Our Team
Experts in bridging personal fitness and physical therapy, with special depth training to help people over 50 live their best lives through exercise.
Since 2008 I worked in medical billing for a local doctors office. During my time there I managed the staff schedule, delegated tasks, ran payroll, and ultimately oversaw all insurance billing. I even assisted on the medical side, taking vitals, drawing blood, give injections, etc. During this time I really enjoyed helping patients and helping comfort them no matter the health issue. I also loved tracking down the details and geeking out on data analysis.
What motivates you in your role at Gymnazo?
I really enjoy customer service where I can make a member smile and help them with whatever they need. Whenever they thank me for helping them and being pleasant; it makes me feel warm inside. I also love assisting our coaches and making their lives easier because they do so much for other people.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Outside the gym, I love riding horses, it’s very therapeutic for me. I also love being outdoors whether it’s hiking or riding my motorcycle.
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
I like any exercises that incorporate sled pushes or the double end bag.
Rachel Oster
Top 5 Strengths from StrengthFinders 2.0
Relator, Communication, Developer, Woo, Harmony
Business Experience
Most of my current experience is in sales and marketing for small start-ups. I love the fast-pacedness and connectedness of being on a small start-up team. I currently work remotely, but often pop into the gym when I’m in the area. Skills wise, I enjoy creating content, writing copy, strategizing, problem solving and brainstorming new ideas!
What motivates you in your role at Gymnazo?
The people! The energy everyone brings is intoxicating. I really couldn’t imagine myself working for any other company. Also the Gymnazo philosophy, I believe wholeheartedly that more people should adopt many of the values and philosophies we have here because it will truly change their lives for the better in more ways than one!
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
I love to travel, camp, hike, be outside, rollerblade, play soccer, dance, meditate, listen to music, laugh with friends, and eat good food. (I’m a self-proclaimed breakfast burrito connoisseur)
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
Speed ladders and the boxing towers
Paden Hughes
Top 5 Strengths from StrengthFinders 2.0
Activator, Strategic, Communication, Learner, Woo
Business Experience
As the President and co-owner of Gymnazo, I oversee strategic planning, customer service, company finances, marketing and manage our team of talented trainers and office staff. I’m most passionate about planning Gymnazo’s growth, measuring it and guiding it to be the most effective business model it can be. I enjoy seeing people realize their health and fitness goals and the role we play in their accomplishments. To sustain my passion for entrepreneurship and small businesses, I currently work with several clients as a small business consultant. I work with entrepreneurs and business owners who are seeking to improve and adjust their strategies to position themselves for larger long term growth.
What motivates you in your role at Gymnazo?
My biggest motivation for my role in Gymnazo is finding solutions and seeing results whether it’s growing our talent base to expanding our services to monetizing a large space. Like many of our members, I love setting goals and working hard to achieve them. I’m blessed to work with some of the most amazing innovators in fitness. I’m also thankful my husband and I have the opportunity to grow Gymnazo together and combine our passions.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
I love anything competitive, from golf to board games to Tough Mudder events. I also love exploring new places and trying new things. I also enjoy traveling, tropical vacations, and coffee dates with good friends.
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
Agility exercises specifically with the speed ladder. It reminds me why I loved soccer and dance growing up: foot/eye coordination.
CAFS (Certification in Applied Functional Science®)
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Z-Health Level 1
Coaching Experience
After graduating from University, Briana started her career working alongside a popular trainer in Toronto, Canada. Together, they worked to create programming for a fitness app for women to work towards their goals either at-home or in the gym. Upon returning back to the Central Coast, Briana started her own personal and group training business where she helped women in their 20s & 30s find a love for heavy lifting. After half a year, it was time to expand her knowledge. She began training at Athlon, another fitness facility in San Luis Obispo County, where she would gain coaching skills for Olympic style lifting & sports performance techniques. She spent 2.5 years with Athlon before spreading her wings to begin her own online coaching business in 2020. Her passion became helping women love their bodies and their exercise routines making a healthy & fit lifestyle easy to adhere to. Coming to Gymnazo was the next step in growing her abilities as a coach.
What motivates you in your work/role with Gymnazo?
