Who We Are
WHO WE ARE
Scott Cassa
Fitness and Wellness
Scott has earned certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and Harvard Medical School's Executive Ed Program for Health and Wellness. He is a Certified Advanced Cancer Exercise Specialist through The Cancer Exercise Training Institute. With over 20 years of experience as a fitness Trainer, Scott specializes in private personal training, group wellness, corrective exercise training, weight loss management, athletic strength and conditioning, post-physical therapy and cardiac rehab fitness, oncology exercise, brain injury fitness resources, fitness for fragile health status, and corporate wellness.
Additionally, Scott enjoys assisting with adaptive sports and fitness and has experience working with both youth and adult adaptive sports clients. As a survivor of Brain Injury in his teens, Scott strives to help clients overcome health setbacks to stay strong, body and mind.
Scott is a father of two, an accomplished personal athlete, and a nine-time competitor in the Mount Washington Summit Race to the Summit.
Melissa Matheson
Fitness, Nutrition, Athletics, and Wellness
Melissa is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and holds her Master's Health and Nutrition Coaching Certification through Precision Nutrition. Additionally, Melissa is an RRCA Running Coach and a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist to round out her specialties. She specializes in personal training, nutrition, health and wellness coaching, women's health, group fitness, and youth fitness, and enjoys working with our corporate clients designing wellness workshops and resources for a variety of employee populations. Melissa is passionate about nutrition and enjoys using her expertise and education to help people develop plans to reach their health and wellness goals. Melissa is an avid runner qualifying and competing in the Boston Marathon multiple times in addition to many full and half marathons.
Ron Rigazio
Fitness, Athletics, Wellness
Ron is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. His strength and conditioning programs focus on the quality of movement, stabilization, and agility. He enjoys working with people of all fitness levels, adapting the workout to the individual.
Following years of being active and training, a back injury and the demands of life caused Ron to stray from weight training for a while. Then he met a personal trainer who showed him how to strengthen his back, glutes, and hamstrings, as well as how to move correctly alleviating his back pain. With the pain gone and newfound energy, Ron left the corporate world to work in an environment he loves. His desire is to help others overcome similar challenges and reach their fitness goals.
Outside of the gym, Ron enjoys coaching youth sports and being with family.
Meghan Kwartler
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Yoga, Personal Fitness Training, Lifestyle Wellness
Meghan is a lover of movement, breath, and the powerful peace of awareness. Originally, she wanted to be a Physical Therapist, but ended up in the world of Tech & Business. Yoga and wellness became her refuge during a health crisis as a young adult and are still her anchor as she mothers her twin daughters and navigates life. Meghan is passionate about helping her students honor their body, mind & spirit by connecting to their inner wisdom. Their wisdom knows when it’s time to rest, challenge, or stay steady, but it can be hard to hear without consistent practice.
Meghan started her 200-hour teacher training in 2011 with Anusara when living in the Pacific NW and finished in 2019 when she finally found her East Coast teacher. She is certified in Love Your Brain yoga (accessible yoga for those with brain injuries) and most recently completed her 300 hr. Advanced modern yoga teacher training with Heart and Bones Yoga Studio. She is passionate about weaving embodied anatomy, movement science & mindfulness into her teaching. She teaches privately and in groups, including in corporate settings.
Meghan holds a Private Personal Training Certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
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Chris Kandianis
Pilates ,Yoga
Chris has been studying Pilates since 2004 and yoga since 2000. She is passionate about helping people use these practices to develop the strength and flexibility needed to enjoy sports and to prevent and overcome injury.
Chris is STOTT™ Pilates certified in Matwork and Reformer and is an RYT 200 yoga instructor. In addition to her core certifications, she regularly attends workshops and has training in Injuries and Special Populations and Anatomy. Since opening her studio in 2006, she has taught thousands of classes and has worked with hundreds of clients in group classes and one on one helping them to get stronger, overcome musculo-skeletal pain, and improve their sports performance.
She holds a BA degree from Tufts University and an MBA from Simmons College. When not teaching, Chris enjoys biking, skiing, hiking, rock climbing and walking.
Shagufta Rahmen
Yoga, Reiki
Shagufta first came to yoga during college, taking classes as they were available. This basic introduction to yoga was enough for her to pursue a more regular practice and during this time she came across one of her mentors Barbara Rich of Kripalu who taught a very meditative,
breath-focused sequence that resonated deeply with Shagufta. This foundation of breath-work
would become a guiding light for her during a time of loss in her family and helped her begin her journey into a formal training of mind and body. Yoga saved her!
Shagufta completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Fluid Yoga certification program under Kevin Gale and his extraordinary team of teachers in May 2016. She loves to share the psychological and physical benefits of Yoga with everyone around her. She has also completed her Yin Yoga Teacher training under the guidance of Anne Dries of Buddha Nest yoga in May of 2018. While her classes are technically in the style of Vinyasa Flow, her Yin approach to
teaching encourages focusing on mindfulness and breath, and she hopes her classes can serve as a restorative time for mind, body, and spirit.
