J Rick Rafael, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Owner, President
Dr. Rafael is the president and founder of SportsFit. Dr. Rafael obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in BioMedical Engineering. After several years of working as an engineer and consultant to Fortune500 companies, he decided to pursue a career in physical therapy in order to follow his passion in health and fitness. Dr. Rafael received his doctorate in physical therapy from Mount Saint Mary's University and completed a yearlong orthopedic residency program at Kaiser Permantente. He established SportsFit in the year 2010 with the intention of providing the highest quality of service to every patient. Dr. Rafael is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and has served as clinical instructor for several physical therapy universities. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the Santa Monica College movement science program. Dr. Rafael takes pride in his work and has volunteered at the Venice Free Clinic treating underprivileged patients.
Dr. Rafael's vision for SportsFit has always been to lead a healthy and happy environment optimized for the offering of excellence in the service provided, and the professions created for employees. Under Dr. Rafael's leadership, SportsFit has been able to provide more than 70,000 treatment sessions as a team. During this time SportsFit has been accredited and earned a rating of A+ with the Better Business Bureau, awarded the patient's choice award, and selected 3 years in a row for Best of Santa Monica Awards for Physical Therapy. SportsFit has been recognized by many as the premier physical therapy clinic in Santa Monica and is known by colleagues as the gold standard for a physical therapy clinic. SportsFit has been the referral of choice for several of UCLA, Cedars Sinai, Saint John Providence, and Santa Monica physicians. In fact, Dr. Rafael has been consulted by many of such physicians for their own physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Dr. Rafael's Mission For SportsFit:
To constitute a facility apt to provide optimal recovery for all patients by implementing an individualized, multi-disciplinary and holistic treatment approach for each patient based on patient's unique background, goals, and injury.
Melika Rafael
Director, Lead Pilates Instructor
Melika is a graduate of the California State University of Long Beach and is a native of California. Melika was previously the manager of Sportsmed Physical Therapy at the SportsClub/LA, and has years of experience in management, billing, marketing and health insurance. As the co-founder of SportsFit Physical Therapy, Melika has dedicated herself to creating an inviting, motivating, and invigorating facility focused on quality of care and healing. Melika has remained committed to continuous education in the newest and most proper forms of exercise technique. To perfect her craft, Melika completed her course work and hours in Brent Anderson's Polestar Pilates course. Prior to this Pilates certification she completed her training with the Pilates reformer and mat course at Alternative Body System, certified through Sally Landen’s program. She has years of experience in training elite and amateur athletes of all ages. Melika enjoys Pilates, dance, skiing, running, biking, hiking, and spending time with her daughter Ava on her free time.
Treatment Philosophy:
Exercises should offer a logical yet organic flow of movement while the body is healing. A positive and happy environment will allow the body to move without rigidity. Each exercise should be performed with mindful control through proper form and breathing technique. Listen to the body while in therapy and temporarily remove aggravating activities from your routine until other muscles are conditioned to help the aggravated muscles. Work on adding new challenges as your body becomes stronger.
Kyle Brown, DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
West LA Clinic Director
Dr. Brown grew up in the Napa Valley. He attended graduate school at Loma Linda University, earning his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2010. In 2012, he completed a year-long orthopedic residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, which emphasized the management of complex and chronic orthopedic problems. Immediately after residency, he completed the year-long Kaiser Permanente Sports Rehabilitation Fellowship, one of the few sports fellowships in the nation. During this fellowship, Dr. Brown received extensive mentoring and training in rehabilitating both common and complex sports injuries in order to efficiently and safely return athletes back to their desired sport. He is passionate about sports. He played high school and college basketball and is currently a semi-professional skateboarder. In his free time, Dr. Brown enjoys playing basketball, golf, skateboarding, and traveling with friends and family.
Treatment Philosophy:
I take a multi-faceted approach to patient care which combines manual therapy, movement re-education, and re-training the brain in order for each individual to reach their desired goals.