Her ‘Why” surrrounds the desire to instill confidence in others. Gymnazo is not about how your body looks, but how you FEEL in your body. After years of dieting, doing body building type workouts, and constantly chasing a number on the scale, what became very evident to her is that fitness is more than building a body you love, but becoming the strong & courageous person you were meant to be. Exercise routines are foundational in building this self-confidence.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Briana is actively seeking to encourage, support, and motivate others to become their best. Her work with women online and within our community brings her joy and life. She loves building memories with her friends and having adventures with her family. Travel is an outlet she uses to continue to stretch & grow her perception of self, as is reading and writing.
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
Her favorite exercise at Gymnazo is currently rope flow. With it’s massive ability to be an expression of emotions, a celebration of the body, and freedom to explore movement with every skill learned, she has loved the connection it brings to the present moment.
As a child, I was an active gymnast, basketball player, and club soccer player. I continued soccer throughout high school and experienced the weight room for the first time. It was love at first lift! I was fortunate to have really incredible coaches that invested so much time and passion into all of us. Those experiences have given me a great understanding of the impact a coach can have on someone. I believe these experiences along with training as an inquisitive athlete with the coaches at Gymnazo for several years has allowed me to get a head start on reaching my full potential as a coach. I have a huge passion for people, health, and movement and I can’t wait to spread it around.
What motivates you in your work/role with Gymnazo?
The people! I have so much love for the people and I feel inspired every day when they walk through the doors. They push themselves to improve and become stronger even when it’s hard and they might not want to show up. I love seeing our athletes grow physically and mentally. They often surprise themselves with great success. Witnessing the growth that our athletes experience is incredible and it becomes part of my experience too.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
I love so many things! Hiking, biking, roller skating, and cruising around on my Onewheel are a few. I’ll try almost anything at least once! If I’m enjoying some downtime, I’ll most likely be drawing. I love to spend time with my family. During the summer we’ll head to the beach for surfing or paddleboarding. In the winter, when it gets dark early, I’m all about getting people together to play laser tag or kick the can.
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
I love rotational med ball throws and the barbell landmines. You can get some good power in with both and powerful explosives moves are my favorite.
Jonathon Parreira
Top 5 Strengths from StrengthFinders 2.0
Achiever, Woo, Includer, Strategic, Communication
Education
B.S. Kinesiology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
FAFS (Fellow of Applied Functional Science®)
CAFS (Certification in Applied Functional Science®)
MDMC (Multidimensional Movement Coach) Certified
FCR (Female Chain Reaction®) Certified
3DMAPS® (3D Movement Analysis & Performance System) Certified
FSTT (Functional Soft Tissue Transformation) Certified – (in progress)
Coaching Experience
From an early age, I have always been involved in sports. For as long as I can remember sports have played a huge role in my life both socially and by helping me to become the person I am today. I have played football, water polo, basketball and baseball all at the varsity level. Being involved in so many different sports starting at the age of 4 I have been around some incredible coaches, so I know what it takes to help motivate others to reach their goals.
What motivates you in your role at Gymnazo?
My love/fascination of how the human body works as well as the people are the two main things that motivate me here at Gymnazo. Approaching everyday with a willingness to learn new things I am passionate about and help others to reach their goals are what drive me to excel at Gymnazo and be the best member of this team that I can be.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Going to live music! Music may just be my favorite thing on this planet, so anywhere with live music I’M THERE! From festivals to little local concerts I truly enjoy it all, no matter the genre. Also anything involving sports, from playing pick-up basketball games to watching football on Sundays with friends and family, anything revolving around sports I really enjoy.
B.S. in Animal Science, Minor in Biology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
FAFS (Fellow of Applied Functional Science®)
FMR (Functional Manual Reaction®) Certified
MDMC (Multidimensional Movement Coach) Certified
CAFS (Certification in Applied Functional Science®)
FCR (Female Chain Reaction®) Certified
3DMAPS® (3D Movement Analysis & Performance System) Certified
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Coaching Experience
I began my coaching career in 2006. I started working with high school aged soccer players and haven’t stopped since! I played soccer for Cal Poly’s Div 1 Women’s Soccer Team where I really developed passion for the weight room. I coached Girl’s Soccer at SLO High School for 6 years, in addition to coaching club soccer, and found that I loved helping girls realize their potential on and off the field. I made a career move that ultimately led me to Gymnazo in 2014 and the rest is history!
