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.
Bethany Mendenhall
Bethany was born and raised in San Diego, and graduated from SDSU in 2019 with a B.A. in psychology. She has been teaching both cycling and yoga classes at the ARC since 2019. In addition to teaching group fitness, Bethany teaches ENS Beginning Yoga, co-teaches ENS Group Fitness Instructor Training, and is one of Aztec Recreation's Fitness and Wellness Program Assistants. Her love of fitness stems from a place of self-love and she firmly believes that one of the best ways to take care of yourself is to keep both your body and mind active and healthy. As an instructor, Bethany's main goal is to help you discover and celebrate how strong you already are, exactly as you are. When she’s not at the ARC, you can find her at a local coffee shop or live music venue.
Cali Tolbert
Cali began teaching group exercise classes during her time in college at James Madison University and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science. More recently she received her Masters in Integrative Wellness from PLNU and is the former Fitness & Wellness Coordinator for Aztec Recreation. She is a certified AFAA Primary Group Fitness Instructor, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, and a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach. Her favorite formats to teach include yoga, dance, TRX, and cycle but she enjoys teaching just about any format. One of her strongest beliefs is to make your heart happy which includes, but is not limited to, your physical well-being. When she is not helping and motivating others achieve their fitness goals, you can find Cali with her dogs, Brodie & Merlot, at the beach, trail running, or hiking!
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!
Kelli Pedone
Kelli is a born and raised San Diegan and graduate from SDSU (B.S. in Kinesiology). She became interested in fitness during her time as a student and was inspired to take the ENS 138 Group Fitness Instructor Training class and work at the ARC! She was also hired on as a program assistant for the Adapted Athletics department at Aztec Recreation, so she is excited to be able to combine her two passions: fitness and supporting individuals with disabilities. Kelli is excited to teach a variety of different classes and motivate participants to have some fun with their workouts. In the future, she plans on attending a graduate program to become a licensed Prosthetist and Orthotist, and therefore continue her goals of promoting healthy lifestyles for individuals of all abilities and backgrounds!
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.
Megan Hollyfield
Megan began practicing yoga in 2012 as a form of physical therapy. Yet the more she practiced the physical postures; the more yoga became a refuge to work on her mental strength. Apparent that the mind-body connection is invaluable, she dove into a teacher training to deepen her own practice. Now a certified 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher, she hopes to share the benefits of focus, determination, and positivity to all her students.
After realizing she enjoyed teaching power, sculpt, and hot yoga classes, she started to branch out to teach other formats at the SDSU Aztec Recreation Center. Megan now teaches many additional formats such as Total Strength, Barre Blast, and Cardio Dance. Whenever you step into one of her classes whether to relax with yoga or workout, you will find a positive atmosphere and a class geared to challenging both the mind and the body.
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.
Ronan Gibbs
Ronan Gibbs (500RYT) is an undergraduate student at SDSU pursuing Religious Studies with a minor in Education. He has a deep dedication to his personal practice and self-study of the ancient Yogic/Hindu and Buddhist texts. Ronan’s main goal with teaching is to offer practical tools and practices that his students can use in the real world to encourage them to live a patient, full, & fun life. After he completed his 200 hour yoga teacher training, Ronan spent 6 weeks of dedicated meditation practice and silence with the Buddhist Monastics at Deer Park Monastery. He then traveled to India where he completed his 300 hour TTC at Mathatitu Yoga Ashram in Varkala. He is currently a Studio Coordinator at CorePower Yoga and plans to teach & practice Yoga for the remainder of his lifetime.
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.