Erik Nelson, PT, MPT
Master of Physical Therapy
Marina del Rey Clinic Director
A California native, Erik Nelson received his Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Mount Saint Mary's College in 1999. Erik’s clinical experience has been focused in the realm of orthopedic and sports physical therapy, which includes a strong emphasis on manual therapy and biomechanical analysis. Erik consistently designs innovative and highly individualized programs for his patients, creating an interesting, productive, informative, and enjoyable rehabilitation and fitness regimen which carries into each individuals post recovery lifestyle.
Erik’s talent and commitment have created an enthusiastic demand for his teaching services as well. In this capacity he has served as Clinical Instructor to students from Physical Therapy graduate programs across the country. Having mentored many beginning practitioners as an instructor, Erik is widely respected among practicing clinicians and has developed strong relationships with academic and research professionals.
Erik’s passion for health and fitness is also well represented in his personal life. A prior certified ski instructor at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, Erik has not limited himself to the snow, participating in competitive soccer and water skiing. Erik’s favorite hobbies also include mountain biking, surfing, and scuba diving in addition to spending time with his wife and daughter.
Erik’s personal history of competitive and recreational sports and a variety of occupational positions prior to physical therapy has, on more than one occasion, been interrupted by his own injury and rehabilitation. Far from regretting this history of injury, Erik draws upon it daily, relating to and understanding the experiences of his patients from a very personal point of view.
Treatment Philosophy:
I aim to provide excellent care to each of my patients through personal knowledge, clinical experience and more importantly empathetic understanding of each person’s injury and rehabilitation experience.
Hal Platts, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Santa Monica Clinic Director
Dr. Hal Platts grew up in Claremont, California. Dr. Platts participated in various sports including soccer, football and basketball, in which he still plays to this day with his childhood and college friends. His love for sports was also reflected in his four year’s of coaching youth basketball while attending Claremont High School, realizing that he had a passion for helping other’s improve their athletic performance. Throughout high school and college, Dr. Platts suffered multiple knee injuries and underwent rehab, which ultimately led him to discover his passion for physical therapy. He went on to attain his B.S. in Kinesiology at San Diego State University and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at California State University, Long Beach. Throughout his three years in PT school, Hal developed a strong interest in treating patients with orthopedic and sports injuries. In addition, Hal has had experience working with patients with neurological disorders such as stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injury. He has an interest in manual therapy, prescribing and educating patients on therapeutic and sports related exercise, promoting overall wellness/fitness, and most importantly building a personal connection with his patients to help them achieve their goals. In addition to playing sports, Hal enjoys weightlifting, traveling, hanging out with friends/family, and exploring new food spots.
Treatment Philosophy:
I believe it is important to truly listen to my patients and connect with them on a personal level while emphasizing a holistic approach. By doing so, it allows my patients and I to develop a team relationship to best implement an individualized treatment plan to help relieve pain, optimize athletic performance, and help them reach their own personal goals.
Brandon Pham, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Marina del Rey
Dr. Brandon Pham received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from San Diego State University in 2018. Dr. Pham is an Orange County native who developed a love for physical fitness through his childhood sports of swimming, weightlifting, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was first introduced to physical therapy through the unfortunate means of a car accident. However, this was a blessing in disguise. As a patient, he was able to fully appreciate the work of a physical therapist which ignited his passion to help others. Ever since then, he is devoted to provide every patient with the same fun and positive rehabilitation experience that motivated him to become a physical therapist. On his free time, Dr. Pham enjoys weightlifting, mixed martial arts, photography, and spending quality time with his family and friends.
Treatment Philosophy:
I highly value developing a strong personal relationship with all my patients. I enjoy putting in the extra effort to learn about my patient’s passions and lifestyle because it allows me to create an extensive individualized plan of care. A thorough plan of care will ensure that my patient is progressing at an optimal rate in order to effectively help them reach their goals.