What motivates you in your work/role with Gymnazo?
Our members and our team. We are truly lucky to work with such an incredible group of individuals every single day. They are so dedicated to themselves and their workouts; it’s inspiring! I want to serve them to the best of my abilities, and that keeps me motivated to continually better myself as a coach. This is a place where members feel like family, and I always want to take care of family. I’m also lucky to work with a staff that challenges and supports each other day in and day out.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Anything active and outdoors: surfing, golfing, camping, hiking, cooking, good beer, and spending time with friends and family.
B.S. in Kinesiology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
FAFS (Fellow of Applied Functional Science®)
WMQ (WeckMethod Qualified)
FMR (Functional Manual Reaction®) Certified
MDMC (Multidimensional Movement Coach) Certified
CAFS (Certification in Applied Functional Science®)
FCR (Female Chain Reaction®) Certified
3DMAPS® (3D Movement Analysis & Performance System) Certified
CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist)
Coaching Experience
I grew up playing a variety of sports including volleyball, baseball, football and wrestling. As I progressed in my high school career, I developed a strong passion for mentoring and coaching youth athletes. I coached for a local youth wrestling club and youth football program for a few years in Sacramento. When I moved to San Luis Obispo, I coached wrestling at a local high school and headed a local youth wrestling program. I also work with individual athletes to help them reach their full potential through mental and self-discipline. I believe it takes hard work and strong mental toughness to achieve any goal.
What motivates you in your work/role with Gymnazo?
We were all born with the gift of movement, and each of us has our own strengths. I believe we were all put on this world to help one another become the best humans we can be. Health and fitness play a key role in quality of life, and knowing that everyone who walks through Gymnazo’s doors is part of my family keeps me smiling. Gymnazo provides a very rewarding experience for coaches and athletes looking to maximize their lives.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Anything outdoors makes me happy. We live in a beautiful place, and life is too short to not maximize what it has to offer! I love taking my dog to the beach, BBQing with my family and friends, listening to country music, and roasting marshmallows at the beach. The ocean is my second home, so you’ll either find me surfing or on the sand!
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
Sandbell Slams and SFT Push Ups!
Michael Hughes
Top 5 Strengths from StrengthFinders 2.0
Belief, Relator, Learner, Input, Command
Education
B.S. in Kinesiology from California State University, Fresno
FAFS (Fellow of Applied Functional Science®)
FMR (Functional Manual Reaction®) Certified
MDMC (Multidimensional Movement Coach) Certified
CAFS (Certification in Applied Functional Science®)
FCR (Female Chain Reaction®) Certified
3DMAPS® (3D Movement Analysis & Performance System) Certified
Growing up, I played baseball, football and track and field. I started a physical training regimen in the 7th grade which prompted the development of customized workout programs for friends. I was a certified personal trainer from 2004- 2006 at a corporate gym which enabled me to practically apply my Kinesiology studies. When I moved to SLO, I started working at San Luis Sports Therapy, aiding the in-house therapists while simultaneously training individuals at Athlon Elite, a sport performance training facility, and at Kennedy Club Fitness. In 2009, I supplemented my coaching, working at the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy as its fitness director during its inaugural year. While a personal trainer at the Kennedy Club Fitness, I co-founded a group fitness circuit training program which catapulted me into something much bigger! My passionate interest in the fitness benefits of the functional movement style of training led me to the Gray Institute and its Fellowship of Applied Functional Science and I jumped right into its educational program…and Gymnazo was created and formed as a result of it!
What motivates you in your work/role with Gymnazo?
Being blessed with the opportunity to create and build a training environment that encourages transformation in people’s lives! In my previous training roles, when clients would experience pain or movement dysfunction, I desperately wanted to help but couldn’t due to limited knowledge and resources. Because Gymnazo is based on A.F.S. methodology, we now have the tools and the network of resources to not only ease the pain and correct the dysfunction but to significantly enhance physical movement and improve athletic performance.
What activities outside the gym bring you joy in life?
Wakeboarding, snowboarding, trail hiking and golf.
Favorite exercise at Gymnazo?
The Jumping Jack matrices! It’s the ultimate ability to simply and completely challenge the entire body in agility, coordination and skill sequencing.
