Group Fitness Instructors
Interested In Becoming an Instructor?
Ai Kuwayama
Ai is originally from Japan and she graduated with a Masters in Kinesiology in Integrative Wellness from Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), NASM Certified Personal Trainer, AFAA Certified Group Exercise Instructor, AEA certified aqua instructor and 500 Registered Yoga Teacher. In addition to teaching group fitness classes, Ai is the Fitness & Wellness Supervisor for Aztec Recreation. She has been teaching Group Exercise classes for 14 years and is very passionate about both teaching and taking Group Exercise classes. Ai believes in the powerful ability of group exercises to improve and promote individuals’ physical and mental well-being.
Alexandria Moler
Alex Moler graduated from SDSU with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, Fitness Specialist. In the future she plans on working in the Exercise and Nutrition field running her own consultant business and helping clients achieve their fitness and health goals. All things related to health and fitness became a passion of hers when she tore her ACL twice playing soccer. Group fitness became a huge part of her life during her recovery from two knee surgeries. After attending multiple group fitness classes, she got her certification to become a group fitness instructor. As an instructor she hopes to inspire others to stay active, healthy and reach their fitness goals while participating in a safe and welcoming environment. Along with leading group fitness classes, Alex now is a Fitness and Wellness Program Assistant at the ARC. She is excited to start teaching ENS fitness classes. Come join her on this new journey, SDSU community!
Cole Davis
Cole is the Fitness & Wellness Coordinator for Aztec Recreation. He graduated from James Madison University in May 2020 with a B.S. in Exercise Science after dropping his business degree in lieu of pursuing his dream of a career in the fitness industry. During his years working at JMU’s University Recreation Center Cole worked as a manager, personal trainer, and group exercise instructor with clients of all different shapes, sizes, colors, & ages! He is a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and Exercise Physiologist. He also has experience teaching a variety of group fitness formats with a focus on Strength & HIIT. Cole loves helping individuals build self-confidence, strength, and comfortability within their own bodies.
Daniel Dominguez
Born and raised in Argentina, Daniel came to San Diego in 1997 to work as a Ph.D. doing research in the SDSU Psychology Department. He became an ARC member as soon as the gym opened and started practicing yoga regularly in 1999. Along the years, Daniel participated in yoga classes and yoga retreats with many wonderful instructors at the ARC, learning different styles of yoga. He obtained his yoga teacher certification in CorePower Yoga, in 2008. Around the same time he graduated from IPSB as a Holistic Health Practitioner and Massage Therapist. Since then, Daniel has been teaching yoga and doing bodywork in different institutions around San Diego and South America. In 2011, Daniel completed a SUPcore certification as a Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and SUP Yoga instructor through Surftech SUP Academy (SSUPA) and has been teaching SUP and SUP Yoga at Mission Bay Aquatic Center ever since. Daniel’s passion for Nature and traveling has brought him to teach yoga (volunteer work) and practice SUP in the Amazon (Peru), experience he plans to repeat annually before visiting family and friends in Argentina.
Heidi Wilson
Heidi has been a fitness professional for over 27 years and she holds 2 Masters Degrees from SDSU; one in Public Health (MPH) and one in Exercise and Nutritional Sciences (MS). She is a Grandmaster UWSEF - United World Serrada Escrima Federation, Master in Taekwondo (4th Dan), Black Belt in Aikijujitsu, Black Belt in Escrima (under Master Bayani Abueg/BCA Arnis). She is certified USA Boxing Coach and a Masters Division Boxing Champion. She is also the Founder of the Women's Boxing Network in Southern California. Heidi was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2024 and received the Female Multi-discipline Black Belt of the Year Award.
Heidi teaches academic classes in health, sports nutrition, kinesiology, and various fitness classes and martial arts classes. Her true passion is teaching women how to defend themselves. She teaches multiple sections of ENS 138-Women's Self Defense and Credit Boxing Classes in both the Fall and Spring Semesters at SDSU.
Jennifer Melford
Jenny has been an athlete her whole life and her love for movement and sport go back as far as she can remember. Jenny graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science, where she also earned a scholarship to play Division 1 soccer. It was during this time that Jenny discovered Yoga. Though she was drawn to Yoga initially for the physical challenge it offered, she ended up falling in love with the holistic nature of the practice, and the deeper sense of ease and well-being that were a result of her regular practice. She now holds five different Yoga certifications as a teacher, although she will always consider herself a student of the practice.
Jenny is also a certified Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine, a Health and Wellness Coach, a Nutritionist, and a Grief Counselor. In her free time Jenny loves hiking, camping, snowboarding, hanging with her family and puppy, and seeing live music!
Lisa Lamont
Lisa is a Stott Pilates certified Pilates instructor and a Mad Dogg Athletics Certified Spinning® instructor. She has worked in the fitness industry for over twenty years.
Melissa Valdez
Melissa holds a Bachelor’s in Exercise and Sports Science and a Master’s in Sports Management from the University of San Francisco. As a lifelong athlete with experience in rugby, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Strongman, Melissa's passion for movement and strength training emerged from her journey to recover from injuries and enhance her performance. Now, as a dedicated personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, her primary goal is to help students elevate their quality of life through strength and fitness. In her weightlifting classes, Melissa creates a supportive and inclusive environment where students feel confident exploring new forms of healthy movement. She believes that strength training is crucial for building resilience, surpassing limits, and achieving personal goals. With a background in coaching diverse athletic programs and coaching individuals from all fitness levels, Melissa brings her energetic approach, deep knowledge, and positive attitude to every session, aiming to help students redefine and achieve their fitness aspirations.