Kenneth Paik DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Marina del Ray
Dr. Paik has over 20 years of experience in the orthopedic physical therapy field. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he interned as a student athletic trainer in the UCLA training room and worked as an aide at multiple outpatient PT clinics. He then obtained his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Mount St. Mary's University and completed his Orthopedic Residency at Kaiser Permanente. He is an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) and is TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) certified in golf. Dr. Paik found his passion for rehabilitation while working at UCLA training room as a student athletic trainer. He has experienced how the power of physical therapy is able to transform lives from helping people walk after years of immobility, to helping athletes become the best that they can be, and everything in between. He loves that he can help people return to what they want to do, using manual therapy, movement science, therapeutic exercise, and getting to know the patient and their lifestyle to identify the root of the problem. Dr. Paik's primary goal is to foster a positive environment and outcome for your rehab. As an avid sports lover, Dr. Paik enjoys playing basketball, golf, attending baseball games (or any sporting event for that matter), watching all sports and spending time with his family.
Treatment Philosophy:
To provide the best patient care, my plan of care is developed by connecting with each patient to gain a comprehensive understanding of the root cause of their pain while also considering the various facets of their daily lives to discover what may be contributing to their reason for PT. With the combination of manual therapy and movement science, I provide a hands-on individualized treatment to maximize their outcome and provide them the tools to empower them in continued success after their treatment.
Tyler Schwecke, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Marina del Ray
Dr. Schwecke was born in southern California but grew up in the Seattle area. It was after he experienced firsthand the benefits of physical therapy when he developed a common knee condition at age 9 that he decided he wanted to help others realize their athletic goals and improve their quality of life through PT. He received two Bachelor’s degrees in Kinesiology and German Language from Western Washington University in 2016. Tyler grew up playing soccer and running track and cross country and would go on to run competitively at Western Washington University. After working as a Rehabilitation Technician for three years, he attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles and was awarded his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in 2022. Tyler enjoys hiking, running, strength training, soccer, badminton, and riding his motorcycle. He enjoys working with individuals motivated to return to an active lifestyle, with an extra emphasis on ACL rehabilitation and lower extremity injuries.
Treatment Philosophy:
I believe in discussing all factors relevant to an individual's current limitations, guiding them through returning to exercise, and empowering them to return to previously challenging or painful activities. My goal is to create an individualized treatment approach, which includes functional movements and structured exercise progressions in order to progress individuals back into activities they enjoy.
Robert Brovarnik, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Santa Monica
Dr. Brovarnik grew up in San Francisco, CA where he obtained his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Kinesiology. Dr. Brovarnik has always been passionate about health and fitness, which led him to conduct his research on the topic of biomechanics during his master’s program in Kinesiology at CSUF. Along the way he was working as a personal trainer, and after he graduated with his Master’s degree, he started his own personal training business, assisting folks in preventing injuries, getting stronger, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Brovarnik enjoys staying active in nature engaging in surfing, hiking, and rock climbing. He has competed in weightlifting competitions, and is passionate about using strength training to augment his recreational sports.
Treatment Philosophy:
I focus on a patient centered approach using a mutually established plan that fits into the patient’s lifestyle. Beyond addressing movement faults and impairments, having an empathetic treatment approach is essential.
Marina Chacon, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Marina del Rey
Dr. Chacon completed her undergraduate at University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. She then received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Western University of Health Sciences; there she gained valuable clinical experience in private practice orthopedics, sports physical therapy, neuro rehabilitation, and hospital-based outpatient. She has experience working with a variety of patient populations with a comprehensive approach including post-op, professional athletes, veterans and worker’s compensation. Beyond the clinic, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her fiancé and dog, Mozzy, as well as playing basketball, spikeball, and board games.
Treatment Philosophy:
I strive to develop good relationships with my patients to better understand their unique goals so that I can utilize my clinical experience, manual therapy,
and movement analysis in order to achieve the best outcomes.
