Berkeley

With over 25 years of Dance and Group Exercise experience, Gary brings his formal training and performance experience into every Zumba® class he teaches. He has evolved from athlete and competitor to performer and instructor. He is certified as a Group Exercise Instructor through the Health and Fitness Institute at California State University East Bay. Today he provides a blend of rhythmic movements and incorporates fitness and the ability to reach towards wellness through movement while having fun and enjoying the moment. Fun fact: Recently retired from the healthcare industry after 40 plus and looks forward to teaching fitness classes including Zumba in addition to increasing leisure time activities.

Lev Ami is a passionate and dynamic personal trainer with a strong background in functional movement and strength training. During Lev's Sophomore year of college at UC Davis, a major health scare (He's totally fine now!) led him to discover the world of training, yoga, and everything health & wellness. This experience led him to study Psychology, become an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and a USA Olympic Weightlifting Certified Coach, and work for the final two years of undergrad at the campus's massive state of the art gym. Lev brings a well-rounded approach to training, focusing on injury prevention, functional strength training, and performance optimization. His interest in Sport and Performance Psychology has shaped his philosophy of integrating body awareness and mental resilience into each session. FUN FACT: Lev recently completed the Bay Bridge Half Marathon

Alison is born and raised in Berkeley and is thrilled to be part of the Anytime Fitness Community. She was a swimmer in high-school but once that ended, she struggled to find a consistent exercise routine. In her mid-twenties she discovered CrossFit and was instantly hooked. She began teaching bootcamp classes but due to an injury, had to leave the Crossfit world behind. Now her passion is strength training and she loves introducing her clients to the variety of resistance training techniques that will challenge them and create results. Alison is also a Group Fitness instructor and is super inspired by the energy and hard work each client brings to class. Alison hopes to inspire others who might be intimidated by fitness because she has been there and wants everyone to know, it is never too late to get started.

David Guthartz brings over 35 years of study and instructional experience in yoga and fitness training to his clients at Anytime Fitness. He has been continuously certified since 1995, by the American College of Sports Medicine, and has worked as a Personal Trainer at UC Berkeley RSF for 18 years, attracting a varied and loyal clientele including students, senior staff members, performing artists, and internationally renowned academics. David enjoys working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, of all ages, and fitness capabilities, and considers his training in yoga to be the foundation of his approach to developing fitness programs that are optimized for each unique individual.

Lily is a fitness enthusiast turned personal trainer who hails from Los Angeles. She is an accomplished equestrian, as well as an animal-lover, actor, and fantasy nerd. Lily loves exploring new modes of exercise, and is experienced in a variety of disciplines including weightlifting, Pilates, barre, yoga, and interval training. She finds inspiration in the outdoors, and often finds herself applying the skills she practices in the gym to mountain biking, hiking, and backpacking. Lily believes whole-heartedly that exercise is a time to not only challenge yourself, but also have fun with your body! She always strives to bring imagination, presence, and positive vibes to her sessions, and values the ability of fitness programming to promote whole-person well-being and mind-body awareness as well as to boost clients towards their specific health goals. FUN FACT: If you see her around, ask Lily to show you her strobe-effect hand trick, or to recite some Shakespeare!

My main educational background is a Bachelor's degree from U.C. Berkeley, which is arguably the most unrelated subject to exercise/fitness, is English literature. My major kept me sedentary for most of my undergraduate career, but toward the end of college, with the help of some friends and social media’s growing display of strong, powerful women in the gym, I became fascinated with weightlifting. When I began weight training, I started to feel more energized throughout the day and more confident in myself, to sleep better at night, and to experience everyday life with more self-compassion and resilience than ever before. As a personal trainer with a less conventional background in fitness than most, I want to help others experience how exercise can benefit their lives holistically the way I have. I'm here if you ever want to geek out about exercise, swap restaurant recommendations, or just say “hi.” Fun Fact: I cut my own hair

Magdalena was born and raised in northern Sweden and started working in the fitness industry in 2013. She has dedicated a significant amount of time to working in sports labs to gain a deeper understanding of the human body. Over the years, Magdalena has been fortunate to collaborate with various teams, groups, and individual athletes to help them enhance their performance and overall health. She also has a background as an educator, where she certified Personal Trainers. While Magdalena enjoys working with a diverse range of clients, her particular passion lies in endurance sports. She describes herself as a "complete endurance nerd" and expresses a keen interest in creating training programs for events like 5k runs, marathons, and triathlons. Fun Fact: Watch out! Magdalena grew up with two older brothers and thereby knows how to wrestle.

Dario Mathias is Brazilian and has been passionate for sports since he was a child when he started playing soccer. This passion led him to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science, which he achieved in 2005. After that he completed two postgraduate courses in Physical Exercise in Aging and Disease. Dario has been a group class’ instructor and personal trainer for the past 10 years and is known for his fun and friendly personality.