Naomi Welsh
Naomi has a BA in Kinesiology and Physical Education with a Health Fitness concentration. Ever since her youth Naomi has loved being active. She got her start as a child in gymnastics, attending all her mom’s classes and coaching sessions and eventually went on to participate in competitions. Naomi also played Division 1 soccer on scholarship in college and competed as a semi-pro for two seasons. Later in life, Naomi became a professional ballroom dancer competing in all genres; dance has always been Naomi’s #1 passion. She has certifications from Core Rhythms and Zumba fitness along with a Gold Level Teacher Certification from Arthur Murray. She also has certifications for Maddog Athletics Spinning, Stages Beats Cycle, PiYo, and is currently studying for her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Naomi believes movement is an essential part of being holistically healthy and likes to fuse elements of dance with Yoga, barre, and Pilates in her classes. As an advocate for movement, Naomi says “finding what motivates and inspires you to bring the highest benefit is key to maintaining an active lifestyle you can enjoy!”
Natalie Quinn
Natalie is an SDSU alumnus with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, pre-Physical Therapy. She has been an instructor here at the ARC since 202, teaching a variety of classes like Barre Blast, Cycle Core, Yoga Sculpt, and much more! Natalie has a true love and passion for health and well-being. That is why she is continuing her education at Point Loma Nazarene University with a master's in Kinesiology, Integrative Wellness. She believes in the harmony of well-being across physical, emotional, and mental health. Physical exercise and nutrition should come from a place of self-love and respect rather than a punishment towards yourself and your body. Feel free to join Natalie in a group fitness class to celebrate what your body can do and achieve!
Nikki Winters
Nikki has been dancing since she can remember and trained mostly in ballet. After she turned 18 she danced with various professional ballet companies. It wasn’t until she joined up with a company called Physical Rhythm Project that was ballet/hip-hop fusion that she found her love for street dancing. Sponsored by NIKE, she then taught hip-hop classes in Portland, Oregon and discovered her love for group fitness. She since has been teaching various fitness classes on both the West and East Coast, with various certifications since 1992 and has been teaching at Aztec Recreation since 2001. She currently is a Commercial Real Estate Broker, a wife to an amazing husband, and a mom to two awesome boys.
Rachel Brouzes
Rachel Brouzes is a seasoned Yoga teacher with over 7 years of teaching experience and nearly 20 years as a practitioner. She holds over 600 hours of teaching education, specializing in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin Yoga. Additionally, Rachel is a reiki initiated practitioner and soundhealer who integrates holistic approaches into her teaching. Rachel’s classes are characterized by precise cueing and verbal adjustments and include meticulously crafted body-part specific flows with yogic philosophy teachings seamlessly woven in. Rachel wants to ensure her students feel both supported and empowered in their practice. Beyond yoga, Rachel has expertise in nutrition and resistance training enabling her to offer a comprehensive approach to health and wellness.
Ricky Paniagua
Ricky holds degrees in Organizational Leadership and Behavioral Sciences and has been a certified Yoga Instructor since 2015. Ricky offers thought-provoking meditations, philosophy, and insights interwoven into playful and challenging postures that are accessible to Yoga practitioners of all levels. He believes in holding inclusive space while providing mindful and nurturing support, allowing practitioners to explore both their physical and mental bodies on their mats. Through verbal and physical adjustments, Ricky serves as an active observer, serving to empower practitioners to develop a deeper connection with their Yoga practice.
Shayne Fernandez
Shayne is originally from Sacramento, CA and graduated from SDSU with a Bachelors in Economics. In 2022, they fell in love with hot yoga and found immense physical and psychological benefits from the practice. After a few years of deepening their own personal practice, Shayne completed a 200 hour YTT program through Reach Yoga in Pacific Beach, where they were introduced to a wide range of healing modalities such as acro-yoga, thai massage, and breathwork. Today, they are working toward building an intentional community that centers around non-judgement and embracing authenticity, and their classes aim to acknowledge both the student and the teacher inside every individual. In their free time, Shayne loves to play board games, make music, and exchange ideas and experiences with friends.
Sugar Ray Holden
With over 28 years of experience as a USA certified Boxing Coach, Ray has trained a wide variety of students including UFC fighters, pro/amateur boxers, actors, children of all ages and seniors. He teaches progressive boxing techniques and strategies and also works as a boxing official and referee.
At the age of eight, "Sugar" Ray became interested in boxing. Along his journey in the sport, Ray had many great coaches and mentors including Martial Artist Wayne St. Hill, Master "Chicken" Gabriel, and former Team USA Olympic Boxing Coach Robert Coon (also Head Coach of the United Institute of Amateur Athletics Boxing Team where Ray became a member in his early teens).
As an instructor and avid boxing historian, Ray's main goal is to give back to the SDSU community through the experience in his boxing class using positive energy, and sharing his passion for the sport.
