MEET OUR PERSONAL TRAINERS

An active member of the Central YMCA Health and Wellness team for over five years, Sean is passionate about healthy living and helping others to accomplish their health and wellness goals, whatever they may be. A certified personal trainer, Sean works with members of all backgrounds and abilities, and has extensive experience working with cancer survivors and individuals with chronic illnesses. He has lead exercise and wellness classes for cancer survivors for years, and specializes in helping people with chronic conditions find their own unique health path using proven techniques that empower them to accomplish their health goals. Sean also has experience with youth, and has taught physical education and family fitness classes. In his personal life, Sean loves playing ultimate Frisbee, loves tea, and likes to cook.

Susan joined the Central YMCA Health and Wellness team in 2009 as a Certified Personal Trainer, and has nearly two decades of experience in the fitness industry. Susan began as a group exercise instructor specializing in the martial arts field, with a focus on boxing. Her credentials include personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), MMA Conditioning Specialist (MMACS), and Senior Fitness Specialist (SFS). She uses five basic principles to structure her member’s training programs: injury prevention, body-shaping, strength, conditioning, and food management. Susan’s passion is to inspire your discovery and confidence in health, while safely meeting and exceeding personal goals.

Available at Central YMCA, Lewis and Joan Platt East Palo Alto Family YMCA, and El Camino YMCA, Hector specializes in weightloss, toning, and Circuit Training. He will be able to teach you how to enjoy physical activity and create healthy habits while enjoying your favorite food! He will also bring out your love and passion for music and guide you to enjoy the love for dance.

Steve is a Certified Pickleball Trainer for East Valley Family YMCA. He offers both singles and doubles pickleball lessons. Whether you’re looking to learn the game, or progress to a higher skill level, Steve can help get you there. Beginner and intermediate players can reach their pickleball goals safely with Steve’s help. Steve has a passion for the game, and has competed in singles tournaments, winning a medal in the Palo Alto Senior Games in 2022. He will teach you the basics to advance play. So, when you play with friends and family, you will know what you are doing and have more fun.

Dylan, a Bay Area native, focuses on exercises that support functional movement and activities of daily living so that you can easily build your foundational fitness and achieve long term success. As a Wellness Coach and Certified Personal Trainer, it is his joy and life's passion to spend collaborative time with individuals as they map out their healthy living goals and begin or continue exercise and daily activities. Dylan graduated from Cal State East Bay with a B.S. in Recreation Management. He is a NCSF Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Mat Pilates and Zumba Instructor.

Dylan is trained in adaptive fitness, working with seniors & active adults, and working with those living with chronic pain or in various stages of a physical health recovery. He focuses on exercises that support functional movement and activities of daily living so that you can easily build your foundational fitness and achieve long term success.

Beth believes that exercise can change lives, helping to relieve stress while promoting stronger mental and physical health. She will be your coach on your fitness journey and will provide the motivation to reach your fitness goals. With her knowledge of the human body, she will become an essential partner in your health journey. Exercise changed Beth's life and now she wants to help change yours.

Beth holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Human Movement, and is CPR/AED, First Aid and ACE certified. She specializes in weight loss, muscle toning, strength training and balance.

Misty specializes in circuit training, core training, balance training, cardio endurance training and youth fitness. She is the perfect trainer for a health seeking individual, or someone looking to rebuild their fitness after an injury or time off. When you work out with Misty, you will focus on your goals and monitor your progression to modify and incorporate different options as necessary to optimize your results. This will make your training session more fun and enjoyable and help keep you motivated.

Jennifer joined the El Camino YMCA over 15 years ago as a Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor and has worked close to 20 years in the fitness industry. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s degree in Psychology. Jennifer is certified as a Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and is certified as an Instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). She believes that a regular cardiovascular and strength training program is the cornerstone to a healthy body and mind. As such, she designs each workout to be challenging, results-oriented and, most importantly, fun for the individual. Jennifer specializes in cardiovascular endurance, strength training, and weight management. She uses the Rate of Perceived Exertion and Heart Rate monitoring to help clients make their cardio workouts as efficient as possible. She believes in functional training and develops strength and resistance programs based on the activities that her clients do in their everyday lives, from sports like golf and cycling to basics like carrying groceries and pushing strollers. Jennifer is here to coach, motivate and encourage you to succeed. In her free time, she enjoys running, cycling, cooking, reading and spending time with family.