Yoga
Melissa Ackerman
Melissa has been a practicing yogi for over 25 years. She views the limbs of yoga as her life compass helping her to ground, balance, focus, develop strength and stay true to herself. Melissa is a 500 hour RYT. She completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2019 at Revolution Community Yoga and her 300 hour Yoga Teacher Certification in 2025 through YogaRenew. She is also certified in Yin Yoga, Chair Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Melissa took her first yoga class over 30 years ago. During that time yoga has been her constant, helping her to physically and mentally feel more grounded, balanced, focused and aware. Her classes encourage students to use the breath as a bridge to unite body and mind, cultivate awareness and meet themselves where they are.
Molly Roberts
Yoga
Molly Roberts (RYT® 200) believes that the challenges an individual faces in the world can be worked
through on the mat. She turned to yoga over a decade ago as an antidote to the stresses of life and
received her teacher certification in 2017 under the instruction of Daniel Orlanski and Liz Owen at The
Arlington Center (Arlington, MA). Her practice revolves around asana flows anchored and propelled by
the breath and recognition that our physical practice is tied to our emotional and spiritual well being.
Violet Young
Yoga
Violet has been practicing yoga for over 5 years and has her 200HR YTT certificate. She has mentored under teachers who focus on vinyasa, hatha, restorative, and fusion yoga classes. She gravitates toward a power flow class as she likes to challenge her yogi edge. When she isn't in a yoga flow, she likes hiking in the White Mountains of NH, reading, and photography.
Barre - Pilates
Lisa Siemaszko
Lisa discovered Barre in 2019 and became a certified instructor at ASANA in Charlestown, MA, in 2020. Her training is approved by both the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). As a passionate runner, she initially turned to Barre to reduce joint stress and strengthen different muscle groups. However, she quickly fell in love with how Barre challenges both the body and mind, providing a profound sense of accomplishment after every class.
As a mom of two young children, Lisa finds Barre to be an incredible workout and a vital outlet for managing anxiety and staying centered. Her mission as a teacher is to create a welcoming space where others can experience that same relief and empowerment. Known for her energizing, beat-driven playlists, Lisa ensures that every class is not only effective but also fun and motivating. Join her to transform your body and mind through the power of Barre!
Brenda Tarrant
Yoga
Brenda started practicing yoga in 2015 and it wasn't until she
attended a Baptiste power flow class and experienced the
physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being it offered that she became inspired to teach. In 2025, she completed my 200-hour teacher training and an “Art of Assisting” workshop at Down Under School of Yoga in Brookline, MA. Working in the medical field for 18 years as a Registered Vascular Technologist, her approach has always included patient education on the importance of self-care. She believes a consistent
yoga practice contributes to a healthy mind, body and spirit. Therefore, Brenda informs her patients about the benefits of yoga, encourages them to try a class, and reminds them to breathe.
Brenda's classes follow the Journey into Power sequence, which
links breath with movement, builds physical strength and flexibility,
and focuses on mindfulness. While teaching, she will stress the
importance of proper alignment and offer adjustments. When
your yoga pose is aligned, your practice is a whole new experience.
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Eleonora Cordovani
Yoga Therapy, Yoga for Cancer, Yoga for Parkinsons
Eleonora Cordovani is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher with more than 500 hours of training and is currently a yoga therapist intern. All her classes are trauma-informed and inclusive for everybody. She also has a background in the Arts, having studied Theater Therapy in Italy.
Nancy Slocum
Personal Training, Yoga
Nancy has been immersed in the Fitness Industry for 25 years. A Personal Trainer, Fitness Coach, and Yoga Teacher with a passion for running, movement, and education. She has developed a unique approach to meet the fitness needs of professional athletes, semi-professional athletes, weekend warriors, marathoners, baby boomers, seniors, and more! Her approach combines anatomy, biomechanics, kinesiology, and customized fitness programming,
specialized weight training, yoga and meditation, muscle activation and more.
In her work, Nancy like to focus on The Mind-Muscle-Motion Connection and the principle that whether you are starting a fitness program for the first time, looking to take your current program to the next level, a seasoned athlete, recovering from an injury or looking to prevent, the first step is
to learn more about how your current muscular system is functioning or, more importantly, how it is not functioning. From there she works to develop a highly customized workout routine that meets your individual needs.
I look forward to meeting you and helping you “Make Good Health a Habit”.
Jennifer Yu
Yoga & Yoga Sculpt
Jennifer’s journey with yoga began in 2011, but it was her time living abroad in Brazil in 2016 that truly deepened her connection to the practice. Inspired by nature, diverse cultures, and people, she discovered the profound mental and spiritual dimensions of yoga.
Yoga has become Jennifer’s tool for continual self-love, community support, and nurturing mind-body connections. In her offerings, she blends levity with a playful exploration of the body. Connecting to sources of gratitude and compassion, she guides practitioners through breathwork and meditation.
