to teach 8 to 12-year-olds about computer (and other) sciences.
As a writer, she believes in the connection between a healthy body and a healthy mind. As a trainer, she believes understanding your body gives you both a sense of power and a sense of peace.
AARON HOLBY
Personal Trainer
Aaron has over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. He provides customized training programs for a wide variety of clients to achieve their wellness goals. His specialities include: training with minimal equipment, focusing on balance, flexibility, strength and clients’ overall health.
Aaron believes in a holistic and balanced approach to health and wellness. “Health” means so much more than weight, physical ability, diet, or your cholesterol level! His approach to health incorporates elements of physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Aaron works in partnership with his clients develop a fitness plan that addresses physiological goals; nutrition and eating; stress management; and self-care.
“I don’t believe in gimmicks, quick-fixes, or exercise fads. You don’t need fancy equipment, expensive nutritional supplements, or even a large space–just a willingness to move! I will help you learn to enjoy moving your body so you see and feel a difference.”
JAY MERCADO
Personal Trainer
Jay focuses on three ideas with his training: educate, motivate and inspire. Fitness isn’t just about physical strength and aesthetics, fitness encompasses the body, heart, mind and soul. A father and husband, Jay understands the challenges of balancing family, fitness, fun and work.
With over 15 years of experience and multiple certifications from the National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) — including Corrective Exercise (CES) and Fitness Nutrition (FNS), Jay is a transformative fitness leader who empowers his clients and piques their interest on what the next move will be.
Jay works with people from all walks of life including but not limited to youth, student athletes, career professionals and seniors. By 2020, he aspires to further his education and achieve the Master Trainer certification from NASM.
“Encourage others and share in the fortunes of success.”
CARMELA LIERAS
Personal Trainer
Carmela fell in love with movement and athletics at a very young age and hasn't looked back since. She studied Exercise Science at Willamette University, co-owned a gym in Berkeley for five years, and now works one-on-one with clients that want to move better, not feel their age, and learn how to take care of their bodies from a more holistic perspective.
In addition to her certifications from the National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) and TRX, Carmela has completed numerous continuing education courses with Z-Health Performance (R, I, S, T-certified, as well as four of the advanced courses), which has allowed her to take her coaching to a whole new level.
She enjoys showing clients the tools and techniques that can help them relieve pain, get stronger faster, improve their vision and balance, and improve or learn movement skills regardless of their age. She believes that everyone is an athlete (no matter what their sports background is) and that each client's body holds more potential for great accomplishments than we realize.
DON MANGAYAYAM
Personal Trainer
Don has over 15 years of personal training experience. With a bachelors degree in kinesiology from San Francisco State University and certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Don specializes in training for balance and posture, sports, pre- and post-rehab, overall cardio and strength and conditioning.
JASON JOHNSON
Personal Trainer
Jason began weight training at the age of 14 years old. By the age of 17, he implemented athletic training into his program. He is a professionally trained Muay Thai fighter and hip hop dancer. Fitness, health and wellness has been a major part of more than half of Jason’s lifetime. He has dedicated his life to assist others to achieve optimum health and look as great as they feel!
Certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), he follows the Optimum Performance Training (OPT) model of training and has found great success with his clients.
Currently, he is studying true strength and flexibility through gymnastics. Jason specializes in weight loss, strength development and injury prevention.
AMY WOLOSZYN
Instructor and Personal Trainer
Amy is a National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer, with a history of physical trauma and a passion for inspiring others to have fun getting fit. She brings her Yoga Teacher Certification and Z-Health experience to her clients through a blend of empowering, personalized movement.
Amy battled body image issues throughout most of her life, spent time in a wheelchair as a 12-year-old, and survived three life-threatening bicycle accidents as an adult. She is here to tell you that you have the power to overcome anything! You have the spark, or "The Whoa" as she likes to call it, and she's gonna help you find it, ignite it, and let you shine like the magical, glittery disco ball you are!
JONATHAN INGERSOLL
Personal Trainer
Jonathan is an ACE certified personal trainer specializing in strength training, mobility, vision, balance and sports performance especially for people in their 40’s and beyond. His unique style blends resistance exercise and brain-based training techniques with empathy and patience, so every workout is safe, fun, and designed to move his clients toward their goals.
Whether your sport is hiking, biking, ultimate frisbee, walking your dog or playing with your kids and grandchildren, Jonathan can help you rediscover the joy of movement.
JESSE CORTES
Personal Trainer
Jesse is a health and performance coach specializing in knee, back, food and shoulder pain. He creates training sessions that use a wide variety of tools to get you moving better and doing the things you want to do for the rest of your life.
His nutrition coaching avoids dieting hysteria and focuses on metabolic health, habit change, and nutrients. Jesse has overcome chronic pain to compete in triathlons, bicycle road racing, basketball, and has won national and international titles in Ultimate Frisbee. Jesse is currently enrolled in the Master Practitioner Program with Z Health Performance in addition to his certifications with the National Academy of Sport medicine (NASM) and Z Health Performance (R,I,S,T, Structure, Speed, Strength, Skill and Style).
KRISTA KNUDSEN
Instructor
Krista is comprehensively certified to teach Pilates through BASI and the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), and is also trained in pre- and post-natal Pilates. Krista studied theatre and dance at UC Berkeley and has worked in the fields of theatre arts and health education for over a decade. She believes that mind-body pursuits can transform people both mentally and physically. Her approach to fitness—and life—is to work hard, be kind and sweat regularly.
SANDY BLAINE
Instructor
Sandy has worked with all levels of students, from beginners to advanced practitioners, teachers, and elite athletes in her 25 years as a yoga teacher. She brings joyful devotion to both her daily practice and her classes, which combine experience and training in the Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, and Kripalu methods.
As a well-being consultant and coach, Sandy has brought her expertise in workplace wellness to Kaiser, Google, and Pixar Animation Studios, where she has developed and led the yoga program since 1993. Sandy is also as an authorized continuing education provider (YACEP), and an experienced teacher trainer who has mentored many Bay Area yoga teachers.
Sandy has been published in Yoga Journal, Yoga International and Ascent magazines, and is the author of two books, Yoga For Healthy Knees and Yoga For Computer Users. She earned her Master's in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016, and is working on a new book about positive psychology, wellness and mind/body integration, slated for publication in 2019.
DAWN ADAMS
Instructor
Dawn (RYT-500, YACEP) has been practicing yoga since the mid-1990s. She took her first class at the Alameda Yoga Station in 1996 and has since studied under experienced teachers such as Sandy Blaine, JoAnn Lyons, and Donald Moyer. Dawn graduated from the Advanced Studies Program at the Yoga Room in Berkeley in 2009 and a Yoga Tune Up®/Roll Model teacher trainer, and she continues to deepen her knowledge of the human body through workshops, immersions, and intensive anatomy labs.
Yoga has become an integral part of her life, especially because of its nurturing and centering aspects. Through practicing yoga, she has found that undoing is just as important as doing. In her teaching, she hopes to instill a sense of adventure and exploration of yoga, with a focus on finding balance and joy through practice.