Armin Sheikh, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Dr. Sheikh is a fifth-generation clinical doctor and a first-generation physical therapist. After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in political science from California State University Northridge, he decided to continue on the path of his ancestors as a healer and received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from California State University Northridge. Dr. Sheikh has experience treating orthopedic and sports conditions for athletes and has successfully treated patients of all ages with his holistic approach to therapy.
Treatment Philosophy:
Dr. Sheikh firmly advocates for a holistic approach to address musculoskeletal impairments, emphasizing comprehensive patient assessments as the cornerstone of successful treatment. He believes that the collaboration between therapist and patient in exploring the best options available is integral to achieving positive outcomes.
Edwin Heredia
Physical Therapist Aide
Therapeutic Exercise Specialist
Santa Monica
Edwin is originally from Ecuador and moved to the US in 2000. After undergoing physical therapy for a soccer injury, he became fascinated with the rehabilitation process and the body’s ability to heal. He went on to earn his Physical Therapy Aide certification in 2002, and later earned his Massage Therapy and Chiropractic Assistant certification in 2005. Since then, he has worked with a wide range of physical issues in a variety of health care settings specializing in, but not limited to, pre and postoperative knee and hip rehabilitation along with disorders of the spine and shoulder. Additionally, over the past 2 years, Edwin has worked part-time in women’s therapy, treating pregnant women and postoperative mastectomy patients with message and manual therapy, stretching, therapeutic pelvic floor exercise, and Pilates; as well as educating women on proper body mechanics. Edwin is currently taking classes to earn his BS in Kinesiology and hopes to eventually earn his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. In his spare time, he enjoys painting, mountain and road cycling, hiking, skiing, and spending time with his family and dog.
Treatment Philosophy:
I strive to improve your quality of life by helping you return to your maximum level of physical function. Healthy body = happy life!
Skylar Serrano
Front Office Administrator and Physical Therapist Aide
Originally born and raised in Chicago, Skylar moved to California in late 2021. Due to her love of Anatomy and Physiology, she began volunteering here at SportsFit as an Aid in 2022. Eventually she began working as both a Physical Therapist Aide and a Front Office Receptionist. Skylar is currently enrolled in Santa Monica college in pursuit of her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. After completing her Bachelor’s, she plans to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. In her spare time, Skylar loves long drives along the coast, fishing, and reading as a way to clear her mind and bring her relaxation.
Fredy Santizo
Lead Physical Therapist Aide
Fredy was born in Guatemala and moved to the US in the year 2000. Fredy grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended grant high school where he was a three sport athlete in soccer, football and Track & Field. Fredy attended California State University of Northridge where he was also a Sprinter for the Track & Field Team and Graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Of Science Degree in Kinesiology and started working as a Personal trainer. Being an athlete and trainer led to injuries which allowed him to be introduce and fall in love with the field of physical therapy and has been in this field since 2013. Fredy enjoy establishing strong relationships with his patients in order to get them fully involved in their recovery process and be able to better challenge them to meet their goals.
Joselyne Zuniga
Lead Physical Therapist Aide
Marina Del Rey Assistant Manager
Joselyne is born and raised in Los Angeles where she earned her degree from Cal State Long Beach. She became passionate about helping others meet their goals, to getting back to what they love doing after she herself had to go through shoulder and knee rehab. Joselyne has several years of experience being a physical therapy aide, including Post-Op rehab, Balance and Strength Training. On her free time she likes to run and strength train, spend time with her family and learn about nutrition. Her goal is to continue to provide the best rehab experience and care and get Licensed herself.
Treatment Philosophy:
I strive to enforce proper body awareness and maintaining a regular exercise regimen for a healthier life style.
Grace Vergara
Regional Manager
Grace was born in New Jersey but was raised in Camarillo, CA. She has had over 20 years of experience in healthcare. She started her career as a Licensed Vocational Nurse and moved into administration and management. Grace has worked in various settings such as hospitals, doctors' offices and the largest surgery centers in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. In addition to healthcare, Grace was previously a personal trainer and owned and operated a boot camp. She also started a free fitness group for women in Santa Monica to bring the community together. In her spare time when she is not enjoying the outdoors she volunteers for physically and mentally disabled athletes assisting them with adaptive sports.
