Instructors

Amber loves the idea of matching movement to a beat, so after receiving her B.S. in exercise sciences she knew she wanted to bring this same fun to others. She is drawn to anything that lets her be 100% authentic, which is why being loud and silly while instructing is right up her alley. Amber is motivated by her fellow Echelon instructors and the countless clients who send her positive messages every day. “ It's beyond imaginable the amount of gratitude I experience when someone reaches out with their ‘A-ha’ moment or when they realize the best thing from working out.”

Amy credits the strong women in her life who helped raise her to shaping the person she is today. Her father traveled for his job so she was essentially raised by a single mom who was also attending graduate school while working full-time. Amy’s grandmothers and aunt were also a daily part of her childhood. Amy believes that health and movement should not be taken for granted and strives to help others live healthy lives in part to help mitigate preventable diseases. She teaches with a “tough love meets loving motivation” style but wants people to remember that everyone was a beginner at some time.

Brain initially joined Echelon as a studio member and says when the opportunity arose to become a certified instructor, he jumped at the chance. An indoor cycle enthusiast for almost 20 years, Brian motivates riders with a mixture of drill sergeant toughness and calm encouragement, depending on the type of class. His music genre of choice is yacht rock which he says is “the Swiss Army knife of music to me. It can fit all my moods.” Brian appreciates being able to have a positive influence on people around the world.

As the son of an athletic director and a nurse, it could be said that Chris’s passion for athletics and helping others is genetic. Chris is unafraid of challenges—he once ran the Miami Marathon as a second-year law student—and knows how to help others put aside their excuses to meet their goals. He believes that balance is key, so he always aims to conduct challenging workouts that are filled with encouragement. His advice for someone new to fitness? “Don’t overthink it or be intimated. Just do your best and have fun!”

Wanting to “grow her reach” outside the Miami area inspired Dani to join Echelon. She now connects with people across the U.S. and is grateful to be part of the Echelon family. Dani commits to giving 110% in every class and while admitting her classes are challenging, they will change people physically and mentally. Her strong work ethic is inspired by her father who has taught her numerous invaluable life lessons that she still carries with her to this day. She lives by the mantra, “I'll never let you do anything alone!

Eden is a Bronze Ironman All-World Athlete who realized she wanted to be a fitness instructor while training for her second Ironman race in 2017, and discovering her natural instinct to support and encourage those she was training with. She finds joy in helping people break through their limitations and draws inspiration from the no-excuse mentality of the Echelon community. Eden is a down-to-earth and approachable person who loves to adopt senior dogs and engage in sarcastic bantering. Her instruction style is directive but also fun and high-energy. Eden wants everyone who leaves her classes to feel empowered and asking themselves, “What just happened?!?”

After realizing she needed to take better care of herself, Jaime decided to take her running up a notch and discovered being out of her comfort zone was right where she needed to be. This, combined with the fact that others started asking for Jaime to help with their workout goals, led her to the fitness world. Energetic and encouraging, she will always challenge people to give it their best and Jaime’s drive and determination set the stage for every class she teaches. Her advice to others? “Be stronger than your excuses!”

Jama is the Echelon family mom (and actual mother of four boys) who believes that her role as an instructor is to help people live well. She was drawn to Echelon because of the idea that our community was for “real” people—moms, dads, and working people who need to make fitness work for their busy lives. Jama is openly silly and unafraid to profess her love of emo music and all things sweet. Her classes are free of judgment and find the right balance of tough love and sunny encouragement.

Janet has been passionate about health and fitness for most of her life, so when she had kids she left her job that required a lot of travel and made fitness her career. She believes that teaching at Echelon is a dream come true because of the opportunity to reach and encourage so many people all over the world. Janet loves to move and even on her rest days, you will find her hiking with her husband or Ollie, her English springer spaniel. Her instruction style is to lead with calm confidence and she will push you with positivity to reach your PR without even realizing it.

John’s love of being an athlete and enjoying hitting the gym is what eventually led him to Echelon. The “nerd part” of him thrived on learning about the body, and his studies to potentially become a physical therapist led him right into a fitness career. While he’s a tough love kind of guy, he will sprinkle in some upbeat encouragement once he learns how someone needs to be motivated. Known for his goofiness and energy he lives by the motto, “Be the best version of you right now. Let’s turn challenges into changes.”

Lindsay developed a passion for fitness while working in the hospitality industry where she discovered the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She has since made the career change to be a full-time fitness instructor and has taught and mentored many other instructors. Lindsay loves a good dance break and keeps the “music POPPIN” and the energy HIGH” in her classes, but she is also known for her tough-love approach to teaching. In Lindsay’s class, you will quickly learn that she is #SorryNotSorry for pushing you to give her 110% effort, but she is with you 100% of the way. Outside of her classes, you can find Lindsay hanging out with her fiancé and treating her chocolate lab Enzo to a puppuccino or trip to the dog beach.