Daly is an East Coast native, transplanted to the Bay Area during high school. She did competitive gymnastics in her youth and has been engaged in various forms of physical activities to date; strength training, yoga, trx, running, swimming, hiking, cross fit, bar method. She formed her passion for health and wellness at an early age while traveling with her family to destination spas, and continues to nurture that interest with various courses, certifications and an extensive home library. Daly loves working with people, especially with an aging population, and helping to guide them in the preservation of health, strength and mobility throughout their lives. FUN FACT: In her youth, bewitched by a beautiful Ukrainian aerialist from Cirque du Soleil, Daly was compelled to take 3 years of flying trapeze in hopes of joining the circus.

Though a lifelong fitness enthusiast, it was only recently that Dash discovered a deep interest in becoming an advocate for others to achieve their goals of health, form, and functionality. He is presently on a course of study for an NSCA-CPT certification. His approach to fitness prioritizes simplicity, consistency, and specificity, eschewing fads and novelty in favor of base strength and fundamental movement patterns which carry over to general physical capacity in all areas of life.

Amy fell in love with weight training when she was in school. Lifting weights not only helped to shape her physique but it strengthened her inner sense of self. Because she was physically stronger, she felt more empowered and capable of being active and injury free. Amy continues to prioritize strength and resilience training no matter what activity she explores. She believes it is so foundational for preventing and mitigating injuries, sport performance, and daily functional movement. As a trained educator, Amy has decades of experience teaching and helping others reach their goals. With a background in weight training, martial arts, cycling, TRX, body weight training, jump rope, and StrongFirst hardstyle kettlebells, she will help you to become stronger and more resilient so you can perform at your best no matter what you are doing or how old you are.

Florian brings decades of health, fitness, and movement practices to his work as a Personal Trainer. As a former physical therapist and Aikido instructor, Florian has an extensive knowledge of working with people through the mind-body connection. Florian’s approach to health and wellness is to build a healthy and strong body and spirit to last a lifetime. He strives to provide personalized training sessions that are fun, focused and mindful. Florian continues to be inspired by his own training in ‘Systema’, a Russian system of health and combat practices as well as TACFIT Training Methods, and ‘Strong First’ Kettlebell training .

Alezander was born in Merced but grew up in Richmond - spending most of his life in the Bay Area. As a kid, he was always active, often playing soccer or competing in small tournaments. Currently, he is studying Business Administration at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and is on track to graduate in May 2025. When he’s not hitting the books, Alezander enjoys going to concerts, traveling, and spending time with friends. Fun fact: he’s left-handed!

Saghar was born in Tehran, Iran, and immigrated to the United States in 2021. Farsi is her first language, and she is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Planning at San Francisco State University. Her passion for sports began at the age of twelve, when she started playing soccer as a goalkeeper—a position she held until eighteen, when an injury prevented her from continuing. Afterward, Saghar discovered new athletic interests, exploring rock climbing, tennis, golf, and martial arts. Beyond sports, Saghar has a deep love for learning and creativity. She enjoys spending different periods of her life getting to know new things, such as pottery and sculpture. When she’s not studying or staying active, Saghar enjoys relaxing with a piece of baklava and a cup of tea while listening to traditional Persian music. Fun fact: The longest Saghar has ever slept is 18 hours straight.

Born in Berkeley and forged in the blistering deserts of Arizona, Ari learned endurance through CrossFit, swimming, running, and daring hikes across the White Tank Mountains. Ari then rekindled her love for the natural and the elemental, exploring sailing, bouldering, and hunting for hidden gems at farmers’ markets. Her restless spirit carried her to New York University, where she pursued an individualized major amid Manhattan’s chaos. Yet the call of redwoods and fertile soil proved irresistible. Now back in Berkeley, Ari studies Permaculture Design at Merritt College, weaving together Maya culture, ecology, and community. Fun Fact: Ari carries al bag of miniature traffic cones to place randomly throughout Berkeley.

Brandon, a true Bay Area native, grew up playing baseball at St. Mary’s College High School, just around the corner from the gym. His love for staying active extended to the outdoors, where surfing and hiking became his go-to activities during college. Holding a BA in Anthropology and a Masters of Science in Exercise Science: Sports Nutrition, Brandon is a well-rounded fitness professional. Not just an academic, Brandon has also showcased his physical prowess by competing in Men’s physique bodybuilding and powerlifting in the USAPL Federation in the 82.5kg weight class. His diverse background and achievements contribute to the dynamic and knowledgeable fitness environment he brings to the community. FUN FACT: Brandon is on his impressive journey toward a 1000lb total in powerlifting, conquering the big 3 lifts: squat, bench, and deadlift.

Natalia was born and raised in Berkeley where she grew up taking advantage of the Bay Area's outdoor recreation. Growing up, she enjoyed playing soccer, volleyball, hiking and running. Natalia recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she received a B.A. in Sociology after transferring from Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. During her time away at Santa Barbara, Natalia took time off from working out. Now that she's back in the Bay and working at Anytime Fitness, she looks forward to slowly getting back into being active again! During her free time, Natalia enjoys spending time in the sun, watching reality tv shows, and trying new food spots around the Bay! FUN FACT: Natalia is a master juggler!