Trainers
Zumba Instructor
barbaba@gmail.com
847-504-6854
Barbara Nicholas
- 16+ years experience teaching zumba
- Zumba toning instructor
- Zumba sentao instructor
- BS in biology, rutgers
Barbara has spent her whole life dancing. she was the proud owner of barbara’s dancing tonight ballroom studio for 20 years and has been teaching dance for over 37 years!
Donna Lemongello
- 40+ years of teaching group exercise
- Experience teaching many formats, including Step, hiit, & yoga
Donna has been teaching group fitness classes since 1983, the time when group exercise was called aerobics! she is excited by the new knowledge and variety we now have. Donna is a retired microbiologist, avid potter, and loves to sing!
Zumba Instructor
barbaba@gmail.com
847-504-6854
Barbara Nicholas
- 16+ years experience teaching zumba
- Zumba toning instructor
- Zumba sentao instructor
- BS in biology, rutgers
Barbara has spent her whole life dancing. she was the proud owner of barbara’s dancing tonight ballroom studio for 20 years and has been teaching dance for over 37 years!
Donna Lemongello
- 40+ years of teaching group exercise
- Experience teaching many formats, including Step, hiit, & yoga
Donna has been teaching group fitness classes since 1983, the time when group exercise was called aerobics! she is excited by the new knowledge and variety we now have. Donna is a retired microbiologist, avid potter, and loves to sing!
Gabriela Cortez
- B1-level Zumba Instructor
- 10+ yrs Zumba experience.
Gaby has been dancing since childhood and loves to share her passion for dance with our dsf family. When she isn’t dancing, Gaby works as a preschool director and volunteers with the American Cancer Society and relay for life.
Josiah Deleon
- CPR and lifeguard Certified
Are you ready to refine your swimming? Come and practice with me. I can teach all ages and levels! I am a ucd student and former competitive swimmer who has been coaching for more than a decade so I am experienced with any age, level, or goal. I know the technical aspects of competition/open water swimming as well as the crucial water safety skills that can save a child’s life. I can help children or adults whether they are just learning or trying to be more efficient and build endurance in the water. Let’s get you swimming!
Swim Instructor
dsfaqua@gmail.com
Contact: 279-235-9675
Gabriela Cortez
- B1-level Zumba Instructor
- 10+ yrs Zumba experience.
Gaby has been dancing since childhood and loves to share her passion for dance with our dsf family. When she isn’t dancing, Gaby works as a preschool director and volunteers with the American Cancer Society and relay for life.
Josiah Deleon
- CPR and lifeguard Certified
Are you ready to refine your swimming? Come and practice with me. I can teach all ages and levels! I am a ucd student and former competitive swimmer who has been coaching for more than a decade so I am experienced with any age, level, or goal. I know the technical aspects of competition/open water swimming as well as the crucial water safety skills that can save a child’s life. I can help children or adults whether they are just learning or trying to be more efficient and build endurance in the water. Let’s get you swimming!
Swim Instructor
dsfaqua@gmail.com
Contact: 279-235-9675
Julie Burgal
- Crossfit bootcamp trainer
- BS in Biotechnology (UC Davis)
- MSc Genetics & Cell Bio (UC Davis)
Julie has been with DSF for over 15 years, first as a member and eventually as an instructor! outside of the gym, julie works as an academic advisor at uc davis and loves spending time with her dogs and family!
Justin Hsieh
- 7 years professional experience
- Former competitive swimmer
- NASM Certified
I believe in the transformative power of personalized training. Your journey will be tailored to your unique needs and goals, ensuring a holistic approach to fitness. We’ll focus on building a strong foundation, progressively advancing towards a total body routine that’s both sustainable and empowering. My personal experiences with sports injuries and the subsequent rehabilitation process have profoundly shaped my approach. I’ve been where you might be right now – navigating the challenges of recovery and seeking balance. These experiences were pivotal, sparking my enthusiasm for restorative and preventative training methods.