Mari is passionate about helping others to live an active, healthy lifestyle and will remind you to “do it for you...no excuses, give yourself the best that you can.” Naturally a night owl, Mari listens to Hip Hop to get her pumped for a workout because the beats and lyrics always get her moving. On rest days, she loves to sleep in and relax with her kids or five-pound Yorkie. You should join her classes if you are looking for a high-energy class that mixes technicality and motivation.

Marsha truly loves seeing people reach their goals and become stronger. That’s why her classes will run the gamut from tough love to upbeat and encouraging. She’s tough when she needs to be, like when climbing a big mountain in class. When teaching a more mellow class like barre, the ambiance is more cheerful and optimistic. Marsha’s proudest fitness achievement was crossing the finish line at her first full Ironman, and her greatest inspiration is her 14-year-old daughter. Her daughter is a level nine competitive gymnast, who Marsha says, “is the strongest girl I know.”

Known for his calming presence, Michael strives to keep his classes light and fun, with clear instructions and plenty of motivation sprinkled in. Michael is a life-long athlete who has been working as a professional fitness instructor since graduating college and draws inspiration from his wife and son. His love of jazz music says a lot about Michael—just as jazz can be slow or fast, beat-driven or improvisational, he provides a variety of unique fitness experiences that always keeps things interesting.

Nicole believes that fitness comes in all forms, colors, and lifestyles. She understands we all take different routes to feel healthy and strong, and cheers people on the entire way. This is why you will hear Nicole say during her classes, “Positive vibes and good rides!” Nicole coaches from the heart and loves what she does. She has kind words and genuine appreciation for the people who take her classes, and wants them to remember her as a friend. Watching her grandparents grow up instilled the strong, positive work ethic Nicole has today and she lives to inspire people

Nikki’s personal mission is to “help as many people as possible live their healthiest lives and love the way they look and feel.” She loves when she sees people’s confidence soar as they surpass their goals and joined the Echelon family so she could reach people on a global scale. Nikki’s proudest fitness moment was when she competed nationally at the American Open for U.S.A. Olympic weighlifting, so she knows a thing or two about reaching personal goals! Nikki is a self-described “positive pepper,” but is quick to point out, “Don’t let this smile fool you—my classes are tough!” We will add that her peppy positivity will keep you engaged through every challenge she throws at you

Rachel describes herself as a “walking goofball of fun and energy.” She found her way to Echelon because of her love of cycling, group fitness and helping others reach their goals. She achieved a fitness milestone of her own when she completed her first 70.3 Ironman. Alternative rock is her music of choice in her classes which are taught with a sunny but tough style. Her positivity is inspiring and you will hear her start her classes saying, “I believe in you babes! Take this class time and focus on you!”

Hailing from Miami, Reed joins the Echelon team with over seven years of experience as a cycle instructor. Before teaching on the bike, Reed traveled the world as a model which allowed him to live in four different countries in just one year! He brings his cadence based style to the bike with excitement to match. Reed finds motivation in succeeding against the odds and finds balance through his days between working hard and playing hard. In Reed’s class, you can expect to ride to his favorite hip-hop playlists as he leads his riders through surges out of the saddle, leaving everyone feeling unstoppable!

As a yoga instructor at Echelon, Ryn teaches with the aim of inspiring people to push harder, but not be disappointed if they are unable to complete a certain pose because of an injury, immobility, or simply being fatigued. She empowers students to try their best, and believes that not giving up usually turns into great progress and achievements. Ryn thrives on seeing people try their hardest and reminds them they do not need to say “sorry” for any perceived downfalls. There is no need to apologize for learning!

To say that Sam loves fitness would be an understatement. She ran track and cross country throughout middle school, high school, and college, and holds both an undergraduate and master’s degree in exercise physiology. Her classes are high-energy and positive with the goal that everyone will feel good when they finish. Sam is an ever-smiling lover of EDM who became an Echelon instructor so she could connect with people outside of her current city of Miami. As a finisher of 10 half-marathons, you can trust Sam when she says “stay consistent and you will see results!”

With her mother as her biggest inspiration, Shana knows that working hard, giving everything we have to what we do, and doing it with a smile makes for happy, motivated people. Her inspiring, positive attitude carries over into every fitness class she teaches, and seeing her clients challenge themselves and work hard to reach their goals is what motivates her in her career. Shana shares her heartfelt advice, “It's positive encouragement, linking fitness to mindset and self-love! We do this for us; we must love ourselves enough to put in the work!

Originally from Cd Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, Suyumi stumbled into being a professional fitness instructor when her sister needed a sub one day. Since then, she has grown to be a fitness powerhouse who has been featured at fitness expos and sponsored by several major brands. Suyumi has a smile that will light up a room and she brings her positive, strong energy to every class. She says that her heart is warmed by being able to “motivate and push someone to become healthier and stronger.”

Teresa is an engaging, gregarious instructor who is always on the move. In addition to more than fifteen years of experience as a Pilates instructor, Teresa is also an activewear designer who loves to max out her “rest days” working on various business ventures. She is a huge believer in positive reinforcement and likes to remind her classes to “Stand tall!” When asked what her advice would be for someone new to fitness she says, “We were all beginners at one point. Stick with it, do your best, and don’t compare yourself to others.”