Mercy has taught strength, bootcamp, and dance classes for many years, working with adults and youth. Her passion for fitness began long ago through her love of sports, movement, and music. As a personal trainer and strength coach, she enjoys working 1:1 or with small groups, helping members of all backgrounds and abilities to achieve their fitness goals, mitigate injury, and integrate exercise into activities of daily life while having fun! Certifications: NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, NCSF Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Group Exercise Instructor and ACE Youth Fitness Specialist, USA Level 1 Weightlifting Coach, Functional Movement Screen Level 1 and 2

Elizabeth has spent over 20 years in the health and wellness field helping her clients become more comfortable in their bodies, with a special focus on those who struggle with high stress, chronic pain, or chronic illness. Beginning her career in Massage Therapy she found that movement was the most powerful medicine and expanded into teaching Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Corrective exercise. Her goal is to help her clients maintain health and fitness for life by improving ease of movement, balance, posture, and mobility. She is available for sessions at the El Camino Grant Road location.

Seasoned adaptive fitness therapist, post & pre-rehab water therapist, balance specialist and Feldenkrais practitioner. Specializes in stroke victims, herniated or ruptured lumbar discs, sciatica, shoulder replacement, knee replacement, hip replacement and posture and balance. Patti is your physical therapist’s best friend.

Laura is an ADAPT Functional health coach (A-CFHC) and supports clients in reaching their health and wellness goals by tapping into their strengths, values and overall vision. When it comes to health and wellness, many people often know WHAT to do. They just need some extra help on HOW to do it. Using motivational interviewing, positive psychology and the stages of change, Laura listens and supports individuals along their journey (wherever that is) in taking those small steps to create bigger, more long-lasting changes.

In addition to being a functional health coach, Laura has been a fitness instructor at the Y since 2004 (teaching formats such as cardio dance and Les Mills Body Attack). She currently teaches U-JAM Fitness.

Laura enjoys meeting new clients and is often inspired hearing their stories and learning from them as well. She looks forward to working with you.

Lisa has been with the Health and Wellness team at the El Camino YMCA for over 6 years. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Corrective Exercise Specialist. Lisa specializes in functional fitness and rehab fitness and enjoys working with seniors, people with chronic illnesses, and people with aches and pains from living. When she is not engaged in personal training, she leads the Health Transitions and Parkinson’s Exercise programs. Her training style is warm, informative, and collaborative. You will work together as a team to help accomplish your health and fitness goals.

Brittany Taylor has Master’s Degree in Kinesiology and specializes in sports performance, strength and conditioning, HIIT and circuit training, and youth fitness. She has a passion for physical activity and find innovative and fun ways to achieve your goals!

Leslie has always been passionate about fitness. Her career started as a Group Fitness Instructor, teaching Les Mills Body Pump (Advanced Certification), Body Attack, and Les Mills Core. This led to becoming a NASM certified Personal Trainer. Her style as a trainer is professional but engaging, and her number one priority is helping clients meet their goals using efficient and creative exercise programs.

Ricky is a certified Personal Trainer who specializes in sport-specific training and youth fitness. His training sessions include HIIT and Circuit Training where the goal is to keep the heart rate high while burning fat and calories while simultaneously building strength and endurance. He enjoys working 1-1 or with small groups. His primary objective is to make goals with clients and to create a path to achieve those goals.

Ryan is a NASM certified trainer whose primary aspiration is to help people reframe “health” as several small choices made each and every day, instead of an overly complicated concept. He enjoys encouraging others to pursue healthy choices in life for the benefits that they can feel today. 

Tina Helmer, MBA, ACE Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and Nutrition Specialist, is a native German who has traveled to and lived in many places. Her instructor career started with kickboxing, moving on to ACE Group Fitness Instructor and ACE Personal Trainer, Les Mills Bodypump, Les Mills Bodycombat and Les Mills CXWORX. She teaches classes from bootcamp, to sculpt, circuit training, small group training and high intensity interval training in addition to personal training.

She speaks three languages fluently (German, English, Spanish) and has a thorough knowledge of French, which helps welcome various ethnicities into her classes. She always makes sure to offer options to cater to various levels of fitness. Let her enthusiasm motivate you to reach your next level of fitness!

Ruth specializes in strength & conditioning,running techniques, senior fitness, sport specific training and HIIT. When you work out with Ruth, she will assist you in reaching your health and fitness goals while keeping your unique needs and preferences at mind.

Chelsea joined the South Valley Family YMCA as a member in 2018. Her active and regular attendance in group exercise classes inspired her to become a certified personal trainer through NASM and also a group exercise instructor. Her advocacy for healthy living for life and mental positivity pervades her philosophy for health and wellness. She uniquely designs her clients’ workouts to be safe, effective, and challenging. She strongly believes that a functional strength and resistance program, combined with cardiovascular conditioning and proper recovery, enables an individual to have the tools necessary for long-term physical and mental health. Chelsea will guide, encourage, and motivate you to achieve your fitness goals.

Jordan has been a personal trainer for over 10 years. In that time he has worked with post-rehab clients with shoulder, knee, hip, and back injuries. He has also worked with a range of special populations including; Alzheimer’s, cancer, pre/post natal, and children with special needs. He's certified as a NASM CPT, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, ACE Mindbody Coach, and USPA Powerlifting trainer.