Colleen Roncal
Operations, Human Resources & Payroll Manager
A California native, Colleen was born and raised in Long beach. Colleen comes to SportsFit with more than seven years experience in the medical field. She acquired her bachelor's degree in human development at the University of California, San Diego as well as an associate's degree in both clinical and administrative medical assisting from San Diego Mesa College. She started her medical career as a certified medical assistant, working for an internal medicine doctor, where she discovered her love for patient care. She then transitioned her career as a certified administrative medical assistant when she began working for Sharp Health Care's behavioral health hospital, Sharp Mesa Vista. At Sharp Mesa Vista, Colleen worked as the team lead for patient access services and gained knowledge of insurances as an insurance verification representative for both inpatient and outpatient services. After living in San Diego for over 11 years, she returned back home to Long Beach and found her new home at SportsFit Physical Therapy.
Outside of work, Colleen enjoys exploring outdoors, practicing yoga, lifting weights at the gym, reading, and finding new restaurants!
Jonathan Flores
Front Office Administrator
Jonathan is originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico and relocated to Los Angeles in the summer of 2017. Jonathan’s love of the beach, palm trees and Disneyland brought him to SoCal and he decided to stay. Jonathan has been in the medical administration field for 17 years and brings his wealth of knowledge about scheduling and insurance protocols to SportsFit. Jonathan likes to create a warm and inviting atmosphere at the front office so that patients are always comfortable and feel welcomed. In his spare time, Jonathan is an avid runner and enjoys finding new trails and competing in 10K runs and half marathons.
Katriina Oliver
Front Office Concierge
Katriina grew up and still resides in the South Bay. She comes to SportsFit with more than 16 years of Medical Office experience. Katriina started her career in healthcare at the Los Angeles Air Force Base as an appointment clerk, while going to school and raising her 4 young kids. Katriina earned a diploma in Medical Office Management from ICDC College in 2006. Shortly after, she spent the next 7 years in Bowling Green, KY where she started as a provider call center representative for Blue Cross Blue Shield, moved on to patient registration at the local hospital, and finally worked in the billing department of the hospital before returning home to sunny California. Over the next few years, she continued working in offices with referrals, authorizations, and billing. Katriina enjoys providing support to the patients and staff at the front line of the clinic. She is passionate about caring for and assisting others.
Outside of the clinic, Katriina loves to spend time with her family. She is an avid sports fan as a result of growing up in her father's sporting goods store and playing softball; she is a former high school softball pitcher from the South Bay.
Lyndsay Alexander
Front Office Administrator
Originally from the San Fernando Valley, Lyndsay has spent 10 years in the field of Physical therapy and brings with her skilled knowledge of administrative tasks as well as an understanding of a variety of exercises and modalities for treatment. Lyndsay has earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Kinesiology and received her doctor of physical therapy degree in 2013. Outside of work she enjoys hiking, cooking, and playing board games with friends and family.
Sandra Cattaneo
Front Office Administrator
Sandra is a French Canadian born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She comes to SportsFit with over a decade of customer service experience in various fields including childcare, retail, tourism and healthcare. She received her bachelor's degree in English Studies at the University of Montreal as well as an associate's degree in Travel & Tourism from LaSalle College in Montreal, Canada. Sandra started her career as a travel agent for a few years before moving to California. Sandra worked as a nanny until she transitioned her career as a clinic administrator at the center of generative medicine for a year where she discovered her passion for holistic health. She has always felt like her purpose is to help enrich people's lives with her kindness, open-mindedness and attention to detail. Outside of work, Sandra enjoys attending concerts, painting, reading, writing, travelling, meditating, going to the beach and being with her cats.