Personal Trainer & Swim Instructor
activelyjustin@gmail.com
Contact: 916-616-9081
Julie Burgal
- Crossfit bootcamp trainer
- BS in Biotechnology (UC Davis)
- MSc Genetics & Cell Bio (UC Davis)
Julie has been with DSF for over 15 years, first as a member and eventually as an instructor! outside of the gym, julie works as an academic advisor at uc davis and loves spending time with her dogs and family!
Justin Hsieh
- 7 years professional experience
- Former competitive swimmer
- NASM Certified
I believe in the transformative power of personalized training. Your journey will be tailored to your unique needs and goals, ensuring a holistic approach to fitness. We’ll focus on building a strong foundation, progressively advancing towards a total body routine that’s both sustainable and empowering. My personal experiences with sports injuries and the subsequent rehabilitation process have profoundly shaped my approach. I’ve been where you might be right now – navigating the challenges of recovery and seeking balance. These experiences were pivotal, sparking my enthusiasm for restorative and preventative training methods.
Personal Trainer & Swim Instructor
activelyjustin@gmail.com
Contact: 916-616-9081
Kaz Sakura
- Teaching yoga for 5+ years
Kaz is a proud mama of three, with her oldest attending college. She has lived in 9 countries and now lives in davis full time. Her humble & open heart keeps her learning from the students in her classes. Her passion is to share her knowledge from different cultures and her experiences with yoga practice to people of all levels, ages, and backgrounds.
Sheri Pieper
- American Barre Technique certified
- NASM certified stretch and flexibility coach
- AFAA certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor
Sheri has over 5 years teaching essentrics classes at dsf! When not teaching, Sheri works as a licensed clinical social worker. In her free time, Sheri enjoys spending time in the kitchen baking bread and making treats!
Kaz Sakura
- Teaching yoga for 5+ years
Kaz is a proud mama of three, with her oldest attending college. She has lived in 9 countries and now lives in davis full time. Her humble & open heart keeps her learning from the students in her classes. Her passion is to share her knowledge from different cultures and her experiences with yoga practice to people of all levels, ages, and backgrounds.
Sheri Pieper
- American Barre Technique certified
- NASM certified stretch and flexibility coach
- AFAA certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor
Sheri has over 5 years teaching essentrics classes at dsf! When not teaching, Sheri works as a licensed clinical social worker. In her free time, Sheri enjoys spending time in the kitchen baking bread and making treats!
Sheryl Bernauer
- AFAA personal trainer
- AFAA nutritional wellness consultant
- Yogafit certified
- Pilates reformer certified
- mat training certified
Outside of teaching yoga and pilates at dsf, sheryl loves to spend time with her family and friends. Sheryl also works at uc davis managing a dna sequencing core lab
Valerie Hetrick
- Group fitness instructor
- Ace Certified Since 1999
Valerie has over 20 years of experience teaching a variety of group fitness classes. She is a retired air force officer. In addition to teaching fitness, she volunteers at a hospice in Sacramento and at the Davis police department. Valerie loves hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
STEP, HIIT instructor
activelyjustin@gmail.com
Contact: 916-616-9081
Sheryl Bernauer
- AFAA personal trainer
- AFAA nutritional wellness consultant
- Yogafit certified
- Pilates reformer certified
- mat training certified
Outside of teaching yoga and pilates at dsf, sheryl loves to spend time with her family and friends. Sheryl also works at uc davis managing a dna sequencing core lab
Valerie Hetrick
- Group fitness instructor
- Ace Certified Since 1999
Valerie has over 20 years of experience teaching a variety of group fitness classes. She is a retired air force officer. In addition to teaching fitness, she volunteers at a hospice in Sacramento and at the Davis police department. Valerie loves hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.
STEP, HIIT instructor
activelyjustin@gmail.com
Contact: 916-616-9081
OUR CORE PILLARS
Elevate Your Performance
Experience a balanced approach to high-performance living. Our pillars deliver a complete ecosystem for physical and mental evolution.
STRENGTH & POWER
Build lean muscle, increase bone density, and unlock physical potential with elite training techniques.
ENDURANCE & CARDIO
Boost cardiovascular efficiency, build stamina, and maximize caloric burn with intense metabolic workouts.