From sun salutations with friends in a park to meditating by the ocean, her travels near and far have shaped her human experience to be rooted in love and liberation. These experiences have fueled her mission to make yoga accessible to all, regardless of age, level, ability, or background so they can experience the joy of being in the present.
In 2020, Jennifer completed her RYT 200 training with Fluid Yoga School at Sutra Studio in Lowell, MA. In 2024, Jennifer completed Meredith Evangelisti's Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training Certification at Down Under School of Yoga in Cambridge, MA.
Megan Willwerth
Yoga
Megan found yoga on a whim, by the invitation of a friend, about a decade and a half ago. She started studying the philosophies of yoga about a decade ago. She entered the 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training as a path to further her studies. During this coursework, she found a love of teaching and a passion to share the benefits of yoga with the world. A mother of two teenagers, Megan likes to spend her spare time dabbling in the arts, spending time in the forest, tending to her garden, and finding other ways of connecting with nature.
Tina Jost
Fitness, Corrective Exercise
Tina is an Orthopedic nurse, qualified in Germany. Her passion is Health and Fitness. She spends her weekends and vacation time hiking, cross country skiing or paddle boarding, as well as water skiing with her clients, friends, and family. Tina is a NASM qualified Personal Trainer, holding the NASM nutrition certification and Corrective Exercise specialty.
Nancy Bonanno
Pilates, Barre
Nancy Bonanno has been an owner, artistic director, and teacher of The Dance Center in Winchendon Ma. for 29 yrs. Nancy is a native of Buffalo NY and moved to Boston to attend The Boston Conservatory of Music. Her 20 yrs. of professional experience include numerous television specials, music videos and commercials filmed in NYC. She has also performed as a dancer for Impulse Dance Company in Boston and has been a featured dancer at the Boston Opera house Operas.
She began her fitness journey 10 yrs. ago after her right hip was replaced and began a journey to strengthen and maintain her physical stamina with spinning classes, weightlifting and Pilates. Her love for Pilates grew as she witnessed her body transforming, her core stronger, muscles more toned and flexible, and so began Pilates as a career path.
Nancy is certified in Power Pilates Mat 1 and 2 and will begin training for certification on Pilates equipment and reformer.
She is excited to inspire others with passion and knowledge!
Val Templeton
Yoga
Yoga instructor Val Templeton found yoga 25 years ago when a neighbor told her she should try it. After a few classes, she was hooked! Val noticed that her mind and body were so calm and loved the way it made her feel inside. She learned that yoga made her less reactive and more responsive. She always wanted to become certified in yoga but never had the time. Finally, in May of 2023, she completed her 200-hour training at Revolution Community Yoga with Cindy Boulter. In January of 2024, she also became certified in assisting students. Her specialty is a slow-flow class, leaving you feeling calm, grounded, and restored. When she isn’t teaching or practicing yoga, Val loves to read, hike, go to the beach, and spend time with family, friends, and her dog, Hooper!
Denise LeGrow
Denise’s yoga journey began during her first pregnancy, when she discovered the profound benefits of the practice. Yoga has since become a cornerstone in her life, helping her to find balance, stay grounded, and build strength. In May 2023, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Revolution Community Yoga, led by Cindy Boulter. Through her gentle flow classes, Denise shares her passion for yoga by offering her students a space for encouragement, exploration, and compassion.
Brenda Doben
PIlates Group and Private
Brenda became a Power Pilates Comprehensive Certified Instructor in 2022, after discovering the transformative power of Pilates four years earlier. For years, she struggled with chronic neck and lower back pain—but Pilates changed everything. Through consistent practice, she developed a stronger core, increased flexibility, and built strength throughout her back body, significantly reducing her discomfort and improving her quality of life.
Inspired by her own journey, Brenda is passionate about helping others experience the benefits of Pilates. She brings a thoughtful and holistic approach to each session, guiding clients to connect more deeply with their bodies and reach their personal wellness goals. Her appreciation for the Pilates method continues to grow as she witnesses her clients’ progress and breakthroughs.
In addition to her Pilates certification, Brenda is also certified in TRX Suspension Training. Beyond the studio, she enjoys creating recipes and teaching Whole Food Plant-Based cooking classes. She believes in a holistic approach to wellness—blending movement, nutrition, and mindful living—and is dedicated to helping others lead balanced, healthy lives.
Chrisanne Douglas
Yoga
Chrisanne has been a student of yoga for over 25 years. She wandered into her first yoga class not knowing what to expect, but, like many before her, she discovered that yoga goes far beyond the physical practice. She quickly embraced the benefits of using breath and movement to calm the mind.
Her classes focus on moving with intention, staying connected to the breath, and using poses as tools rather than goals - helping students cultivate strength and stability without chasing perfection. Her goal is simple: that students leave class feeling better than when they walked in the door.
She completed her 200 hour teacher training at Revolution Community Yoga. She has completed additional training in yoga for osteoporosis, chair yoga, and is a certified grief educator.