Amanda High
Billing Manager
Amanda was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Inspired by her mother's career in the health field, she discovered a passion for sharing knowledge about health insurance with others. Starting with volunteer work at the Veteran Affairs hospital, Amanda gained valuable insights into the world of healthcare coverage at a young age. Her dedication to health continued to flourish as she worked at Anthem BC, where her knowledge and expertise in the field grew stronger. In her leisure time, Amanda enjoys spending quality moments with friends, dancing, and embracing the beautiful sunny days that grace Los Angeles.
Kimberly Christopher
Certified Pilates Instructor
Kimberly is native of California. She brings with her over 16 years of experience as a Massage Therapist and has been Practicing Pilates for over 12 years. Kimberly has worked extensively with medical practices, medical spas and fitness facilities assisting patients with various physical challenges. Her area of expertise is with those who suffer from chronic neck, shoulder, or back pain, postural deficits, and sports injuries. Kimberly had practiced dance and movement just about her whole life, so Pilates was just a natural addition to her practice. Kimberly’s passion for what she does is best described in her own words: “I love to be a positive part of someone's day. I love to work with people on achieving goals, from a simple goal such as mastering a specific exercise to longer term life-goals such as getting in shape for an event down the road or healing the body through correcting imbalances in the body.” She enjoys being with family and friends, travel, anything outdoors, hiking, being in or around water, scuba diving, snorkeling, and has a passion for fine art, architecture and design.
Treatment Philosophy:
My goal is to help you strengthen your core and obtain proper alignment and balance on your body. This is the key to a strong healthy body. It's like building a home. You need a strong core structure/foundation so that it will last a lifetime.
Jivan Singh, CMT
Certified Massage Therapist
Diplomate of Osteopathy
Jivan studied Osteopathy at Oxford Brookes University, giving him extensive knowledge in anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. With over 500 hours of Osteopathic clinical training, Jivan looks at the human body as an integrative unit and engages to treat the underlying cause of the issue. With over 4 years of experience in Sports Massage, he has developed a detailed sense of touch, and confidence in his bodywork. His family comes from a background in natural healing including energy work from India where Jivan has traveled many times, only to become inspired and spiritually grounded. His special interest is with patients suffering low back issues, neck & shoulder pain, headaches and stress relief. He comes from an athletic background having played Basketball at college level, and a strong passion for tennis & yoga.
Treatment Philosophy:
To approach treatment with unity of the body and identify the underlying issues, and creating an individual treatment session, custom to the patient’s need.
Kachiri Irizarry, CMT
Certified Massage Therapist
Adjust Services Manager
Kachiri discovered her talent for bodywork at a young age while helping her father who suffered from chronic back pain. She continued offering massages to relatives who were ailed with headaches and foot pain and soon realized that she had a passion for helping people with pain. Kachiri has over 15 years experience as a massage therapist and has been with SportsFit since 2016. She specializes in various techniques, such as cupping, prenatal, deep tissue Swedish, pre/post-surgical massage, lymphatic drainage massage, myofascial release massage, and stretch therapy. She currently holds her bachelor's degree in communication and is dedicated to expanding her knowledge in the healthcare industry through pursuing her MBA in Healthcare Management.
Treatment Philosophy:
To reduce pain is to reduce stress and with reduced stress you achieve a higher state of consciousness.
Nadia Gillespie, CPI
Certified Pilates Instructor
Nadia was inspired by ballet and her grandmother who was an aerobics instructor that taught her about the importance of being strong both inside and out. In 2016, Nadia completed her 600 hour Classical Pilates certification in Santa Monica and has continued her training in both contemporary and classical both abroad and in Los Angeles since then. She enjoys teaching with a great focus on form, strengthening weaknesses in the body all while having fun mixing in exercises to help her students achieve their fitness goals.