MOBILITY & BALANCE
Restore joint health, correct postural alignment, and enhance functional range of motion for optimal longevity.
TEAM & COMMUNITY
Train alongside passionate, like-minded individuals and expert coaches dedicated to lifting your limits.
Personal Trainers and Coaches
Expert guidanceReal supportLasting results
Tammy Thomas
Owner/Director
- AFAA Group Exercise Certified, Red Cross CPR Certified
- AFAA Personal Training, Pilates Certified, Yoga Certified, Kickboxing and Spin Certified
- CrossFit Level Trainer 1, 2
- CrossFit Kids Certified
- B.S. in Business Management, University of Phoenix, 2000
Tammy has proudly owned and operated Davis Swim & Fitness since 2005, creating a space where individuals and families can pursue health, wellness, and connection for all ages.
Allison Lelchuk
- B.S. in Kinesiology, Sacramento State
- Background in biomechanics, anatomy, and exercise science
- 4+ years of fitness and training experience
- Focused on strength and muscle development
Allison’s goal is to help you build a positive, lasting relationship with fitness that feels enjoyable, sustainable, and empowering.
Gabriel McKinney
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- 10+ years of self-training
- 2+ years of training others
- Competitive bodybuilding
Gabriel believes that working out and fitness should leave you feeling better in your body and more capable at everyday movement. He provides the coaching and knowledge to help you reach new heights safely and effectively.
Arwen McCullough
- NASM Certified
- Professional Baseball Player in the Women’s Pro Baseball League
- 8+ years of weightlifting experience
- BS in Sports Management
Arwen is passionate about helping people build strength, power, mobility, and confidence so you can perform better and feel better in everyday life.
Carolina Wonder Ehrlich
- NASM Certified Personal Trainer
- Nutrition Coach and Corrective Exercise Specialist
- Pre/Postpartum Fitness Specialist
- Running Coach Certified
- Yoga Instructor
- 200 HR Barre Instructor
Carolina is an E-RYT 200 HR yoga teacher and certified personal trainer dedicated to helping you build strength, mobility, and a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
Conor Foley
- BS Kinesiology (CSUS)
- NSCA CSCS
- NASM CPT D and NASM CES
- Performance Enhancement Specialization
- Behavioral Coach
- Lifespan Specialist
- Certified Nutrition Coach
Conor specializes in training youth athletes and active adults, helping them build strength, confidence, and lifelong fitness habits.
Hannah Tyndall
- BA English + Education Minor (UC Davis)
- MA Education (UC Davis)
- NASM Certified Personal Trainer
- CPR/AED Certified
Hannah has been weight training since 2014 and earned her personal training certification in 2020. She is passionate about helping clients develop confidence, build healthy habits, and reach their fitness goals.
Josiah Deleon
- CPR and Lifeguard Certified
Are you ready to refine your swimming? Come practice with Josiah! He can teach all ages and levels, from beginners to competitive swimmers. With over a decade of coaching experience, he focuses on building strong technique, water safety skills, and endurance.
Chris Benoit
- 23 years of personal training experience
- Training experience with triathlons and marathons
- B.S. in Exercise Science
- River City Rowing Club Men’s Varsity and JV Coach
I started working out seriously in 1993. From 1993–97, I was a member of the UC Davis Crew Team and began training for triathlons and marathons. As your trainer, my goal is to train you to be independent and self-reliant in exercising. I have 23+ years of experience in a gym and as well as working as a varsity rowing team instructor for the River City Rowing Club.
Justin Hsieh
- 7 years professional experience
- Former competitive swimmer
- NASM Certified
I believe in the transformative power of personalized training. Your journey will be tailored to your unique needs and goals, ensuring a holistic approach to fitness. We'll focus on building a strong foundation, progressively advancing towards a total body routine that's both sustainable and empowering. My personal experiences with sports injuries and the subsequent rehabilitation process have profoundly shaped my approach. I've been where you might be right now – navigating the challenges of recovery and seeking balance. These experiences were pivotal, sparking my enthusiasm for restorative and preventative training methods.