Al Castanon, CPI
Certified Pilates Instructor
Al is a certified Pilates instructor and certified personal trainer with 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. Al received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from California State University of Fullerton in 2002. He received his personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) in 2008 and was certified with the American Sports & Fitness Association in 2010. Al then went on to receive his Pilates Reformer certification with the David Barton Studio in 2014. He has an extensive background and experience working in a Physical Therapy setting and treating the sports and orthopedic patient population. In addition, Hal has worked with various types of clients to assist with sports rehabilitation, corrective exercises, spine mobility, manual stretching, balance, and strength training.
Treatment Philosophy:
I am passionate about providing people with the most beneficial training I can. I enjoy keeping it fun and also challenging while ensuring a feel-good experience that is curated to your special needs.
Irene Razze, CPI
Certified Pilates Instructor
Irene grew up in the dance world at a very young age. Her passion for movement led her to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Irene was introduced to Pilates, while attaining her BFA in Dance. She was immediately intrigued by the Pilates method and amazed at how it changed her body and improved her dance performances. As a dance teacher, she started incorporating these methods as part of her students’ daily warm-up routine to improve core strength and stability. After moving to Los Angeles where her interest in Pilates and fitness continued to grow, she was certified in classical Pilates in 2008 with over 450 hours of training, observation and hands on practice teaching. Throughout her journey, Irene has worked as a teacher trainer, group class instructor and a one-on-one Pilates trainer. Irene creates a program for each individual client to their specific needs ranging from rehabilitation and functional movement to athletic conditioning. Irene believes that Pilates is for everyone and is a fun, yet challenging way to feel strong, healthy and confident in your everyday life.
Elaine Rodriguez, CMT
Certified Massage Therapist
Elaine is a highly motivated and detail-oriented professional with over twenty years of experience in massage therapy. Elaine has treated orthopedic and sports patients and has worked with the injured population in the physical therapy field for the majority of her professional work. with She possesses a strong background in deep tissue, trigger point, Swedish, and prenatal. Elaine has a passion for health and fitness as a whole and is always seeking new challenges and opportunities for growth within those fields. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, traveling, Kickboxing, and strength training. Elaine is a team player, committed to delivering quality results and exceeding expectations.
Treatment Philosophy:
I am passionate about providing people with the most beneficial training I can. I enjoy keeping it fun and also challenging while ensuring a feel-good experience that is curated to your special needs.
Lee Wolfort, CYT
Certified Yoga Therapist
Lee’s approach to yoga therapy is holistic, integrating body, mind, and breath. She brings her deep knowledge of movement and body awareness to yoga therapy from her early years as a professional dancer, in the US and London. Later she began practicing yoga to relieve stress while working in the entertainment industry as a designer. Lee’s an E-RYT500, training, and teaching at YogaWorks for over 16 years with extensive experience in yoga modalities. In 2020 she completed her clinical hours of Urban Zen© Integrative therapy at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital in oncology, maternity, and pediatric units. Lee creates thoughtful plans addressing the unique needs of each individual, to maximize therapeutic outcomes and support health and wellness. When she’s not in a yoga studio, Lee can be found in the garden, creating artwork, or with friends. Always creating, always curious.
Charlie Samos, CYT
Certified Yoga Therapist
After years of competitive sports and physical training, Charlie took his first yoga class in 1995, hoping to increase his flexibility and balance. What he found was both a passion and a practice, where he could create strength and experience physical and psychospiritual openness in a serene, non-competitive environment.
After eight years as an avid student, in 2003, he completed his 200 hour teacher training program at Yoga Works in Santa Monica, California under the tutelage of founder Maty Ezraty and senior Iyengar teacher, Lisa Walford. The following year he completed his 300 hour advanced teacher training program. In 2005 he began to teach yoga full time. Charlie has acquired numerous continuing education hours in Ashtanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, restorative yoga, yoga therapeutics, pranayama, and meditation. He is a 500 hour YogaWorks certified Teacher Trainer. He also leads workshops and retreats in the US and abroad. When Charlie is not in the yoga studio, you’ll find him rock climbing, hiking, and mountain unicycling.
